Painting the town green: Inside the Wicked marketing playbook

After two decades as one of the most beloved Broadway musicals, Wicked is painting the town green ahead of its big screen debut on November 24. The upcoming film adaption features Cynthia Erivo as the Wicked Witch Elphaba, and Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good. 

Following in the footsteps of the Barbie marketing machine, brands are riding the cultural wave of film and TV releases to capture consumer attention and drive sales. With Wicked’s multi-generational appeal and cult status, brands across myriad industries are joining forces to cast a marketing spell ahead of the film’s release. Fashion, cosmetics, dolls, games, luggage, jewellery, cupcake kits, automotive, bedding, home decor and tech brands have all jumped on the trendy bandwagon, rivalling the number of brand collaborations of the Barbie movie.

What makes a Wicked collaboration so enchanting for brands?

Wicked’s marketing buzz mirrors Barbie’s 2023 campaign. Pink wasn’t just a colour — it became a cultural moment. From themed hotel rooms to limited-edition cosmetics, Barbiecore infiltrated almost every corner of consumer culture, and Wicked seems poised to follow suit.

A major factor driving this success is Wicked’s multigenerational appeal. With fans of all ages — from young people discovering the story to adults who’ve loved the Broadway show for decades — brands are targeting diverse demographics with tailored products.

Mattel’s Wicked-themed dolls and Lego sets cater to young people, while a Monopoly set appeals to families. Meanwhile, Béis has released a chic green-and-pink luggage collection, and even Lexus has been swept up in the hype, rolling out its “Experience OZmazing” campaign.

Spotify has also joined the fray, curating playlists featuring show tunes like Defying Gravity and producing behind-the-scenes podcasts with the cast and composer Stephen Schwartz. These kinds of partnerships extend the film’s cultural footprint beyond the screen and into everyday moments, whether through products people use or the media they consume.

And it’s a win-win strategy — every collaboration and licensing agreement builds hype and anticipation for the movie starring at a time when standing out through the noise is notoriously tricky. 

The allure of culture-jacking

This is culture-jacking at its finest — a marketing strategy that allows brands to hitch their wagon to an existing cultural event, trend, or moment to amplify their visibility and relevance. For Wicked, the timing is perfect (and indisputably strategic). Its release coincides with the Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas shopping frenzies, making it an ideal opportunity for brands to capitalise on the festive season’s heightened consumerism.

By leaning into Wicked‘s established symbols — its signature green and pink hues, and the contrasting characters of Elphaba and Glinda — brands are finding creative ways to connect with different audience personalities. This isn’t just about slapping a logo onto a green product; it’s about allowing consumers to carry a piece of that magic into their everyday lives, whether that’s a Wicked-inspired Stanley cup or a set of OPI polishes.

The risks of jumping on the bandwagon

Small brands must tread carefully. Culture-jacking can work wonders to elevate brand awareness, but only when done thoughtfully. Slapping a green hue on a product and calling it Wicked-themed won’t cut it. Brands need to find ways to make the experience immersive and authentic, or risk coming off as opportunistic or cringey. US retail giant Target is doing just that, bringing the Wicked experience to life with experiential brand activations like embroidery stations and thematic installations.

What small brands can learn from the Wicked marketing campaign?

If there’s one thing the Wicked marketing campaign proves, it’s that successful strategies tend to play out over and over again. Consider Barbie’s pink-drenched marketing campaign: it set the gold (pink?) standard, and Wicked is following a similar playbook with its own green-and-pink twist. This approach highlights that you don’t always need to reinvent the wheel.

There’s a misconception that creativity means coming up with something completely fresh. In reality, the best ideas are often iterations of past successes. Mattel and Spotify aren’t just slapping Wicked logos on their products — they’re reimagining how consumers interact with the story. It’s about remixing, not copying. Look at past campaigns that have resonated with your target audience and adapt those concepts to fit your brand’s identity.

When you look closely, you’ll notice the same patterns emerging across different campaigns. As a small business, learning to spot these marketing formulas and applying them to your own context is invaluable. The real magic happens when you meld a familiar formula with your brand voice and values. Consumers can spot a gimmick from a mile away, but they’re also surprised and delighted when brands engage with cultural moments in a way that feels genuine.

Collaboration is another lesson from the Wicked campaign. From Spotify to Lego to Lexus, brands are teaming up with complementary businesses to increase their reach and make their offerings more immersive. Small businesses can take this same approach — find ways to make your marketing and offering more experiential, and consider collaborating with brands whose offerings complement your own.

The key takeaway? Don’t overcomplicate things. If a marketing strategy is already proving successful, there’s no harm in borrowing from it. The reason so many brands are jumping on the Wicked bandwagon is simple: it works. These tactics tap into consumers’ emotions and build hype around a shared cultural moment.

Wicked‘s poster controversy

But the press around Wicked hasn’t been without controversy. After a fan-edited movie poster did the rounds on social media, Cynthia Erivo publicly expressed her frustration about being erased from the artwork, saying “Our poster is an homage, not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful”. 

The film poster features Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s faces (putting the stars front and centre on the poster makes sense from a marketing perspective), while the original illustrated Broadway poster shows less of Glinda’s face, and obstructs Elphaba’s eyes.

Will the magic last?

The Wicked marketing frenzy is shaping up to be one of the most enchanting campaigns of the year. By following the formula laid out by Barbie, brands are amplifying the cultural impact of the film and extending its reach far beyond the theatre. Yet, the real test will be whether this spell continues to hold once the green dust settles. We’ll have to wait and see how that plays out.

If you appreciate these hot marketing takes from a musical theatre lover, you can connect with me here.

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