CASE STUDY
Overview.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place, traditional Halloween activities like trick-or-treating were significantly impacted. The challenge was to keep M&M’s relevant during this key seasonal moment and ensure audiences could still celebrate in a fun and engaging way. The goal was to drive digital engagement and reinforce M&M’s as the go-to Halloween treat.
Objective.
To overcome the challenge, we developed a social-first, interactive campaign designed to bring the Halloween experience to families at home. By leveraging influencers, AR technology, and audience-led storytelling, M&M’s maintained its strong connection to the holiday in a fresh and innovative way.
​​​BAKE WITH M:
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Partnered with Food-tryb influencers to create Halloween-themed M&M’s bakes, encouraging families to participate in at-home baking activities.
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Focused on making M&M’s a key ingredient in fun, shareable, and spooky recipes.
Key Campaign Elements.
WATCH WITH M:
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Strengthened M&M’s position as the ideal streaming snack through engaging social content.
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Included a Halloween-themed film quiz, helping fans engage with the brand during the spooky season.
PLAY WITH M - AR TRICK OR TREAT GAME:
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Developed an interactive Instagram AR filter, allowing users to dress up in costumes and trick-or-treat from home.
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The game mechanics required players to catch M&M’s in a jack-o’-lantern while dodging “tricks” like falling spiders.
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The filter was promoted through paid media and influencer collaborations.
INTERACTIVE HALLOWEEN STORIES:
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Designed audience-led storytelling where fans dictated how the story unfolded.
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Strengthened emotional connection by putting the fate of the M&M’s Orange character in the audience’s hands.
THEMED WATCH LISTS & FILM QUIZZES:​
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Leveraged key cultural moments by recommending Halloween-themed content.
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Encouraged engagement with quizzes and social media interactions.
Outcome.
The campaign successfully transformed M&M’s Halloween strategy into an engaging digital-first experience, ensuring brand relevance despite pandemic-related restrictions. By using a mix of influencer content, gamification, and interactive storytelling, the campaign strengthened M&M’s connection with audiences and drove strong engagement on social media platforms.
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Innovative use of AR technology: The interactive Trick or Treat game added a playful, shareable element that resonated with families.
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Influencer collaborations amplified reach, especially through the baking segment.
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Audience participation was key—whether through choosing story outcomes or playing interactive games, the campaign emphasized engagement over passive content consumption.
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