Haunted by Design: What Halloween Can Teach Us About Branding and Websites
Halloween isn’t just about fancy dress, buckets of sweets, and spooky decorations. It’s also a reminder of how a bit of imagination and atmosphere can turn the ordinary into something memorable. That’s really what good website design and branding should do.
At InfaCloud, we reckon there are a few surprising lessons businesses can pick up from Halloween that go well beyond carving pumpkins. From the power of first impressions to keeping your audience engaged, here’s how a holiday full of scares can actually inspire branding that delights.
First Impressions Are Everything
Walk into a haunted house and you instantly know what you’re in for. The eerie soundtrack, the cobwebs, the flickering lights—all of it sets the mood before anything even jumps out at you.
Websites are no different. The second someone lands on your homepage, they’re already making a judgement. If it looks dated, cluttered, or confusing, they’ll click away quicker than you can say boo.
- Colours matter: Halloween leans on orange, black, and purple because they set the right tone. Your brand pallette (see what I did there) should do the same—whether that’s fun and bright, or calm and professional.
- Fonts tell a story: Creepy handwritten fonts are brill for party invites, but online your typography should reflect your brand’s personality. Modern sans-serif fonts feel fresh, while serif fonts add a more traditonal touch.
- Images seal the deal: Just like a pumpkin screams “Halloween”, your visuals should instantly connect with your audience.
The goal? Create an atmoshpere that makes people want to stick around.
Every Brand Needs a Story
Halloween thrives on stories—ghost tales, folklore, urban legends. It’s the stories that make it feel magical.
Your website should be doing the same. People don’t just want to know what you do; they want to know why. Your brand story should be front and centre, woven into everything from your homepage to your product descriptions.
Think of your site as a little journey:
- Visitors arrive at your homepage.
- You guide them through who you are and what you do.
- They leave feeling like they get you and (hopefully) ready to take the next step.
It’s not only about selling—it’s about making your audience feel part of something.
Branding Lessons from Pumpkins and Bats
One of the reasons Halloween works so well is because it’s instantly recognisable. Pumpkins, bats, skeletons, witches—simple symbols everyone connects with.
Your branding should work the same way:
- Keep it consistent: Colours, fonts, logos—if they’re the same everywhere, people will remember you.
- Choose your symbols wisely: Just as bats suggest mystery, your own visuals should say something about your values.
- Adapt, but don’t lose yourself: Halloween has embraced new trends (superhero costumes, pop culture refs) without letting go of its core. Strong brands do exactly that—evolve without losing what makes them unique.
Keep Visitors Engaged With “Tricks and Treats”
Halloween is interactive by nature. Kids go door-to-door, people dress up, we play silly games. That sense of participation is what makes it so fun.
Your website should work the same way. Instead of just dumping info on people, invite them to get involved.
- Add subtle animations or hover effects so the site feels alive.
- Use progress bars or little rewards to make forms less of a chore (nobody likes long forms, right?).
- Make your calls-to-action tempting—something people actually want to click.
A website should feel more like a conversation than a leaflet. Give people reasons to explore, and they’ll keep coming back.
The Scary Stuff to Avoid
Of course, there are some frights that don’t belong on your site. A few of the big ones:
- Slow loading times – nobody’s got the patience.
- Bad mobile design – most people browse on their phones, so if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing them.
- Messy navigation – if visitors can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll vanish like ghosts.
- Overcrowded visuals – too much going on just feels, well… stressful.
These aren’t the fun kind of scares—they’re deal breakers. Keep things clean, quick, and easy to use.
Seasonal Branding Done Right
Halloween itself is basically seasonal branding at its best. For a few weeks, it dominates everything—from shop displays to Instagram feeds—using colours, icons, and traditions we all recognise.
Brands can borrow from this without going OTT. A few ideas:
- Swap out banners or graphics for seasonal versions.
- Run a themed campaign on your blog or socials.
- Launch a limited-time product or offer (scarcity always sparks interest).
The trick is subtlety—let seasonal updates boost your brand without drowning it out.
Websites Are Like Haunted Houses
Think about it. A good haunted house is carefully designed:
- You walk in and instantly get the vibe.
- You’re guided along a path, room by room.
- There are surprises to keep you interested.
- It all builds towards a big finale.
That’s exactly how a good website should work. From homepage to checkout, everything should feel deliberate and keep visitors moving towards the goal.
Casting a Digital Spell
Halloween shows us the power of atmosphere, storytelling, and symbols. It proves that when you get these things right, you create an experience people look forward to every year.
Your website should aim for the same magic. Don’t just throw info online—craft an experience that feels engaging, memorable, and unmistakably you.
At InfaCloud, we love helping businesses bring that sort of energy into their branding and web design. Because when you get it right, your website doesn’t just work—it leaves a mark.
So next time you’re thinking about updating your site, remember the lessons of Halloween:
- First impressions matter.
- Stories stick.
- Simple symbols are powerful.
- Engagement keeps people hooked.
- And bad design scares visitors away for good.
Design with those in mind, and your brand will be less “trick” and a lot more “treat”
