“Trick or Treat!” Marketing

By Carrie Cousins

Thank you to Valley Business FRONT for featuring our Vice President, Carrie Cousins, in their October 2025 issue.

We’ve all seen those ads that you can’t click off the screen and then click into by mistake (trick) as well as those that are so clever that you smile in delight every time you see it (treat).

What do marketing tricks and treats look like? Let’s break them down.

We’ll start with the tricks. These are common worst practices that you see commonly but should avoid because they are designed to deceive, frustrate, or even mislead users.

• Dark patterns: Any type of element that pops up on the screen with unclear instructions, buttons that do something other than what you expect or are unclickable, popups that won’t close, or difficult cancelation/ unsubscribing processes are all considered dark patterns because they only way to get rid of them is to interact. (I have downloaded and deleted Royal Match 10 times!) These are examples of deceptive marketing.
• Hidden costs or fees: Advertising one price only to get to the cart and see that it is something else is not just frustrating, but it will create a lack of trust with customers. The only acceptable price addition at the cart level is a reasonable shipping fee.
• Clickbait: Some headlines that overpromise and underdeliver are often easy to spot – “Lose 5 Pounds in 24 Hours!” Others are a lot harder to pinpoint until after the click – “5 Ways Eat Candy and Still Lose Weight by Halloween.” The problem is that neither can deliver on the promise.

Good marketing is full of treats that are delightful for users and can help build greater brand value and loyalty.

• Authenticity: Brands that exemplify the same messaging they amplify resonates with users and help them feel connected. Patagonia placed ads in 2011 with the headline “Don’t Buy This Jacket” with an image of their product, noting that their products last so long you should not buy multiples. In a cluttered world, any brand that has the same values as I do feels like home.
• Unexpected extras: BarkBox recently sent my dog a free toy because my box was delayed with a note that apologized. I didn’t ask or complain; someone their noticed the tracking problem and fixed it in advance. This extra touch was such as delightful treat that’s made me an even more loyal customer.
• Plays on words or seasonal elements: There’s nothing like a good pun or fun element. In 2023, Angel Soft encouraged trick or treaters to create their own mummy costume using their product. The simple advertising animation is nothing but fun and definitely a marketing treat.

This season as you engage in fourth quarter marketing and beyond, consider dropping more treats for your followers and customers, and eliminate the tricks.

Remember how sad you were when you got a black licorice bottle candy in your trick or treat bag? Be the marketer that drops a full-size Snickers in the hands of your audience.

Carrie Cousins is the Vice President at LeadPoint Digital in Roanoke. For 15+ years, she has helped businesses tell their stories and get better results online with practical digital marketing strategies. She is also an active leader in AAF, serving on the local and district boards, and is an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech.