Old El Paso is set to give UK Halloween festivities an authentic Mexican Day of the Dead twist to drive sales and increase household penetration.
The General Mills brand is planning a through-the-line campaign – including a ‘Win a Trip to Mexico’ on-pack competition supported by social media, PR and limited-edition packaging. The activation centres on the traditional Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations marked every year from 31 October to 2 November when people come together for vibrant street parties and family meals fuelled by conversation and memories celebrating the lives of those no longer with us.
Mexican cuisine accounts for the UK’s top two fastest-growing restaurant chains, while UK consumers spent an estimated £320m on Halloween goods last year – a 3.2% rise on 2016 spend[1].
Lindsay Hill, marketing manager for Old El Paso at General Mills UK, says tapping into the growing enthusiasm around Halloween is the perfect way to introduce Old El Paso and excite young millennial families, who are most likely to buy into the holiday.
She said: “Research tells us that 91% of shoppers are open to Mexican flavours, with household penetration now at 56%[2]. Our Day of the Dead campaign taps into an authentic, credible Mexican festival to boost brand awareness and give our target shoppers a fantastic reason to purchase. It will particularly appeal to younger, millennial shoppers who already love the fun of Halloween and will continue to support the event – and buy into Old El Paso – as they start their young families. Nielsen Homescan data from 2017 tells us that 55% of households with children bought more special products for Halloween, so we’re very excited by the potential that Day of the Dead will bring to Old El Paso.”
Old El Paso’s success is driven by the increasing popularity of Mexican cuisine, which has seen household penetration double over the last 10 years.
Packs will be on shelf from 1 October while the Day of the Dead activation will also coincide with the latest TV burst for Old El Paso Stand n’ Stuff.
[1] http://www.mintel.com/blog/retail-market-news/halloween-spending-in-the-uk-set-to-reach-320-million
[2] Nielsen Homescan MAT World Foods Report, 30 Dec 2017
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