Hollywood movies would be nothing without clever marketing, but the intensity of such campaigns has ramped up considerably in recent years. One significant example of this is Greta Gerwig’s 2023 smash hit Barbie, a satirical comedy based on Mattel’s popular dolls. Whilst Barbie was an innovative work that explored concepts of feminism and patriarchy in an accessible, light-hearted way, audiences were divided over the film, with some suggesting that the actual product did not live up to expectations. Despite Barbie’s mixed reception, the indelible mark that Gerwig’s marketing campaign left on Hollywood is undeniable; it was virtually impossible to escape the film in the summer of 2023. With reams of hot-pink merchandise (so much so that there was a reported shortage of the colour pink in the US!), a stellar soundtrack featuring the likes of Dua Lipa, Lizzo, and Nicki Minaj, as well as a stacked, highly likeable cast, it was no surprise that the movie broke box-office records and became the highest grossing live-action comedy of all time.
Barbie set a new precedent for movie campaigns to be as overwhelming, lengthy and inescapable as possible, and the success of Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the musical Wicked (2024) can be partly attributed to this model. Marketing for Wicked began all the way back in April 2023, with both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande posting ‘first looks’ of their roles as the characters of Elphaba Thropp and Galinda Upland respectively. These photographs prompted a flurry of excitement, particularly from Ariana Grande’s huge fanbase. Grande has always been a self-confessed Wicked fanatic; not only is she a lifelong fan and friend of Kristin Chenoweth, Glinda’s original Broadway actress, but she has repeatedly covered songs from the soundtrack over the span of her career including an adaptation of the song ‘Popular’ with MIKA. Following these original posts, Erivo and Grande’s Instagram accounts have been specially curated to adhere to the contrasting visual aesthetics of their characters, with Erivo adopting green and Grande pink.
These iconic hues have also informed Erivo and Grande’s stylistic choices over the past year. By donning these differing colours at several key events, including the Paris Olympic Games and ‘Cinemacon’, they were able to subtly promote the movie via visual cues, well before the marketing campaign officially kicked off. The contrast between green and pink has since become permanently entangled with the movie; toy companies, beauty and clothing brands, and even food sellers have capitalised on this vibrant trademark, much like they did with hot-pink during ‘Barbie summer’.
Not only has the material marketing for the movie been astounding, but the online hype has been almost overwhelming. With a plethora of cast interviews, snippets of beloved songs like ‘Popular’ and ‘Defying Gravity’ being released intermittently, and various viral memes, Wicked has been the fervent topic of discussion across many social media platforms for several months now. The bond between Erivo and Grande has also become a major talking point online, as both of them have likened the complex and loving relationship between Elphaba and Glinda to their own. With them repeatedly crying in interviews and spending every moment of Wicked’s press tour attached at the hip, their genuine and emotional bond – as well as their deep love and admiration for both the original musical and their own film – couldn’t be clearer. Other cast members, including the equally charming Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey, have also given people an incentive to watch with their hilarious interviews and distinctive red carpet looks. Furthermore, the endorsement of Idina Menzel, Broadway’s first Elphaba, and the aforementioned Kristen Chenoweth has galvanised much excitement for fans of the original musical, with promises that the adaptation would adhere closely to the magic of the source material but would also incorporate some inventive changes for a new generation of audiences.
As someone who is largely apathetic about musicals and whose prior knowledge of Wicked was minimal, I can safely say that this extensive marketing campaign worked. Almost as soon as it hit theatres, I was excited to check out a film I previously had no interest in. Unlike Barbie, I truly believe Chu’s adaptation met, if not surpassed, the hype created over the past few months and I would recommend it to everyone, regardless of whether you are a musical fan or not.