Making its Broadway debut in NYC in 2003, Wicked became a smash hit and is now the tenth longest running production in Broadway history, soaring past $1 billion in earnings in 2016.
Now, more than 2 decades later, Director Jon M. Chu has released the musical that has made its leap to the big screen, starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Importantly, making the movie a two parter…
Marketing Magic
The marketing genius behind the new Wicked movie has become inescapable. With an audience now only needing to see the colours pink and green to know something Wicked their way comes. Universal has promoted this film in a myriad of unconventional ways, and been successful at this too…
Perhaps drawing inspiration for Barbie’s monumental marketing, Wicked covered almost every industry, but why?
From fashion to food, Wicked’s brand has entered every corner of popular culture, creating a visual identity in pink and green that we immediately recognise as being from the Wicked universe. Universal turned the movie into an inescapable cultural phenomenon, where it has become almost stranger to not have seen Wicked than to have watched it multiple times within the first week of release (guilty as charged).
One of the first strategic moves came at the 2024 Super Bowl, where the first 60 second trailer debuted during the ad break, reaching a staggering 123.7 million views! It is with no surprise that Michael Moses, (Universal Chief Marketing Officer), wanted Wicked on this platform for all to see. The trailer quickly became viral and was the beginning of one of the most strategic marketing campaigns to date. On YouTube the trailer now has 14 million views as of November 2024.
But why do they do this? Other than for pure revenue, every marketing touchpoint has crafted feelings of nostalgia and emotion similar to the themes of the production itself. Even to people unaware of Wicked previously, the emotional resonance with an audience is paramount to the success of any film, especially as part two is set to release next year, this emotional resonance will be crucial in maintaining momentum, ensuring that the cultural buzz around Wicked doesn’t just fade into the background, but continues to grow as we journey back to Oz…
The Beauty of Themed Press Tours
Themed Press tours have become an art form in themselves. They create a buzz that extends far beyond the movie itself and instead becomes more of a cultural moment.
Wicked has sparked a wave of themed fashion, with the cast embracing the opportunity to pay tribute to the history of Wicked and its iconic predecessors. From Jonathan Bailey’s nod to Dorothy and the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz (1939), to Cynthia’s tribute to Margaret Hamilton’s portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West, the cast and costuming team for the press tour made sure to highlight the past of Wicked and show honour to the greats before them.
The press tour is both a celebration of the old and an innovative showcasing of modern fashion and its ability to tell a story.
The Magic of Storytelling
As well as the marketing, the movie itself is a masterclass in storytelling, blending magic and the enchantment of Oz with real-life themes of friendship, fitting in and self-identity.
The magic of Wicked stems from its origin and The Wizard of Oz. The reimagination of Glinda and Elphaba brings new life into the nostalgia an audience feels for the Wizard of Oz and tells it from the perspective of two strong women.
The turning of a classic fairy tale type story on its head brings excitement for an audience in having the chance to see something so innovative, not to mention the star-studded cast featuring the likes of Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh to name but a few. The chances are you and your friends/family know about and have an interest in at least one cast member, and their acting capabilities.
The transition from stage to film allows for even more visual magic and emotional depth, as well as the musical numbers being taken on by powerful vocalists giving them a modern twist.
Whether Wicked be on stage or on screen, its magic lies in its powerful themes of friendship and love, and the cast’s passion for the production only gives it that much more weight in being a film that will last the test of time, onward to part 2…
EMILY KENNEDY
Featured image courtesy of Clark Royandoyan on Unsplash. Image use license found here . No changes were made to this image.
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