Eric Schwartzel

Getting the right actors to play the main two witches in Wicked was a top priority for Universal. And in 2021, the studio finally landed on pop star Ariana Grande as Glenda and the Broadway phenom Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Fans talked about the casting choices all over social media.

Getting the right actors to play the main two witches in Wicked was a top priority for Universal. And in 2021, the studio finally landed on pop star Ariana Grande as Glenda and the Broadway phenom Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Fans talked about the casting choices all over social media.

Universal went big on the film's production, and when they got ready to market it, they decided to go just as big. How much money are they spending on marketing this?

Universal went big on the film's production, and when they got ready to market it, they decided to go just as big. How much money are they spending on marketing this?

Universal went big on the film's production, and when they got ready to market it, they decided to go just as big. How much money are they spending on marketing this?

What's the logic behind such a massive marketing campaign?

What's the logic behind such a massive marketing campaign?

What's the logic behind such a massive marketing campaign?

Some of the strategy mirrors last year's Barbie rollout, which relied on huge marketing to become a $1.4 billion hit. And just as Barbie star Margot Robbie wore shades of pink across her promotional tour, Erivo and Grande have taken on the red carpet strategy of dressing in green and pink from the Wicked wardrobe. 🎵

Some of the strategy mirrors last year's Barbie rollout, which relied on huge marketing to become a $1.4 billion hit. And just as Barbie star Margot Robbie wore shades of pink across her promotional tour, Erivo and Grande have taken on the red carpet strategy of dressing in green and pink from the Wicked wardrobe. 🎵

Some of the strategy mirrors last year's Barbie rollout, which relied on huge marketing to become a $1.4 billion hit. And just as Barbie star Margot Robbie wore shades of pink across her promotional tour, Erivo and Grande have taken on the red carpet strategy of dressing in green and pink from the Wicked wardrobe. 🎵

To broaden out this flood-the-zone approach, Universal executives went to their bosses at parent company Comcast and pitched Wicked as a company-wide priority.

To broaden out this flood-the-zone approach, Universal executives went to their bosses at parent company Comcast and pitched Wicked as a company-wide priority.

To broaden out this flood-the-zone approach, Universal executives went to their bosses at parent company Comcast and pitched Wicked as a company-wide priority.

The list of marketing partners feels like it's never ending. There are partnerships with Lexus, Build-A-Bear, Stanley, Aldo, Fossil, Forever 21, Crocs, Legos. The movie also partnered with Ulta for Wicked Makeup. I could go on and on and on and on for the rest of this podcast, but I won't. If Wicked has such a loyal fan base, though, why go so big on marketing?

The list of marketing partners feels like it's never ending. There are partnerships with Lexus, Build-A-Bear, Stanley, Aldo, Fossil, Forever 21, Crocs, Legos. The movie also partnered with Ulta for Wicked Makeup. I could go on and on and on and on for the rest of this podcast, but I won't. If Wicked has such a loyal fan base, though, why go so big on marketing?

The list of marketing partners feels like it's never ending. There are partnerships with Lexus, Build-A-Bear, Stanley, Aldo, Fossil, Forever 21, Crocs, Legos. The movie also partnered with Ulta for Wicked Makeup. I could go on and on and on and on for the rest of this podcast, but I won't. If Wicked has such a loyal fan base, though, why go so big on marketing?

Because aren't its millions of fans likely to go see the movie anyway?

Because aren't its millions of fans likely to go see the movie anyway?

Because aren't its millions of fans likely to go see the movie anyway?