The campaign gives Halloween a distinctly Indian twist by reviving local horror legends through playful, nostalgic storytelling.

ITC Foods’ Candyman Sourzzz has unveiled its latest campaign, ‘A Desi Halloween’, which reimagines the global celebration through the lens of Indian folklore. The campaign blends nostalgia and pop culture, reviving classic desi horror icons with a contemporary, candy-coated twist.

While Halloween traditionally features ghosts, vampires, and pumpkins, Candyman Sourzzz brings homegrown legends to the spotlight with characters like Tangy Tantrik, Sour Sundari, and Meetha Khatkula. Each appears in short, cinematic social films where Indian spirits rediscover their “flavour of horror” through Candyman Sourzzz. The campaign’s visual language fuses retro Bollywood horror with neon vibrance and playful mischief.

Anuj Bansal, vice president and head of marketing – chocolates, coffee, and confectionery, ITC Foods, said, “With Candyman Sourzzz, we’ve always aimed to make sourness fun for young India. This Halloween, we wanted to localise the thrill – celebrating Indian folklore in a modern, quirky way. ‘A Desi Halloween’ reintroduces the ghosts and stories we grew up with, blending fun, flavour, and nostalgia to make Halloween truly Indian in taste and spirit.”

Adding to this, Suchitra Gahlot, national creative director, FCB India, said, “Halloween may be new to India, but horror isn’t. We drew inspiration from 90s Bollywood horror to make it relevant and relatable. The goal was to make Candyman Sourzzz the brand that owns Halloween in India – culturally, visually, and playfully.”

Extending the campaign beyond digital, Candyman Sourzzz has launched limited-edition Halloween-themed packs with collectible masks on Q-commerce platforms. The brand is also amplifying the experience through influencer tie-ups, on-ground activations, and immersive OOH installations – bringing its folklore-inspired world to life in a fun, flavour-packed way.