Universal went big on Wicked marketing, and it paid off. The first movie’s campaign hit every channel: merch, music, social, partnerships, in-person events, and more. Now with Part 2, they’ve shifted gears. It’s less about hype and more so about timing and keeping fans engaged.
If you want to see what an optimized cross-industry, experiential, fan-driven marketing campaign looks like, this one’s worth a read!
Wicked Part 1 Marketing Recap
The Wicked: Part 1 campaign went live in Q4 2024, AKA peak cinema traffic and retail activity. It wasn’t subtle, and that was the point.
Brand Partnerships Galore
Universal didn’t waste time with surface-level co-branding. This was layered audience segmentation at work:
- MAC Cosmetics dropped a green-and-pink collection keyed to Elphaba and Glinda’s palettes.
- Funko, Mattel, LEGO dropped collectibles and playsets. Target: legacy fans + new generation.
- Béis launched limited luggage with Wicked-specific color codes. Crossover with travel enthusiasts.
- Lexus launches a luxury promo campaign called “Experience OZmazing.”
- Absolut built a character-themed cocktail kit experience. Conversion play for the lifestyle/demo overlap.
- Movie theater chains sold Wicked themed popcorn buckets and souvenir cups, emphasizing limited time only.
Organic Social
TikTok and Instagram did a lot of the heavy lifting, but it wasn’t accidental. The team seeded content that encouraged:
- Cosplay and fan edits
- Clip reactions
- Sound reuse
That created a feedback loop…the marketing team let it run, but monitored sentiment and virality data. This is how you turn a movie into a content flywheel!
Spotify also became a Wicked marketing lead gen tool. Playlists, pre-release sound bites, cast commentary. People don’t think of soundtracks as performance assets, but with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo on the roster, it’s an engagement vector.
Playing the Long Game
Like we said, Wicked Part 2 is less about mass awareness and more about long-tail monetization. Universal is using the momentum from the first film to optimize marketing. The 18-month release gap was a strategic window to push seasonal merchandising and build fan anticipation. That cycle creates multiple revenue peaks instead of a single short-term spike.
This release strategy also gives retailers and streaming partners more time to execute. Product rotations can match campaign beats: fall fashion drops, Halloween promos, and early holiday buying cycles. Content-wise, the extended window allows for multiple touchpoints: trailer drops, new music releases, behind-the-scenes clips, creator challenges, etc. Every asset feeds the same sales funnel (across theatrical, digital, and physical retail).
Wicked Part 2 Marketing: What They’re Doing Different
No need for full brand awareness now. Everyone knows what Wicked is. The objective now is retention and anticipation.
Wicked: For Good teasers are structured to highlight story threads and unresolved arcs. Marketing content is now aligned with theory-building and speculation. That’s how you get people rewatching Part 1 and continuing your long-tail engagement.
Back again with the green and pink! But now we’re getting darker contrast, character-specific lighting cues, and thematic evolution that reflects Elphaba’s progression.
The final trailer dropped 58 days out from release, getting 113M views in 24 hours. The holiday slot isn’t coincidence either. Films released in that window average 23% stronger opening weekend revenue. That window also aligns with key retail timelines, giving merch partners like Target and Amazon the 45-60 days they need for production, inventory setup, and distribution.
- Inventory spread across two years = better sell-through
- Seasonal rotations tied to promo moments (Halloween, back-to-school, holiday)
- Specific merch SKUs (Glinda vs. Elphaba) allow precise shelf-space optimization
The timing keeps content relevant and context-aware instead of burning out interest too early.
The Big Picture
Wicked’s Part 1 built brand equity through saturation. Part 2 is using that equity to deepen the narrative bond. It’s less about reach now and more about retention, speculation, and user-driven amplification.
This is what high-functioning Wicked marketing looks like when it’s running in full sequence: audience segmentation, platform orchestration, brand alignment, and performance-based iteration.
If your team is trying to build a campaign that operates across physical, digital, and social media, MARION marketing agency can help you build a strategy!