{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"101983","rtpr_id":"nPn2cyBx5a","ticker":"HSY","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["HSY"],"title":"Anticipation Is Reshaping America's Halloween Season","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-07-29T12:07:00.015Z","article_body":"Anticipation Is Reshaping America's Halloween Season\n\nPR Newswire\n\nHERSHEY, Pa., July 29, 2026\n\nNew Consumer Insights from Hershey and Morning Consult Reveal Halloween\nAnticipation is Building Earlier, Creating New Moments for Treats, Traditions\nand Community\n\nHERSHEY, Pa., July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Halloween anticipation is starting\nlong before October. According to Unwrapping Halloween: Hershey's State of the\nSeason Report, Americans are turning Halloween into a series of unique moments\nthat build over time. The result is a new Halloween calendar shaped less by a\nsingle shopping occasion and more by anticipation, connection, and community.\n\nHere's a breakdown of the top trends this Halloween season based on The\nHershey Company's (NYSE: HSY) newly commissioned consumer insights report from\nMorning Consult.\n\nThe New Halloween Calendar Starts with Anticipation\n\nSummerween is one early signal of the larger behavioral shift around Halloween\nanticipation, the growing consumer behavior of engaging with Halloween months\nbefore October. It represents a lighter, more spontaneous \"treat for me\"\nexpression of the season and extends consumers' excitement through purchases,\ntraditions, decorations, and celebrations.\n\nThe findings show:\n\n * 55% of parents say they're in \"Halloween mode\" before October begins.\n * 67% of parents have already purchased Halloween candy this summer.\n * 53% of Gen Z consumers are familiar with the term \"Summerween.\"\n * 41% of parents expect to be more involved in Halloween celebrations this year.\n\"As Halloween continues to evolve, it's become one of the longest and most\nanticipated seasons of the year,\" said Stacy Taffet, Chief Marketing and\nGrowth Officer, The Hershey Company. \"Consumers are creating rituals that\nblend tradition, self-expression, and community. We're meeting consumers where\nthey are with the snacks and experiences that help make these moments\nmemorable all Halloween season.\"\n\nSummerween Extends the Season While Halloween Remains the Main Event\n\nConsumers aren't embracing Halloween simply because products appear on shelves\nearlier. Hershey consumer insights show that Summerween and Halloween fulfill\ndifferent needs for consumers.\n\nSummerween is helping open the season, especially among younger consumers\nwhere 53% of Gen Z know the term. Social conversations grew from 14,000\nmentions in 2023 to 65,000 in 2025, with consumers associating novelty,\naesthetics, self-expression, and personal enjoyment with the occasion.\nConsumers view it as a playful, low-pressure occasion centered on creating new\ntraditions and enjoying seasonal treats with friends and family.\n\nHalloween continues to be rooted in tradition, community participation,\nseasonal rituals, and established family traditions. Trunk-or-treating, now\nembraced by 20% of Halloween participants, is one example of the ways people\nare expanding participation in the season alongside traditional\ntrick-or-treating. These new occasions underscore the growing role of salty\nsnacks, as consumers look for a variety of flavors, formats, and textures to\nenjoy across occasions.\n\nTogether, the two moments are creating a longer runway for celebration and\nmaking Halloween one of America's most expansive seasonal moments.\n\n\"As Halloween expands beyond October, we're seeing consumers create new ways\nto celebrate,\" said Katie DeCapria, Head of Hersheyween, The Hershey Company.\n\"From Summerween with friends, stocking up for family movie nights or\npreparing for trick-or-treating, we've designed our seasonal portfolio with\nthe right mix of products, pack sizes, and seasonal offerings to meet those\nmoments. As the season evolves, our portfolio evolves alongside it.\"\n\nThe Ideal Halloween Neighborhood is Built Around Community – And Great Candy\n\nIf Summerween marks the start of Halloween anticipation, neighborhood\ncelebrations remain the season's emotional payoff. The report found that\nAmericans overwhelmingly associate the best Halloween neighborhoods with\nparticipation, generosity, and community spirit – showing that the season\nultimately culminates in shared traditions.\n\nAccording to the report:\n\n * 41% of consumers say the perfect Halloween block is one where everyone\nparticipates.\n * 39% point to streets filled with trick-or-treaters.\n * Gen Z prefers full-size candy bars at four times the rate of Baby Boomers (36%\nvs. 9%).\n * 71% of Halloween enthusiasts are highly excited about Halloween candy.\n * Three Hershey brands rank among the Top 5 Halloween candies.\n * Reese's is America's No. 1 Halloween candy (39%).\n\nTreatonomics is Creating Moments of Joy\n\nThe findings point to a shift where consumers prioritize joy, opting for a\nmemorable season full of creativity. Parents cite fun traditions (41%) and the\nexcitement Halloween brings (39%) as leading reasons for celebrating ahead of\nOctober, underscoring Halloween's role as a time for self-expression and\ncommunity connection.\n\nHershey calls this Treatonomics: a consumer trend in which people prioritize\nsmaller, joyful experiences that fuel connection. Halloween treats are more\nthan a purchase for a single night. They help build anticipation, signal\ngenerosity, bring neighbors together, and give families simple ways to\ncelebrate throughout the season.\n\nCandy remains central to Halloween because of the role it plays in creating\nshared experiences. Hershey isn't just winning candy rankings. It's winning\nthe role candy plays in helping neighborhoods come together to celebrate.\n\nResearch Methodology\n\nThe Hershey Company partnered with Morning Consult to conduct an online survey\namong 3,026 U.S. adults, including 924 parents of children under 18. The\nsurvey was fielded July 8–10, 2026. Findings are based on a nationally\nrepresentative sample of U.S. adults. Select results also highlight responses\nfrom self-identified Halloween enthusiasts (n=596). The margin of error is +/-\n2% for all adults, +/- 3% for parents and +/- 4% for Halloween enthusiasts.\n\nTo learn more about the findings and explore how consumers are transforming\nHalloween into a season filled with unique celebrations, visit\nhttps://www.thehersheycompany.com/en_us/home/hersheyween.html\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4740960-1&h=42734984&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehersheycompany.com%2Fen_us%2Fhome%2Fhersheyween.html&a=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehersheycompany.com%2Fen_us%2Fhome%2Fhersheyween.html)\n.\n\nFAQs\n\nWhat is Hersheyween?\nFrom Summerween to Halloween night, we know the trends, treats and tales that\nshape the season. We call it Hersheyween because no one knows Halloween like\nHershey.\n\nWhat is Summerween?\nA summer celebration inspired by Halloween that emphasizes self-expression,\nnovelty, treats, and seasonal fun.\n\nWhat is Halloween anticipation?\nThe growing consumer behavior of engaging with Halloween months before October\nthrough seasonal purchases, traditions, decorations, and celebrations.\n\nWhat is Treatonomics?\nA consumer trend in which people prioritize affordable experiences that create\nhappiness, connection, and anticipation.\n\nHow are people celebrating Halloween? What's changing?\nResearch from The Hershey Company and Morning Consult found that Halloween has\nevolved into a season of celebration that spans a third of the year. Nearly\ntwo-thirds of parents have already purchased Halloween candy during the summer\nmonths, and half are in \"Halloween mode\" before October begins.\n\nWhy are people celebrating Halloween earlier?\nThe Hershey Company's research found that consumers are motivated by the\nmoments that make Halloween uniquely special. Parents cite fun traditions\n(41%) and the excitement Halloween brings (39%) as leading reasons for\ncelebrating ahead of October, highlighting Halloween's role as a season for\ncreativity, self-expression, and community connection.\n\nAre parents changing how they celebrate Halloween?\nHalloween is becoming a bigger part of families' seasonal traditions, with\nparents being the participation engine who reinforce traditions and expand\nholiday celebrations. According to The Hershey Company's research, 72% of\nparents are moderate participants or full enthusiasts, with 41% of parents\nexpecting to be more involved in Halloween celebrations this year. The\nmajority of parents (55%) are already in Halloween mode by late September,\nembracing a range of activities from decorating and gathering with friends and\nfamily to participating in community events and trick-or-treating traditions.\n\nHow is The Hershey Company responding to changing Halloween celebrations?\nHershey listens to how people celebrate, from the first signs of summer\nthrough Halloween night, and lets that shape everything we make: the products,\nthe packaging, the assortments, and the way retailers merchandise the season.\nThe goal is simple: the right treat, in the right format, at the right moment,\nfor whatever kind of Halloween someone is having.\n\nWhat role does candy play in Halloween celebrations?\nThe Hershey Company and Morning Consult research found that candy remains one\nof the most anticipated parts of Halloween. Seventy-one percent of Halloween\nenthusiasts say they are highly excited about Halloween candy, and nearly half\nof parents (46%) say the best trick-or-treating block is the one handing out\nfull-size candy bars. Consumers' enthusiasm extends to the brands they love\nmost, with Reese's ranking as America's No. 1 Halloween candy (39%).\n\nWhat is the top Halloween candy?\nReese's ranks as America's No. 1 Halloween candy(1) according to Circana, the\nNo. 1 chocolate brand of the season and the most-preferred Halloween candy,\nwith three Hershey brands ranking among consumers' Top 5 Halloween favorites\n(Reese's, KIT KAT(®) and Hershey's). The Hershey Company will produce 26\nmillion Reese's Pumpkins alone throughout the season.\n\nWhat are the top snacks for Halloween?\nIn addition to fan-favorite candies, consumers are increasingly looking for\nsalty snacks like Pirate's Booty and LesserEvil that provide a sweet-and-salty\ncombination to their celebrations, such as during trunk-or-treating and other\nnon-candy occasions.\n\nPricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer.\n(1) Reese's was the top-selling Halloween candy brand during the 10-week\nperiod ending 11/2/25, according to Circana (Total US MULO + Convenience)\n\nAbout The Hershey Company\nThe Hershey Company is an industry-leading snacks company with a purpose to\nmake more moments of goodness and a vision to lead next generation snacking.\nHershey brings together more than 20,000 employees worldwide to deliver\ndelicious, high-quality products across more than 85 brands in approximately\n65 countries, generating more than $11.7 billion in annual revenues.\n\nHershey brings its full portfolio to market as ONE Hershey, spanning\nconfection, salty and functional snacking categories with beloved brands\nlike Hershey's, Reese's, Kisses, KIT KAT®, Jolly\nRancher, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers; salty snacks\nincluding SkinnyPop, LesserEvil, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Homestyle\nPretzels; and a protein portfolio including ONE Brands and Fulfil.\n\nFor more than 130 years, Hershey has operated fairly, ethically and\nsustainably. Founder Milton Hershey established Milton Hershey School in 1909,\nand that legacy of purpose endures today through the company's commitment to\nhelping children succeed through equitable access to education.\n\nTo learn more visit 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The company pairs its\nproprietary high-frequency data with applied artificial intelligence to better\ninform decisions on what people think and how they will act. Learn more at\nmorningconsult.com.\n\n \n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anticipation-is-reshaping-americas-halloween-season-302837112.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anticipation-is-reshaping-americas-halloween-season-302837112.html)\n\nSOURCE The Hershey Company\n\n\n\nAllison Kleinfelter, akleinfelter@hersheys.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960168/Americans-are-turning-Halloween-into-a-four-month-season-building-from-Summerween-in-July-to-trick-o.jpg?id=OA2798574\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960169/Halloween-anticipation-starts-long-before-October-with-Americans-focusing-on-connection-and-communit.jpg?id=OA2798576\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960167/New-Hershey-report-found-that-the-best-Halloween-neighborhoods-have-strong-participation-generosity.jpg?id=OA2798572\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960165/Hershey-owns-the-treat-bowl-with-3-of-the-top-5-Halloween-candy-brands-including-America-s-No-1-Hall.jpg?id=OA2798570\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960164/The-report-found-consumers-are-prioritizing-joy-through-small-experiences-fueled-by-fun-traditions-a.jpg?id=OA2798568\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS926138/Hershey-Kiss-Logo.jpg?id=OA2798566\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn2cyBx5a","title":"Anticipation Is Reshaping America's Halloween Season","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"HSY","created":"2026-07-29T12:07:00.015Z","tickers":["HSY"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"Anticipation Is Reshaping America's Halloween Season\n\nPR Newswire\n\nHERSHEY, Pa., July 29, 2026\n\nNew Consumer Insights from Hershey and Morning Consult Reveal Halloween\nAnticipation is Building Earlier, Creating New Moments for Treats, Traditions\nand Community\n\nHERSHEY, Pa., July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Halloween anticipation is starting\nlong before October. According to Unwrapping Halloween: Hershey's State of the\nSeason Report, Americans are turning Halloween into a series of unique moments\nthat build over time. The result is a new Halloween calendar shaped less by a\nsingle shopping occasion and more by anticipation, connection, and community.\n\nHere's a breakdown of the top trends this Halloween season based on The\nHershey Company's (NYSE: HSY) newly commissioned consumer insights report from\nMorning Consult.\n\nThe New Halloween Calendar Starts with Anticipation\n\nSummerween is one early signal of the larger behavioral shift around Halloween\nanticipation, the growing consumer behavior of engaging with Halloween months\nbefore October. It represents a lighter, more spontaneous \"treat for me\"\nexpression of the season and extends consumers' excitement through purchases,\ntraditions, decorations, and celebrations.\n\nThe findings show:\n\n * 55% of parents say they're in \"Halloween mode\" before October begins.\n * 67% of parents have already purchased Halloween candy this summer.\n * 53% of Gen Z consumers are familiar with the term \"Summerween.\"\n * 41% of parents expect to be more involved in Halloween celebrations this year.\n\"As Halloween continues to evolve, it's become one of the longest and most\nanticipated seasons of the year,\" said Stacy Taffet, Chief Marketing and\nGrowth Officer, The Hershey Company. \"Consumers are creating rituals that\nblend tradition, self-expression, and community. We're meeting consumers where\nthey are with the snacks and experiences that help make these moments\nmemorable all Halloween season.\"\n\nSummerween Extends the Season While Halloween Remains the Main Event\n\nConsumers aren't embracing Halloween simply because products appear on shelves\nearlier. Hershey consumer insights show that Summerween and Halloween fulfill\ndifferent needs for consumers.\n\nSummerween is helping open the season, especially among younger consumers\nwhere 53% of Gen Z know the term. Social conversations grew from 14,000\nmentions in 2023 to 65,000 in 2025, with consumers associating novelty,\naesthetics, self-expression, and personal enjoyment with the occasion.\nConsumers view it as a playful, low-pressure occasion centered on creating new\ntraditions and enjoying seasonal treats with friends and family.\n\nHalloween continues to be rooted in tradition, community participation,\nseasonal rituals, and established family traditions. Trunk-or-treating, now\nembraced by 20% of Halloween participants, is one example of the ways people\nare expanding participation in the season alongside traditional\ntrick-or-treating. These new occasions underscore the growing role of salty\nsnacks, as consumers look for a variety of flavors, formats, and textures to\nenjoy across occasions.\n\nTogether, the two moments are creating a longer runway for celebration and\nmaking Halloween one of America's most expansive seasonal moments.\n\n\"As Halloween expands beyond October, we're seeing consumers create new ways\nto celebrate,\" said Katie DeCapria, Head of Hersheyween, The Hershey Company.\n\"From Summerween with friends, stocking up for family movie nights or\npreparing for trick-or-treating, we've designed our seasonal portfolio with\nthe right mix of products, pack sizes, and seasonal offerings to meet those\nmoments. As the season evolves, our portfolio evolves alongside it.\"\n\nThe Ideal Halloween Neighborhood is Built Around Community – And Great Candy\n\nIf Summerween marks the start of Halloween anticipation, neighborhood\ncelebrations remain the season's emotional payoff. The report found that\nAmericans overwhelmingly associate the best Halloween neighborhoods with\nparticipation, generosity, and community spirit – showing that the season\nultimately culminates in shared traditions.\n\nAccording to the report:\n\n * 41% of consumers say the perfect Halloween block is one where everyone\nparticipates.\n * 39% point to streets filled with trick-or-treaters.\n * Gen Z prefers full-size candy bars at four times the rate of Baby Boomers (36%\nvs. 9%).\n * 71% of Halloween enthusiasts are highly excited about Halloween candy.\n * Three Hershey brands rank among the Top 5 Halloween candies.\n * Reese's is America's No. 1 Halloween candy (39%).\n\nTreatonomics is Creating Moments of Joy\n\nThe findings point to a shift where consumers prioritize joy, opting for a\nmemorable season full of creativity. Parents cite fun traditions (41%) and the\nexcitement Halloween brings (39%) as leading reasons for celebrating ahead of\nOctober, underscoring Halloween's role as a time for self-expression and\ncommunity connection.\n\nHershey calls this Treatonomics: a consumer trend in which people prioritize\nsmaller, joyful experiences that fuel connection. Halloween treats are more\nthan a purchase for a single night. They help build anticipation, signal\ngenerosity, bring neighbors together, and give families simple ways to\ncelebrate throughout the season.\n\nCandy remains central to Halloween because of the role it plays in creating\nshared experiences. Hershey isn't just winning candy rankings. It's winning\nthe role candy plays in helping neighborhoods come together to celebrate.\n\nResearch Methodology\n\nThe Hershey Company partnered with Morning Consult to conduct an online survey\namong 3,026 U.S. adults, including 924 parents of children under 18. The\nsurvey was fielded July 8–10, 2026. Findings are based on a nationally\nrepresentative sample of U.S. adults. Select results also highlight responses\nfrom self-identified Halloween enthusiasts (n=596). The margin of error is +/-\n2% for all adults, +/- 3% for parents and +/- 4% for Halloween enthusiasts.\n\nTo learn more about the findings and explore how consumers are transforming\nHalloween into a season filled with unique celebrations, visit\nhttps://www.thehersheycompany.com/en_us/home/hersheyween.html\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4740960-1&h=42734984&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehersheycompany.com%2Fen_us%2Fhome%2Fhersheyween.html&a=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehersheycompany.com%2Fen_us%2Fhome%2Fhersheyween.html)\n.\n\nFAQs\n\nWhat is Hersheyween?\nFrom Summerween to Halloween night, we know the trends, treats and tales that\nshape the season. We call it Hersheyween because no one knows Halloween like\nHershey.\n\nWhat is Summerween?\nA summer celebration inspired by Halloween that emphasizes self-expression,\nnovelty, treats, and seasonal fun.\n\nWhat is Halloween anticipation?\nThe growing consumer behavior of engaging with Halloween months before October\nthrough seasonal purchases, traditions, decorations, and celebrations.\n\nWhat is Treatonomics?\nA consumer trend in which people prioritize affordable experiences that create\nhappiness, connection, and anticipation.\n\nHow are people celebrating Halloween? What's changing?\nResearch from The Hershey Company and Morning Consult found that Halloween has\nevolved into a season of celebration that spans a third of the year. Nearly\ntwo-thirds of parents have already purchased Halloween candy during the summer\nmonths, and half are in \"Halloween mode\" before October begins.\n\nWhy are people celebrating Halloween earlier?\nThe Hershey Company's research found that consumers are motivated by the\nmoments that make Halloween uniquely special. Parents cite fun traditions\n(41%) and the excitement Halloween brings (39%) as leading reasons for\ncelebrating ahead of October, highlighting Halloween's role as a season for\ncreativity, self-expression, and community connection.\n\nAre parents changing how they celebrate Halloween?\nHalloween is becoming a bigger part of families' seasonal traditions, with\nparents being the participation engine who reinforce traditions and expand\nholiday celebrations. According to The Hershey Company's research, 72% of\nparents are moderate participants or full enthusiasts, with 41% of parents\nexpecting to be more involved in Halloween celebrations this year. The\nmajority of parents (55%) are already in Halloween mode by late September,\nembracing a range of activities from decorating and gathering with friends and\nfamily to participating in community events and trick-or-treating traditions.\n\nHow is The Hershey Company responding to changing Halloween celebrations?\nHershey listens to how people celebrate, from the first signs of summer\nthrough Halloween night, and lets that shape everything we make: the products,\nthe packaging, the assortments, and the way retailers merchandise the season.\nThe goal is simple: the right treat, in the right format, at the right moment,\nfor whatever kind of Halloween someone is having.\n\nWhat role does candy play in Halloween celebrations?\nThe Hershey Company and Morning Consult research found that candy remains one\nof the most anticipated parts of Halloween. Seventy-one percent of Halloween\nenthusiasts say they are highly excited about Halloween candy, and nearly half\nof parents (46%) say the best trick-or-treating block is the one handing out\nfull-size candy bars. Consumers' enthusiasm extends to the brands they love\nmost, with Reese's ranking as America's No. 1 Halloween candy (39%).\n\nWhat is the top Halloween candy?\nReese's ranks as America's No. 1 Halloween candy(1) according to Circana, the\nNo. 1 chocolate brand of the season and the most-preferred Halloween candy,\nwith three Hershey brands ranking among consumers' Top 5 Halloween favorites\n(Reese's, KIT KAT(®) and Hershey's). The Hershey Company will produce 26\nmillion Reese's Pumpkins alone throughout the season.\n\nWhat are the top snacks for Halloween?\nIn addition to fan-favorite candies, consumers are increasingly looking for\nsalty snacks like Pirate's Booty and LesserEvil that provide a sweet-and-salty\ncombination to their celebrations, such as during trunk-or-treating and other\nnon-candy occasions.\n\nPricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer.\n(1) Reese's was the top-selling Halloween candy brand during the 10-week\nperiod ending 11/2/25, according to Circana (Total US MULO + Convenience)\n\nAbout The Hershey Company\nThe Hershey Company is an industry-leading snacks company with a purpose to\nmake more moments of goodness and a vision to lead next generation snacking.\nHershey brings together more than 20,000 employees worldwide to deliver\ndelicious, high-quality products across more than 85 brands in approximately\n65 countries, generating more than $11.7 billion in annual revenues.\n\nHershey brings its full portfolio to market as ONE Hershey, spanning\nconfection, salty and functional snacking categories with beloved brands\nlike Hershey's, Reese's, Kisses, KIT KAT®, Jolly\nRancher, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers; salty snacks\nincluding SkinnyPop, LesserEvil, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Homestyle\nPretzels; and a protein portfolio including ONE Brands and Fulfil.\n\nFor more than 130 years, Hershey has operated fairly, ethically and\nsustainably. Founder Milton Hershey established Milton Hershey School in 1909,\nand that legacy of purpose endures today through the company's commitment to\nhelping children succeed through equitable access to education.\n\nTo learn more visit 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Morning Consult\nMorning Consult is a global decision intelligence company changing how modern\nleaders make smarter, faster, better decisions. The company pairs its\nproprietary high-frequency data with applied artificial intelligence to better\ninform decisions on what people think and how they will act. Learn more at\nmorningconsult.com.\n\n \n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anticipation-is-reshaping-americas-halloween-season-302837112.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anticipation-is-reshaping-americas-halloween-season-302837112.html)\n\nSOURCE The Hershey Company\n\n\n\nAllison Kleinfelter, akleinfelter@hersheys.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960168/Americans-are-turning-Halloween-into-a-four-month-season-building-from-Summerween-in-July-to-trick-o.jpg?id=OA2798574\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960169/Halloween-anticipation-starts-long-before-October-with-Americans-focusing-on-connection-and-communit.jpg?id=OA2798576\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960167/New-Hershey-report-found-that-the-best-Halloween-neighborhoods-have-strong-participation-generosity.jpg?id=OA2798572\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960165/Hershey-owns-the-treat-bowl-with-3-of-the-top-5-Halloween-candy-brands-including-America-s-No-1-Hall.jpg?id=OA2798570\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960164/The-report-found-consumers-are-prioritizing-joy-through-small-experiences-fueled-by-fun-traditions-a.jpg?id=OA2798568\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS926138/Hershey-Kiss-Logo.jpg?id=OA2798566\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-07-29T12:07:00.087619956Z","server_sent_at_ms":1785326820087},"received_at":"2026-07-29T12:07:00.235Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anticipation-is-reshaping-americas-halloween-season-302837112.html"},"analysis":{"id":"91008","press_release_id":"101983","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Food Products","sector":"Consumer Staples"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Hershey released its State of the Season report with Morning Consult, highlighting a 'Summerween' trend where 67% of parents report purchasing Halloween candy before October begins.\n\nThe findings reinforce the company's category leadership, with Reese's ranking as America's No. 1 Halloween candy and three Hershey brands placing in the top five.\n\nManagement indicated the extended season allows for more consumer touchpoints, with plans to produce 26 million Reese's Pumpkins to meet demand across the longer timeline.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Hershey leans into 'Summerween' trend to extend candy season sales."},"keyFigures":{"revenue":"$11.7 billion","customDimensions":{"reeses_halloween_rank":"No. 1 (39%)","reeses_pumpkins_produced":26000000,"summerween_gen_z_awareness":"53%","parents_summer_candy_purchase":"67%"}},"quotedText":"As Halloween continues to evolve, it's become one of the longest and most anticipated seasons of the year","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Stacy Taffet","role":"Chief Marketing and Growth Officer"},{"name":"Katie DeCapria","role":"Head of Hersheyween"}],"products":["Reese's","Reese's Pumpkins","KIT KAT","Hershey's","Pirate's Booty","LesserEvil","SkinnyPop","Dot's Homestyle Pretzels","ONE Brands","Fulfil","Jolly Rancher","Twizzlers","Ice Breakers"],"companies":[{"name":"The Hershey Company","ticker":"HSY"},{"name":"Morning Consult","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Circana","relationship":"data source"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$11.7 billion","context":"annual revenues"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":2,"reasoning":"Marketing press release confirming strong brand position and identifying the 'Summerween' trend to extend the seasonal selling window. While operationally positive for demand generation, it contains no financial surprises or binary events."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"HSY"},"globalImportance":20,"audienceRelevance":30,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"marketing_insights","sectorWeight":"consumer_staples","householdBrandBoost":true}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":2,"narrative":"Hershey released its State of the Season report with Morning Consult, highlighting a 'Summerween' trend where 67% of parents report purchasing Halloween candy before October begins.\n\nThe findings reinforce the company's category leadership, with Reese's ranking as America's No. 1 Halloween candy and three Hershey brands placing in the top five.\n\nManagement indicated the extended season allows for more consumer touchpoints, with plans to produce 26 million Reese's Pumpkins to meet demand across the longer timeline.","key_figures":{"revenue":"$11.7 billion","customDimensions":{"reeses_halloween_rank":"No. 1 (39%)","reeses_pumpkins_produced":26000000,"summerween_gen_z_awareness":"53%","parents_summer_candy_purchase":"67%"}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Stacy Taffet","role":"Chief Marketing and Growth Officer"},{"name":"Katie DeCapria","role":"Head of Hersheyween"}],"products":["Reese's","Reese's Pumpkins","KIT KAT","Hershey's","Pirate's Booty","LesserEvil","SkinnyPop","Dot's Homestyle Pretzels","ONE Brands","Fulfil","Jolly Rancher","Twizzlers","Ice Breakers"],"companies":[{"name":"The Hershey Company","ticker":"HSY"},{"name":"Morning Consult","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Circana","relationship":"data source"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$11.7 billion","context":"annual revenues"}]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-07-29T16:11:51.213Z","global_importance":20,"audience_relevance":30,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"marketing_insights","sectorWeight":"consumer_staples","householdBrandBoost":true}},"durationMs":175371,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}