When Universal Pictures started marketing the first “Wicked” film, the studio did not hide its strategy. Chief Marketing Officer Michael Moses said he wanted the marketing campaign to be “just short of obnoxious,” and they delivered. The pink and green branding appeared on television, social media, magazine covers, cereal boxes and even at the Paris Olympics. Stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were nearly impossible to avoid.
The approach paid off. “Wicked” opened with $112 million and went on to earn $756 million worldwide, setting a box office record for a stage-to-screen adaptation. It remained in the cultural spotlight for months, eventually picking up 10 Oscar nominations. The saturation also drew criticism from some fans who said the campaign felt relentless.
Now, Universal is promoting the second installment “Wicked: For Good,” which arrives in theaters Nov. 21. The studio says its strategy is more measured this time, even though the sequel is still highly visible. Marketing did not begin with a Super Bowl kickoff, and the studio waited until summer to start the official push. Executives have reduced traditional press stops and instead focused on fan events in London, Paris, São Paulo and New York.
Jason Squire, professor emeritus at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, said the shift is noticeable. “One of the words to describe the marketing of the new release would be restraint,” he said. “The studio has pulled back. We are not inundated like we were with the first movie.”
Still, the current campaign remains extensive. Universal has released another round of product tie-ins, including Starbucks drinks, Target merchandise, look-alike dolls, cosmetics collaborations and a Lexus commercial intercut with scenes from the film. General Mills introduced two themed cereals, one green and one pink. NBCUniversal is again using its internal Symphony strategy, which coordinates promotion across the company’s networks and streaming platforms.
Some of the partnerships have generated online debate, particularly a 2024 Instagram video showing the Kardashian family receiving an early screening accompanied by branded merchandise. Fans questioned whether the tie-ins aligned with the message of the story. On Reddit, several users argued that the heavy emphasis on consumer products runs counter to the themes of “Wicked.”
Even with those concerns, Universal has financial reasons to keep the campaign strong. Releasing the two films one year apart allows the studio to rely on the momentum created by the first movie, reducing the need for a full reintroduction. The global marketing budget for “Wicked: For Good” is roughly $90 million, compared with nearly $150 million for the first film.
“The first movie was about priming the pump,” one executive at a rival studio said. “Now they do not want to let air out of the tire.”
Industry analysts say the sequel is tracking for an even larger opening than the first film. They also note that there is little competition for younger female audiences during the holiday season, which could help sustain ticket sales through winter.
The scale of the campaign raises a broader question: is this version of “toned back” still overwhelming? For many viewers, the visibility of Erivo, Grande and the film’s pink-and-green iconography remains unavoidable. Others say the sequel’s marketing feels more controlled because it is not dominating the calendar year the way the first film did.
The movie will soon show whether Universal found the right balance. The campaign is smaller but still substantial. Whether it resonates or wears thin depends on how much “Wicked” the public is willing to see for the second year in a row.
