October is always a crazy month for the communications professional.
Between creating next year’s PR plan and trying to smash as much effective work into the quarter as possible (prior to everyone going MIA for the holidays)—we have a lot on our plates.
No doubt, many things have to be put on the priority back burner.
Maybe even your … GASP … Halloween costume.
Luckily, here at Spin Sucks, we want to help protect the priorities most crucial to you and your business.
Obviously, helping you find the right Halloween costume is one of them.
That’s why we are very proud to present the 2019 Spin Sucks Guide to Halloween Costumes for the Communications Professional.
As our 3rd annual costume guide, we’ve added more costumes, updated you on current spooky trends, and even provided bonus team or family options.
Next year, I’m hoping for a partnership with one of the online Halloween costume stores.
So if anyone has any connections, hook a girl up.
There might be a free PESO model costume in it for you.
So if Halloween snuck up on you like a ghost in a haunted house, have no fear!
We’re here to save the day (insert Wonder Woman costume).
It’s sure to create a memorable Halloween for you and all of your friends.
You tweet.
And “like”.
You “insta” so much your co-workers take the long route to the bathroom to avoid your desk and ever-ready photo ops.
You engage ALL the people on ALL the social media channels.
If Facebook were a planet, you’d be mayor of a large city.
One time you forgot to update your Instagram Story for three hours and your best friend called to make sure you weren’t abducted by the alien in the filter you used earlier in the morning.
You might even dream in #hashtags.
If that describes you, then these #halloween2018 #costumes are for you!
I mean, well duh guys! This one never gets old.
You could be your favorite social media platform.
Hootsuite compiled some awesome DIY social media costume tutorials to get you started.
I love this DIY Pinterest option (ironically which I found ON Pinterest, so meta).
And this video …
How many times have you said, “I wish this filter was real life?”
I’ll be the first to admit, some days when I’m feeling bad about myself, and just feel lucky I managed to put on two socks that match, I just sit myself down and give myself a IG story filter ego boost.
Pure. Gold.
Now’s your chance to choose your favorite and make that filter real life … even if just for a night!
You can find some great ideas HERE (for Snapchat) and HERE (for Instagram).
I am still extremely traumatized that the Snapchat dancing hotdog costume we featured here two years ago is no longer available.
But I just can’t bear to delete its awesomeness from this post.
So here it is, should you be inspired to try to make your own.
(Or even better, see if Betsy Decillis will knit you one. Tell her I sent you. Ask her to post a video doing the Monster Mash, trust me on this one.)
Want to give advice about a topic you may or may not know a lot about?
Why not be your own tutorial video?
Put a frame around yourself like you are in a YouTube video and give advice to people ALLLLLL night long.
Speaking of ads …
Why not be your own social media ad and monetize your Halloween the communications pro way.
First, pick who you are going to target.
The more specific the better.
And then whenever you see someone in your target audience go up and pitch them.
For example: Males wearing green between the ages of 25-30 with an interest in sloths, beards, and acoustic guitar.
This is a great costume choice as an ice breaker for those awkward moments at parties.
Just go up to someone, ask them some targeting questions, and if they aren’t in your demographic you have a perfect excuse to remove yourself from the situation.
It’s not them. It really, legitimately is … you.
For our single communications pros, we won’t judge if your “targeting” criteria just happens to align with all the traits and interests of that guy or gal you’ve been crushing on for the last year.
A social media costume round-up isn’t complete without the social media influencer.
This one is easy.
Grab an old t-shirt and write “influencer” on it then bring a few different products you want to promote.
Make sure you have your own discount code to share as well.
Maybe the thought of dressing up like a social media platform makes you want to click the “sad” or “angry” reaction on Facebook five zillion times.
Come on, you want to really OWN your costume.
And content is really the only “treat” a communications professional needs this Halloween season.
If your witch’s brew is full of compelling content and lead funnels, then these are the costumes for you.
That’s right! It’s the dream of every communication professional.
You can be a Google. (The Google? King Google? Sir Google? The Honorable Google?)
If I did this I’d get a Google logo hat and then a plain white t-shirt that I drew a big search bar on.
P.S. If you haven’t seen this Google Jack-o-Lantern carving session from a few years ago, take some time to do so now.
Then go out and carve your own branded pumpkin!
Don’t feel up to being Google, but still want to bring some a-u-t-h-o-r-i-t-y to your Halloween.
Why don’t you dress up like THE authority?
The Domain Authority, that is.
Ohhhhh yeahhhh.
Memes.
You love them.
Or hate them.
But the good news is, you can be one of them!
Choose your favorite meme and bring it to life.
This Kermit meme-inspired costume from Alex, author of Munchkins and Military is one of my favorites.
You can even be Grumpy Cat (RIP).
Here are some of the best memes of 2019 to inspire you!
Want to be king of the nerds?
These two costumes will do the trick.
That’s right, no communicator’s Halloween party is complete without a chatbot or two.
You can dress like a regular robot but be extraordinarily efficient and polite.
Maybe hold up a sign that says “how can I help you today?” Or “let me get you signed-up!”
You can “go viral”.
There are a number of ways to do this.
You can either dress up like a virus, symbolically.
OR
You can pick a campaign or moment that went viral and re-enact it.
For example, you could pretend to be the ice bucket challenge and just run around dumping ice on people’s heads all night long.
The smart communications professional obviously only has one Halloween costume option: The PESO Model.
Even better, grab your team and dress up like the PESO model together!
One of you will be paid media.
One earned media.
Make sure someone represents shared.
And finally, someone as owned.
Together you are the best thing to ever happen to Halloween, not to mention your communications strategy.
Laura Petrolino is chief marketing officer for Spin Sucks, an integrated marketing communications firm that provides strategic counsel and professional development for in-house and agency communications teams. She is a weekly contributor for their award-winning blog of the same name. Spin Sucks. Join the Spin Sucks community.