GutCheck Research Reports That Miley Cyrus, Scary Witches, Zombies and Devils, Bin Laden and Hitler Are Out This Halloween

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moms are more concerned about their daughters being portrayed as overly sexy than about their sons dressing in violent themes

Denver, Colorado (PRWEB) October 30, 2013

Miley Cyrus may be the costume of choice for celebrities but not so with moms. Halloween costumes are the centerpiece of the October 31 holiday and parents continue to wield influence on what kids are wearing and not wearing, according to new “mom” research from GutCheck. Miley Cyrus, scary witches, zombies and devils, Bin Laden and Hitler are out this Halloween. Parents are vetoing sexy, gruesome or violent.

GutCheck engaged a research panel of 20 mothers of school-aged children using the company’s on demand instant research platform in order to learn about 2013 Halloween preparation and children’s costumes. Parents overwhelmingly associated inappropriateness in costumes with sexiness, gruesomeness or violence, though appropriateness was mainly concerned with female modesty.

“We found it very interesting that our research revealed that moms are more concerned about their daughters being portrayed as overly sexy than about their sons dressing in violent themes,” said Matt Warta, Founder and CEO of GutCheck. “It was a bit of a surprise given the general concern about the increasing violence in our society that this was not particularly reflected in the research findings.”

The research yielded findings on spending levels, preparations, costume creation and selection for younger and older children. An executive summary of the complete 2013 Halloween research is available from GutCheck.

Many respondents began preparation in early October, first by decorating the house, then stocking up on candy, acquiring costumes for their children, and purchasing pumpkins. Most respondents were willing to spend between $50 and $200, with store-bought costumes favored over homemade by mothers lacking in confidence or time to make one. However, the mothers tended to view homemade costumes as more authentic, and preferred homemade for older children and store-bought for younger children. Parents of younger children appreciate the ease and selection associated with store-bought costumes, as well as access to popular characters.

“Companies interested in encouraging the homemade Halloween ethos favored by moms have an opportunity to emphasize the authenticity and ease of DIY or homemade costuming for younger children,” said Warta. “Halloween preparation tends to be viewed as month-long process, beginning with decorations and costume purchasing in early October.”

About GutCheck
GutCheck is an on-demand research community solution that provides immediate insights from specific customer segments enabling clients to optimize their product innovation and marketing communications processes. Unlike traditional online communities that want for speed and accuracy, GutCheck delivers highly actionable feedback in days and without the need to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars upfront. For more information: http://gutcheckit.com.

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