Ghoulish Data That’ll Scare You This Halloween

We need to talk about something controversial. 

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Candy corn. 

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People seem to love it or hate it. And, according to the National Confectioners Association, there may be a generational component involved in liking the striped sweet. GenX and Baby Boomers average 57% in favor of candy corn, with only 47% of Millennials and GenZ enjoying it. But either way, it's no surprise this highly seasonal (and contentious) candy item makes shoppers' grocery lists during the fall, peaking in October.

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What remains notable is that this little triangle treat is still making mobile shopping lists into December and January, even as far into the year as March! So are the die-hard candy corn fans stocking their cabinets for the long summer while these colorful corns go on sale? Only shoppers' cupboards hold the secret. 

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But let’s dive a little further into the data. Candy corn is regularly paired with other items on lists, which we call its “correlation index.” AdAdapted offers this data to advertisers to help them understand a broader picture of how their branded items are contextually making lists. 

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So what is added to carts along with candy corn? Peanuts, marshmallows, Oreos, and pretzels! It sounds like a lot of snackable bites are making lists together. Advertisers can then use this correlation information to enhance their seasonal marketing strategy. 

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What about other October grocery list trends? While general “candy” and Halloween-specific candy terms unsurprisingly find a considerable spike in making shoppers’ lists, we see only a mild increase in the popular brand term “Reese’s,” with it peaking in December. 

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Why is this important? Well, 80% of items that make lists get purchased! So, getting on mobile grocery lists as a branded item is valuable digital real estate for CPG advertisers.

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At AdAdapted, we bring brands in front of targeted consumers who intend to purchase generic items (like “candy”). We then help replace those generic items with brand names (from peanut butter cups to chewing gum!)

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Contact us if you’d like to learn more about how you can get your brand in front of consumers at the moment it matters most: when they are creating lists that lead to purchases. 

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Whether you’re a confection brand or beyond, AdAdapted can help your products get on the list and in the cart today! 

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