Universal’s Wicked: Part One marketing campaign has been nothing short of extraordinary, and it’s nearly impossible to avoid. The film has taken over every corner of pop culture, with over 400 brand partnerships flooding the market.
From Starbucks’ Elphaba cold brew (complete with green matcha foam) to Lego sets of the Emerald City, Target’s Shiz University sweaters, and even OPI’s Fiyero-inspired cobalt blue nail polish, Wicked is everywhere. This all-encompassing $150 million global marketing effort has even lit up the Empire State Building in green and pink. The creative mastermind behind this massive campaign is Universal’s Chief Marketing Officer Michael Moses, who set out to make Wicked a cultural event that would dominate every media platform. The results speak for themselves: the film opened with a massive $112 million at the North American box office and $162 million worldwide, setting the record for the biggest debut ever for a Broadway-to-film adaptation.
Moses reveals in an interview with Variety how the campaign’s bold approach was designed to be “just short of obnoxious,” ensuring that Wicked was everywhere, all the time. By starting with a bang during the Super Bowl, including the iconic “Defying Gravity” battle cry, the marketing team ensured the musical’s unique blend of magic, music, and heart would capture the attention of audiences across the globe. In fact, the campaign was inspired by last year’s Barbie, another female-driven blockbuster that demonstrated the immense power of a well-executed marketing strategy.
The partnerships didn’t stop at the obvious. The campaign included everything from Lego’s participation, which surprised many by breaking into a market typically associated with a male demographic, to exclusive collaborations with major retailers like Starbucks, Target, and Xfinity. Universal strategically selected the right partners, ensuring each collaboration felt authentic to the film’s themes while reaching a broad audience.
While the campaign’s reach has been vast, Moses acknowledges the fine line between widespread visibility and overexposure. Despite concerns of consumer fatigue, he and his team have continued to push the boundaries, ensuring Wicked remains a cultural phenomenon while building momentum for Part Two in 2025. With a film as visually stunning and musically charged as Wicked, it’s clear that Universal’s marketing team knew exactly how to strike a balance—creating something unavoidable without risking alienation.
For marketers looking to replicate the success of Wicked’s campaign, the key takeaway is the power of ubiquity combined with strategic partnerships. When trying to reach a broad audience, don’t shy away from being “just short of obnoxious”—ensure your brand is everywhere your potential customers are. Leverage partnerships with brands that resonate with your audience, and look beyond the obvious choices. Be creative in collaborating with both expected and unexpected partners, as Wicked did with Lego and Starbucks, to extend your reach. It’s also crucial to start big and build momentum, using significant events like the Super Bowl to capture attention early. Finally, don’t be afraid to invest heavily in marketing to make your product a cultural event, but be mindful of maintaining authenticity with your audience. By being omnipresent, relevant, and a little bold, you can create a buzz that lasts well beyond the launch.
To read more about how Universal turned Wicked into one of the year’s most successful and talked-about films, check out the full interview with Michael Moses in Variety. It’s a fascinating look behind the scenes of a massive marketing campaign that’s redefined how a Broadway adaptation can dominate the box office.
