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Pick of the Month: The Samhain Story

Pick of the Month: The Samhain Story

When is it time for a rebrand?

By Emmet McGonagle (Bad News’ Irish born and bred managing editor)
🧙‍♀️🎃This is the story of Samhain: How North Americans managed to take a perfectly good, terrifying holiday and turn it into watered-down consumerism by rebranding one of the world’s scariest occasions as it “crossed the pond”.🧙‍♀️🎃
 
Samhain, the ritual itself involved fires, slaughtering cattle, heavy drinking and eating in excess; and was considered to be a mandatory practice for anyone who didn’t want to piss off the local kings or chieftains. 
 
But before we get into the details — first, let’s test your Gaelic comprehension skills and get the pronunciation as clear as a damn crystal — spelt ‘samhain’, pronounced ‘sow-win’. 
 
Got that one stored away in the ol’ brain chamber? Good, then we’ll begin our story 5,000 years ago in a country virtually untouched by terror or conflict: Ireland.
 
Though the date of the first Samhain ritual cannot be traced back to a particular year because, well, it was a very long time ago; the practice originated as a Celtic spiritual tradition welcoming the end of harvest, 🌾🥔 and with it, “the dark end of the year”, which basically means it takes place between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. 
 
During this time, it was believed by the Celts that the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world was thinnest at this point, making for a plethora of paranormal happenings including the dead and ‘Aos Sí’, (basically ‘fairies, but really shiny’). 
 
Failure to comply in the three-day debauchery of tradition, would leave naysayers at risk of illness or death, which doesn’t really sound like a good time for anyone involved. Crimes were also considered “especially” illegal during the ritual, with anyone caught or narc-ed on for crimes during this time promptly finding themselves on the receiving end of a death sentence

Fairies and Corpses and Pigs, Oh My!

With Samhain comes a small army of paranormal entities which reportedly wreaked havoc on those unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. ‘Aos Sí’ (the fairies we mentioned 45 seconds ago), for example, had a penchant for stealing people and taking them to their realm. There’s also a shape-shifting creature called ‘Pukah’ who receives harvest offerings; headless men on flame-eyed horses ‘The Dullahan’; a headless woman dressed in white known as ‘The Lady Gwyn’, and her sidekick: a black pig. 
 
With these characters comes a small library of folklore including ‘The Second Battle of Mag Tuired’ and ‘The Adventures of Nera’, alongside a nod to fabled Giant’s Causeway builder Fionn mac Cumhaill (pronounced as “Finn MacCool” if that rings any bells) who apparently fought a fire-breathing underworld-resident called Aillen…and the listicle of characters goes on…

A Thinning of the Veil

Leave it to the Catholic church to make a three-night Celtic ritual all about themselves (PS: the author of this piece was raised Catholic and so kindly asks you to keep your contentions to yourself, the shelves are already stocked with religious guilt, thanks). 
 
In 609 AD, Pope Boniface IV shifted the Pantheon, a celebration of Catholic martyrs which had been held in Rome regularly on 13 May. To its new date of November 1st. Centuries later in 1000AD, the feast of All Souls Day, a day which celebrates and honours the dead, was unveiled in order to slowly replace the previously prominent Celtic festival of Samhain. Let’s call it a rebrand, shall we? It’s like when Elon Musk turned Twitter into X: The Everything App, but with significantly less demonic energy.
 
Just to twist the knife, All Souls Day involved bonfires, parades and a flair for pageantry in the form of religious-inspired costumes such as angels and devils. From here, the practice became known as All-hallows and, finally, the Halloween we all know and tolerate today.

Angels and Demons

Flitting through a few more nuanced chapters of religious history, some of the less-stringent Protestants of New England found themselves feeling left out of their Catholic counterparts’ festivities and decided to jump on the bandwagon in their own way, hosting Halloween parties which were focused substantially less on the keg-stands and steamy hookups of today’s tradition. These parties (eventually paired with an influx of Irish immigrants to North America for some strange reason in the 1840s) saw Halloween become recognised on a national level for North Americans, and of course, the continent took things to ridiculous new heights once more.

Pssst! I See Dead Solid Profit

So, how did Halloween go from demons, debauchery and persecution, to a time to celebrate good crops and fight demons to a day for the Cadbury’s and WillyWonka companies of the world to make their annual returns, and adults to show up at the office in customs that more of than not skirt the edges of cultural appropriation and drink way too much at happy hour?
 
This year, 53% of Canadians asked by the Retail Council of Canada claimed they plan to celebrate Halloween, with 83% will spend the same or more than last year. How much is this? Well, for almost half of participants (47.4%) this totals up to more than $50, which is pretty substantial for a celebration which once revolved around harvest. A poll by Global News also found that the average Canadian parent spends a staggering $115.80 on Halloween, which is as much as this writer plans on spending on alcohol alone this Spooky season (not including tips).
 
Regardless of whether you will be celebrating Halloween this year, the unrelenting popularity of this holiday is testament to the power of rebranding, whether it was the intentions of the religious revelers or not. Times change, people change, and with the evolution (or devolution as may well be the case) of man comes our ability to hold onto what we love for dear life while ignoring some of the more regrettable parts of our history. Ever seen the movie Face-Off starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage? The prosecution rests…

Trick or Treat?

There is something useful to come from this tale however, other than small talk fodder for the office Halloween party. 
 
If your story isn’t landing with your intended audience, it’s time to rebrand, baby! And the there’s almost no reputational issue that can’t be mitigated with a good ol’ fashioned smoke and mirrors “don’t look now, but we’re totally the same but COMPLETELY different” rebranding. 

When it comes time to think re-brand, consider first:

What isn’t resonating with those who matter to your business. 
What did you miss in the messaging and vision? 
What’s are your target audience missing? 
Where is the disconnect, and what can be done to build a bridge between your mission and their despondency? 
 
Do you need a total rebrand (Samhain to something totally different to help shed old habits and connotations?) Or is it simply time for a refresh? (ie, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, let’s go from All Hallows to Halloween so we don’t lose momentum here?)
 
One further (and possibly a problematic comparison), but the shift from Samhain to Halloween also showcases the unique way in which the limelight can be stolen from your competitors. The subtle shift from Celtic tradition to religious reverence to jack-o-lanterns and candy corn should by no means be overlooked here; and of all people, it’s capitalism which holds the reigns of spooky season today. Costumes, candy, cocktails, cinema, other such words beginning with ‘c’ which should not sully the, uh, lines of a professional newsletter.
 
Ask your coworker if they know how Halloween originated, and (unless you’ve forwarded them this newsletter, which you should), chances are they will have no clue whatsoever.
 
Isn’t that kinda beautiful? As the Western world, we have gladly given our hearts and the contents of our pockets to a celebration now rooted in fun as opposed to its traditional beginnings. 
 
Let the people eat, drink and be scary!

More Bad PR

Pick of the Month: The Samhain Story

When is it time for a rebrand?

By Emmet McGonagle (Bad News’ Irish born and bred managing editor)
🧙‍♀️🎃This is the story of Samhain: How North Americans managed to take a perfectly good, terrifying holiday and turn it into watered-down consumerism by rebranding one of the world’s scariest occasions as it “crossed the pond”.🧙‍♀️🎃
 
Samhain, the ritual itself involved fires, slaughtering cattle, heavy drinking and eating in excess; and was considered to be a mandatory practice for anyone who didn’t want to piss off the local kings or chieftains. 
 
But before we get into the details — first, let’s test your Gaelic comprehension skills and get the pronunciation as clear as a damn crystal — spelt ‘samhain’, pronounced ‘sow-win’. 
 
Got that one stored away in the ol’ brain chamber? Good, then we’ll begin our story 5,000 years ago in a country virtually untouched by terror or conflict: Ireland.
 
Though the date of the first Samhain ritual cannot be traced back to a particular year because, well, it was a very long time ago; the practice originated as a Celtic spiritual tradition welcoming the end of harvest, 🌾🥔 and with it, “the dark end of the year”, which basically means it takes place between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. 
 
During this time, it was believed by the Celts that the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world was thinnest at this point, making for a plethora of paranormal happenings including the dead and ‘Aos Sí’, (basically ‘fairies, but really shiny’). 
 
Failure to comply in the three-day debauchery of tradition, would leave naysayers at risk of illness or death, which doesn’t really sound like a good time for anyone involved. Crimes were also considered “especially” illegal during the ritual, with anyone caught or narc-ed on for crimes during this time promptly finding themselves on the receiving end of a death sentence

Fairies and Corpses and Pigs, Oh My!

With Samhain comes a small army of paranormal entities which reportedly wreaked havoc on those unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. ‘Aos Sí’ (the fairies we mentioned 45 seconds ago), for example, had a penchant for stealing people and taking them to their realm. There’s also a shape-shifting creature called ‘Pukah’ who receives harvest offerings; headless men on flame-eyed horses ‘The Dullahan’; a headless woman dressed in white known as ‘The Lady Gwyn’, and her sidekick: a black pig. 
 
With these characters comes a small library of folklore including ‘The Second Battle of Mag Tuired’ and ‘The Adventures of Nera’, alongside a nod to fabled Giant’s Causeway builder Fionn mac Cumhaill (pronounced as “Finn MacCool” if that rings any bells) who apparently fought a fire-breathing underworld-resident called Aillen…and the listicle of characters goes on…

A Thinning of the Veil

Leave it to the Catholic church to make a three-night Celtic ritual all about themselves (PS: the author of this piece was raised Catholic and so kindly asks you to keep your contentions to yourself, the shelves are already stocked with religious guilt, thanks). 
 
In 609 AD, Pope Boniface IV shifted the Pantheon, a celebration of Catholic martyrs which had been held in Rome regularly on 13 May. To its new date of November 1st. Centuries later in 1000AD, the feast of All Souls Day, a day which celebrates and honours the dead, was unveiled in order to slowly replace the previously prominent Celtic festival of Samhain. Let’s call it a rebrand, shall we? It’s like when Elon Musk turned Twitter into X: The Everything App, but with significantly less demonic energy.
 
Just to twist the knife, All Souls Day involved bonfires, parades and a flair for pageantry in the form of religious-inspired costumes such as angels and devils. From here, the practice became known as All-hallows and, finally, the Halloween we all know and tolerate today.

Angels and Demons

Flitting through a few more nuanced chapters of religious history, some of the less-stringent Protestants of New England found themselves feeling left out of their Catholic counterparts’ festivities and decided to jump on the bandwagon in their own way, hosting Halloween parties which were focused substantially less on the keg-stands and steamy hookups of today’s tradition. These parties (eventually paired with an influx of Irish immigrants to North America for some strange reason in the 1840s) saw Halloween become recognised on a national level for North Americans, and of course, the continent took things to ridiculous new heights once more.

Pssst! I See Dead Solid Profit

So, how did Halloween go from demons, debauchery and persecution, to a time to celebrate good crops and fight demons to a day for the Cadbury’s and WillyWonka companies of the world to make their annual returns, and adults to show up at the office in customs that more of than not skirt the edges of cultural appropriation and drink way too much at happy hour?
 
This year, 53% of Canadians asked by the Retail Council of Canada claimed they plan to celebrate Halloween, with 83% will spend the same or more than last year. How much is this? Well, for almost half of participants (47.4%) this totals up to more than $50, which is pretty substantial for a celebration which once revolved around harvest. A poll by Global News also found that the average Canadian parent spends a staggering $115.80 on Halloween, which is as much as this writer plans on spending on alcohol alone this Spooky season (not including tips).
 
Regardless of whether you will be celebrating Halloween this year, the unrelenting popularity of this holiday is testament to the power of rebranding, whether it was the intentions of the religious revelers or not. Times change, people change, and with the evolution (or devolution as may well be the case) of man comes our ability to hold onto what we love for dear life while ignoring some of the more regrettable parts of our history. Ever seen the movie Face-Off starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage? The prosecution rests…

Trick or Treat?

There is something useful to come from this tale however, other than small talk fodder for the office Halloween party. 
 
If your story isn’t landing with your intended audience, it’s time to rebrand, baby! And the there’s almost no reputational issue that can’t be mitigated with a good ol’ fashioned smoke and mirrors “don’t look now, but we’re totally the same but COMPLETELY different” rebranding. 

When it comes time to think re-brand, consider first:

What isn’t resonating with those who matter to your business. 
What did you miss in the messaging and vision? 
What’s are your target audience missing? 
Where is the disconnect, and what can be done to build a bridge between your mission and their despondency? 
 
Do you need a total rebrand (Samhain to something totally different to help shed old habits and connotations?) Or is it simply time for a refresh? (ie, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, let’s go from All Hallows to Halloween so we don’t lose momentum here?)
 
One further (and possibly a problematic comparison), but the shift from Samhain to Halloween also showcases the unique way in which the limelight can be stolen from your competitors. The subtle shift from Celtic tradition to religious reverence to jack-o-lanterns and candy corn should by no means be overlooked here; and of all people, it’s capitalism which holds the reigns of spooky season today. Costumes, candy, cocktails, cinema, other such words beginning with ‘c’ which should not sully the, uh, lines of a professional newsletter.
 
Ask your coworker if they know how Halloween originated, and (unless you’ve forwarded them this newsletter, which you should), chances are they will have no clue whatsoever.
 
Isn’t that kinda beautiful? As the Western world, we have gladly given our hearts and the contents of our pockets to a celebration now rooted in fun as opposed to its traditional beginnings. 
 
Let the people eat, drink and be scary!

Pick of the Month: The Samhain Story

When is it time for a rebrand?

By Emmet McGonagle (Bad News’ Irish born and bred managing editor)
🧙‍♀️🎃This is the story of Samhain: How North Americans managed to take a perfectly good, terrifying holiday and turn it into watered-down consumerism by rebranding one of the world’s scariest occasions as it “crossed the pond”.🧙‍♀️🎃
 
Samhain, the ritual itself involved fires, slaughtering cattle, heavy drinking and eating in excess; and was considered to be a mandatory practice for anyone who didn’t want to piss off the local kings or chieftains. 
 
But before we get into the details — first, let’s test your Gaelic comprehension skills and get the pronunciation as clear as a damn crystal — spelt ‘samhain’, pronounced ‘sow-win’. 
 
Got that one stored away in the ol’ brain chamber? Good, then we’ll begin our story 5,000 years ago in a country virtually untouched by terror or conflict: Ireland.
 
Though the date of the first Samhain ritual cannot be traced back to a particular year because, well, it was a very long time ago; the practice originated as a Celtic spiritual tradition welcoming the end of harvest, 🌾🥔 and with it, “the dark end of the year”, which basically means it takes place between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. 
 
During this time, it was believed by the Celts that the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world was thinnest at this point, making for a plethora of paranormal happenings including the dead and ‘Aos Sí’, (basically ‘fairies, but really shiny’). 
 
Failure to comply in the three-day debauchery of tradition, would leave naysayers at risk of illness or death, which doesn’t really sound like a good time for anyone involved. Crimes were also considered “especially” illegal during the ritual, with anyone caught or narc-ed on for crimes during this time promptly finding themselves on the receiving end of a death sentence

Fairies and Corpses and Pigs, Oh My!

With Samhain comes a small army of paranormal entities which reportedly wreaked havoc on those unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. ‘Aos Sí’ (the fairies we mentioned 45 seconds ago), for example, had a penchant for stealing people and taking them to their realm. There’s also a shape-shifting creature called ‘Pukah’ who receives harvest offerings; headless men on flame-eyed horses ‘The Dullahan’; a headless woman dressed in white known as ‘The Lady Gwyn’, and her sidekick: a black pig. 
 
With these characters comes a small library of folklore including ‘The Second Battle of Mag Tuired’ and ‘The Adventures of Nera’, alongside a nod to fabled Giant’s Causeway builder Fionn mac Cumhaill (pronounced as “Finn MacCool” if that rings any bells) who apparently fought a fire-breathing underworld-resident called Aillen…and the listicle of characters goes on…

A Thinning of the Veil

Leave it to the Catholic church to make a three-night Celtic ritual all about themselves (PS: the author of this piece was raised Catholic and so kindly asks you to keep your contentions to yourself, the shelves are already stocked with religious guilt, thanks). 
 
In 609 AD, Pope Boniface IV shifted the Pantheon, a celebration of Catholic martyrs which had been held in Rome regularly on 13 May. To its new date of November 1st. Centuries later in 1000AD, the feast of All Souls Day, a day which celebrates and honours the dead, was unveiled in order to slowly replace the previously prominent Celtic festival of Samhain. Let’s call it a rebrand, shall we? It’s like when Elon Musk turned Twitter into X: The Everything App, but with significantly less demonic energy.
 
Just to twist the knife, All Souls Day involved bonfires, parades and a flair for pageantry in the form of religious-inspired costumes such as angels and devils. From here, the practice became known as All-hallows and, finally, the Halloween we all know and tolerate today.

Angels and Demons

Flitting through a few more nuanced chapters of religious history, some of the less-stringent Protestants of New England found themselves feeling left out of their Catholic counterparts’ festivities and decided to jump on the bandwagon in their own way, hosting Halloween parties which were focused substantially less on the keg-stands and steamy hookups of today’s tradition. These parties (eventually paired with an influx of Irish immigrants to North America for some strange reason in the 1840s) saw Halloween become recognised on a national level for North Americans, and of course, the continent took things to ridiculous new heights once more.

Pssst! I See Dead Solid Profit

So, how did Halloween go from demons, debauchery and persecution, to a time to celebrate good crops and fight demons to a day for the Cadbury’s and WillyWonka companies of the world to make their annual returns, and adults to show up at the office in customs that more of than not skirt the edges of cultural appropriation and drink way too much at happy hour?
 
This year, 53% of Canadians asked by the Retail Council of Canada claimed they plan to celebrate Halloween, with 83% will spend the same or more than last year. How much is this? Well, for almost half of participants (47.4%) this totals up to more than $50, which is pretty substantial for a celebration which once revolved around harvest. A poll by Global News also found that the average Canadian parent spends a staggering $115.80 on Halloween, which is as much as this writer plans on spending on alcohol alone this Spooky season (not including tips).
 
Regardless of whether you will be celebrating Halloween this year, the unrelenting popularity of this holiday is testament to the power of rebranding, whether it was the intentions of the religious revelers or not. Times change, people change, and with the evolution (or devolution as may well be the case) of man comes our ability to hold onto what we love for dear life while ignoring some of the more regrettable parts of our history. Ever seen the movie Face-Off starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage? The prosecution rests…

Trick or Treat?

There is something useful to come from this tale however, other than small talk fodder for the office Halloween party. 
 
If your story isn’t landing with your intended audience, it’s time to rebrand, baby! And the there’s almost no reputational issue that can’t be mitigated with a good ol’ fashioned smoke and mirrors “don’t look now, but we’re totally the same but COMPLETELY different” rebranding. 

When it comes time to think re-brand, consider first:

What isn’t resonating with those who matter to your business. 
What did you miss in the messaging and vision? 
What’s are your target audience missing? 
Where is the disconnect, and what can be done to build a bridge between your mission and their despondency? 
 
Do you need a total rebrand (Samhain to something totally different to help shed old habits and connotations?) Or is it simply time for a refresh? (ie, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, let’s go from All Hallows to Halloween so we don’t lose momentum here?)
 
One further (and possibly a problematic comparison), but the shift from Samhain to Halloween also showcases the unique way in which the limelight can be stolen from your competitors. The subtle shift from Celtic tradition to religious reverence to jack-o-lanterns and candy corn should by no means be overlooked here; and of all people, it’s capitalism which holds the reigns of spooky season today. Costumes, candy, cocktails, cinema, other such words beginning with ‘c’ which should not sully the, uh, lines of a professional newsletter.
 
Ask your coworker if they know how Halloween originated, and (unless you’ve forwarded them this newsletter, which you should), chances are they will have no clue whatsoever.
 
Isn’t that kinda beautiful? As the Western world, we have gladly given our hearts and the contents of our pockets to a celebration now rooted in fun as opposed to its traditional beginnings. 
 
Let the people eat, drink and be scary!

Pick of the Month: The Samhain Story

When is it time for a rebrand?

By Emmet McGonagle (Bad News’ Irish born and bred managing editor)
🧙‍♀️🎃This is the story of Samhain: How North Americans managed to take a perfectly good, terrifying holiday and turn it into watered-down consumerism by rebranding one of the world’s scariest occasions as it “crossed the pond”.🧙‍♀️🎃
 
Samhain, the ritual itself involved fires, slaughtering cattle, heavy drinking and eating in excess; and was considered to be a mandatory practice for anyone who didn’t want to piss off the local kings or chieftains. 
 
But before we get into the details — first, let’s test your Gaelic comprehension skills and get the pronunciation as clear as a damn crystal — spelt ‘samhain’, pronounced ‘sow-win’. 
 
Got that one stored away in the ol’ brain chamber? Good, then we’ll begin our story 5,000 years ago in a country virtually untouched by terror or conflict: Ireland.
 
Though the date of the first Samhain ritual cannot be traced back to a particular year because, well, it was a very long time ago; the practice originated as a Celtic spiritual tradition welcoming the end of harvest, 🌾🥔 and with it, “the dark end of the year”, which basically means it takes place between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. 
 
During this time, it was believed by the Celts that the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world was thinnest at this point, making for a plethora of paranormal happenings including the dead and ‘Aos Sí’, (basically ‘fairies, but really shiny’). 
 
Failure to comply in the three-day debauchery of tradition, would leave naysayers at risk of illness or death, which doesn’t really sound like a good time for anyone involved. Crimes were also considered “especially” illegal during the ritual, with anyone caught or narc-ed on for crimes during this time promptly finding themselves on the receiving end of a death sentence

Fairies and Corpses and Pigs, Oh My!

With Samhain comes a small army of paranormal entities which reportedly wreaked havoc on those unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. ‘Aos Sí’ (the fairies we mentioned 45 seconds ago), for example, had a penchant for stealing people and taking them to their realm. There’s also a shape-shifting creature called ‘Pukah’ who receives harvest offerings; headless men on flame-eyed horses ‘The Dullahan’; a headless woman dressed in white known as ‘The Lady Gwyn’, and her sidekick: a black pig. 
 
With these characters comes a small library of folklore including ‘The Second Battle of Mag Tuired’ and ‘The Adventures of Nera’, alongside a nod to fabled Giant’s Causeway builder Fionn mac Cumhaill (pronounced as “Finn MacCool” if that rings any bells) who apparently fought a fire-breathing underworld-resident called Aillen…and the listicle of characters goes on…

A Thinning of the Veil

Leave it to the Catholic church to make a three-night Celtic ritual all about themselves (PS: the author of this piece was raised Catholic and so kindly asks you to keep your contentions to yourself, the shelves are already stocked with religious guilt, thanks). 
 
In 609 AD, Pope Boniface IV shifted the Pantheon, a celebration of Catholic martyrs which had been held in Rome regularly on 13 May. To its new date of November 1st. Centuries later in 1000AD, the feast of All Souls Day, a day which celebrates and honours the dead, was unveiled in order to slowly replace the previously prominent Celtic festival of Samhain. Let’s call it a rebrand, shall we? It’s like when Elon Musk turned Twitter into X: The Everything App, but with significantly less demonic energy.
 
Just to twist the knife, All Souls Day involved bonfires, parades and a flair for pageantry in the form of religious-inspired costumes such as angels and devils. From here, the practice became known as All-hallows and, finally, the Halloween we all know and tolerate today.

Angels and Demons

Flitting through a few more nuanced chapters of religious history, some of the less-stringent Protestants of New England found themselves feeling left out of their Catholic counterparts’ festivities and decided to jump on the bandwagon in their own way, hosting Halloween parties which were focused substantially less on the keg-stands and steamy hookups of today’s tradition. These parties (eventually paired with an influx of Irish immigrants to North America for some strange reason in the 1840s) saw Halloween become recognised on a national level for North Americans, and of course, the continent took things to ridiculous new heights once more.

Pssst! I See Dead Solid Profit

So, how did Halloween go from demons, debauchery and persecution, to a time to celebrate good crops and fight demons to a day for the Cadbury’s and WillyWonka companies of the world to make their annual returns, and adults to show up at the office in customs that more of than not skirt the edges of cultural appropriation and drink way too much at happy hour?
 
This year, 53% of Canadians asked by the Retail Council of Canada claimed they plan to celebrate Halloween, with 83% will spend the same or more than last year. How much is this? Well, for almost half of participants (47.4%) this totals up to more than $50, which is pretty substantial for a celebration which once revolved around harvest. A poll by Global News also found that the average Canadian parent spends a staggering $115.80 on Halloween, which is as much as this writer plans on spending on alcohol alone this Spooky season (not including tips).
 
Regardless of whether you will be celebrating Halloween this year, the unrelenting popularity of this holiday is testament to the power of rebranding, whether it was the intentions of the religious revelers or not. Times change, people change, and with the evolution (or devolution as may well be the case) of man comes our ability to hold onto what we love for dear life while ignoring some of the more regrettable parts of our history. Ever seen the movie Face-Off starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage? The prosecution rests…

Trick or Treat?

There is something useful to come from this tale however, other than small talk fodder for the office Halloween party. 
 
If your story isn’t landing with your intended audience, it’s time to rebrand, baby! And the there’s almost no reputational issue that can’t be mitigated with a good ol’ fashioned smoke and mirrors “don’t look now, but we’re totally the same but COMPLETELY different” rebranding. 

When it comes time to think re-brand, consider first:

What isn’t resonating with those who matter to your business. 
What did you miss in the messaging and vision? 
What’s are your target audience missing? 
Where is the disconnect, and what can be done to build a bridge between your mission and their despondency? 
 
Do you need a total rebrand (Samhain to something totally different to help shed old habits and connotations?) Or is it simply time for a refresh? (ie, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, let’s go from All Hallows to Halloween so we don’t lose momentum here?)
 
One further (and possibly a problematic comparison), but the shift from Samhain to Halloween also showcases the unique way in which the limelight can be stolen from your competitors. The subtle shift from Celtic tradition to religious reverence to jack-o-lanterns and candy corn should by no means be overlooked here; and of all people, it’s capitalism which holds the reigns of spooky season today. Costumes, candy, cocktails, cinema, other such words beginning with ‘c’ which should not sully the, uh, lines of a professional newsletter.
 
Ask your coworker if they know how Halloween originated, and (unless you’ve forwarded them this newsletter, which you should), chances are they will have no clue whatsoever.
 
Isn’t that kinda beautiful? As the Western world, we have gladly given our hearts and the contents of our pockets to a celebration now rooted in fun as opposed to its traditional beginnings. 
 
Let the people eat, drink and be scary!

More Bad PR

Pick of the Month: The Samhain Story

When is it time for a rebrand?

By Emmet McGonagle (Bad News’ Irish born and bred managing editor)
🧙‍♀️🎃This is the story of Samhain: How North Americans managed to take a perfectly good, terrifying holiday and turn it into watered-down consumerism by rebranding one of the world’s scariest occasions as it “crossed the pond”.🧙‍♀️🎃
 
Samhain, the ritual itself involved fires, slaughtering cattle, heavy drinking and eating in excess; and was considered to be a mandatory practice for anyone who didn’t want to piss off the local kings or chieftains. 
 
But before we get into the details — first, let’s test your Gaelic comprehension skills and get the pronunciation as clear as a damn crystal — spelt ‘samhain’, pronounced ‘sow-win’. 
 
Got that one stored away in the ol’ brain chamber? Good, then we’ll begin our story 5,000 years ago in a country virtually untouched by terror or conflict: Ireland.
 
Though the date of the first Samhain ritual cannot be traced back to a particular year because, well, it was a very long time ago; the practice originated as a Celtic spiritual tradition welcoming the end of harvest, 🌾🥔 and with it, “the dark end of the year”, which basically means it takes place between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. 
 
During this time, it was believed by the Celts that the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world was thinnest at this point, making for a plethora of paranormal happenings including the dead and ‘Aos Sí’, (basically ‘fairies, but really shiny’). 
 
Failure to comply in the three-day debauchery of tradition, would leave naysayers at risk of illness or death, which doesn’t really sound like a good time for anyone involved. Crimes were also considered “especially” illegal during the ritual, with anyone caught or narc-ed on for crimes during this time promptly finding themselves on the receiving end of a death sentence

Fairies and Corpses and Pigs, Oh My!

With Samhain comes a small army of paranormal entities which reportedly wreaked havoc on those unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. ‘Aos Sí’ (the fairies we mentioned 45 seconds ago), for example, had a penchant for stealing people and taking them to their realm. There’s also a shape-shifting creature called ‘Pukah’ who receives harvest offerings; headless men on flame-eyed horses ‘The Dullahan’; a headless woman dressed in white known as ‘The Lady Gwyn’, and her sidekick: a black pig. 
 
With these characters comes a small library of folklore including ‘The Second Battle of Mag Tuired’ and ‘The Adventures of Nera’, alongside a nod to fabled Giant’s Causeway builder Fionn mac Cumhaill (pronounced as “Finn MacCool” if that rings any bells) who apparently fought a fire-breathing underworld-resident called Aillen…and the listicle of characters goes on…

A Thinning of the Veil

Leave it to the Catholic church to make a three-night Celtic ritual all about themselves (PS: the author of this piece was raised Catholic and so kindly asks you to keep your contentions to yourself, the shelves are already stocked with religious guilt, thanks). 
 
In 609 AD, Pope Boniface IV shifted the Pantheon, a celebration of Catholic martyrs which had been held in Rome regularly on 13 May. To its new date of November 1st. Centuries later in 1000AD, the feast of All Souls Day, a day which celebrates and honours the dead, was unveiled in order to slowly replace the previously prominent Celtic festival of Samhain. Let’s call it a rebrand, shall we? It’s like when Elon Musk turned Twitter into X: The Everything App, but with significantly less demonic energy.
 
Just to twist the knife, All Souls Day involved bonfires, parades and a flair for pageantry in the form of religious-inspired costumes such as angels and devils. From here, the practice became known as All-hallows and, finally, the Halloween we all know and tolerate today.

Angels and Demons

Flitting through a few more nuanced chapters of religious history, some of the less-stringent Protestants of New England found themselves feeling left out of their Catholic counterparts’ festivities and decided to jump on the bandwagon in their own way, hosting Halloween parties which were focused substantially less on the keg-stands and steamy hookups of today’s tradition. These parties (eventually paired with an influx of Irish immigrants to North America for some strange reason in the 1840s) saw Halloween become recognised on a national level for North Americans, and of course, the continent took things to ridiculous new heights once more.

Pssst! I See Dead Solid Profit

So, how did Halloween go from demons, debauchery and persecution, to a time to celebrate good crops and fight demons to a day for the Cadbury’s and WillyWonka companies of the world to make their annual returns, and adults to show up at the office in customs that more of than not skirt the edges of cultural appropriation and drink way too much at happy hour?
 
This year, 53% of Canadians asked by the Retail Council of Canada claimed they plan to celebrate Halloween, with 83% will spend the same or more than last year. How much is this? Well, for almost half of participants (47.4%) this totals up to more than $50, which is pretty substantial for a celebration which once revolved around harvest. A poll by Global News also found that the average Canadian parent spends a staggering $115.80 on Halloween, which is as much as this writer plans on spending on alcohol alone this Spooky season (not including tips).
 
Regardless of whether you will be celebrating Halloween this year, the unrelenting popularity of this holiday is testament to the power of rebranding, whether it was the intentions of the religious revelers or not. Times change, people change, and with the evolution (or devolution as may well be the case) of man comes our ability to hold onto what we love for dear life while ignoring some of the more regrettable parts of our history. Ever seen the movie Face-Off starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage? The prosecution rests…

Trick or Treat?

There is something useful to come from this tale however, other than small talk fodder for the office Halloween party. 
 
If your story isn’t landing with your intended audience, it’s time to rebrand, baby! And the there’s almost no reputational issue that can’t be mitigated with a good ol’ fashioned smoke and mirrors “don’t look now, but we’re totally the same but COMPLETELY different” rebranding. 

When it comes time to think re-brand, consider first:

What isn’t resonating with those who matter to your business. 
What did you miss in the messaging and vision? 
What’s are your target audience missing? 
Where is the disconnect, and what can be done to build a bridge between your mission and their despondency? 
 
Do you need a total rebrand (Samhain to something totally different to help shed old habits and connotations?) Or is it simply time for a refresh? (ie, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, let’s go from All Hallows to Halloween so we don’t lose momentum here?)
 
One further (and possibly a problematic comparison), but the shift from Samhain to Halloween also showcases the unique way in which the limelight can be stolen from your competitors. The subtle shift from Celtic tradition to religious reverence to jack-o-lanterns and candy corn should by no means be overlooked here; and of all people, it’s capitalism which holds the reigns of spooky season today. Costumes, candy, cocktails, cinema, other such words beginning with ‘c’ which should not sully the, uh, lines of a professional newsletter.
 
Ask your coworker if they know how Halloween originated, and (unless you’ve forwarded them this newsletter, which you should), chances are they will have no clue whatsoever.
 
Isn’t that kinda beautiful? As the Western world, we have gladly given our hearts and the contents of our pockets to a celebration now rooted in fun as opposed to its traditional beginnings. 
 
Let the people eat, drink and be scary!

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