October 30, 2024

The Appetizer

“I don’t name them. Do you name yours?”

• Apple CEO Tim Cook when asked what the best name for a group chat was. His first group chat name? “Roommates.”

Now, on to the numbers. Drum roll, please …

• $104: The average amount each person plans to spend on Halloween.
• $11.6 billion: The estimated total spending on Halloween this year. This includes $3.5 billion on candy.
• $4.93: The average retail price of a pumpkin in 2024.
• 2,471 pounds: The weight of the winning pumpkin in an annual pumpkin-weighing contest in Northern California.
• 67%: The percentage of Americans that would consider purchasing a haunted house to live in. Spooky!

Dig In
Tricks, Treats, and Trends

Halloween is tomorrow (hence our festive orange theme), so let’s dive into some fun facts and quirky history! Did you know 76% of Americans love celebrating Halloween, and 31% plan to dress up? What will everyone dress up as this year? Expect to see 2.6 million little Spider-Mans (Spider-Men?) and 5.8 million adults in witch hats.

Pro tip: Skip the Jack-O-Lantern bucket and use a pillowcase – it holds up to 48 pounds of candy! Chocolate rules the top 10 candies, with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups at number one.

And what about candy sizes? Most people (83%) are buying “fun-size” candy (boo), but 22% are going all out on king-size bars – if that’s you, drop the address. Unless you’re in Florida, that is – Floridians rank near the bottom for Halloween candy purchases! To be fair, chocolate and heat don’t mix.

And if you’re a “ghoster” pretending you’re not home, you’re not alone – per this 2023 poll, 25% of Americans do the same, probably watching Thursday Night Football with the lights off. Have a spook-tacular Halloween!

Weekly Specials

An annual New York City tradition has returned! Thousands took to the streets to watch some adorable canines strut their stuff in the 34th annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade. Highlights included a “paw-fect princess” and a Beetlejuice-inspired “shrunken head” pup. Because nothing says Halloween like dogs in costumes stealing the show!

On Halloween, St. Louis kids tell jokes for candy, leaving newcomers puzzled and former locals surprised by other places’ joke-free trick-or-treating. It’s a long-standing tradition, possibly from the Depression or Irish roots. As a former St. Louisan, my go-to joke was: How do you wake up Lady Gaga? Poke her face.

Those still sniffling with watery eyes in late October may not be surprised to hear that allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer. The culprit? Warmer weather. As temperatures stay warmer for longer and the first frost is delayed, plants – especially ragweed – have more time to grow, releasing allergens for extended periods.

Corporate Lunch

Walmart is now delivering prescriptions, aiming to grab more market share from struggling pharmacies. Management says it’s the top customer request, even beating out free samples.

Peloton is working with Costco to sell their Bike+. Once you pick up a new Peloton bike, grab a hot dog on the way out, you’ve earned it.

Meta smart glasses are the top seller at 60% of Ray-Ban stores across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. If they start marketing the glasses as a way to sneakily watch TV while at your in-laws’ house, I think they can take over the U.S. too.

Tesla stock took off like a Model S in Cheetah mode after reporting a 24% beat on earnings.

Butterball is selling a Thanksgiving turkey that cooks from frozen. This thing of beauty comes already seasoned and brined, so you can focus on messing up another dish.

Mercedes-Benz hit some speed bumps after cutting their full-year profit margin target twice during the latest quarter. The European luxury car maker is citing weakening demand from China.

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