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The LEGO Group and Universal Products & Experiences teamed up to release LEGO sets featuring characters and scenes from the movie musical “Wicked,” part of the film’s marketing strategy. (Courtesy of The LEGO Group)
The only thing bigger than singer and actor Cynthia Erivo’s riff at the end of the song “Defying Gravity” is the marketing blitz that catapulted “Wicked: Part One” into the stratosphere as the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation film of all time. Don’t have that kind of budget — estimated at $150 million — to work with? Here are four ways to create the same marketing wizardry for your events — and one cautionary tale.
- Hit the sweet spot between legacy and innovation. While the “Wicked” refresh reinvigorated interest from the Broadway musical loyalists by staying true to the source material and paying homage to its original stars with movie and press tour cameos, the marketing campaign went full throttle to attract new audiences. Immersive experiences such as the renaming of London borough Greenwich to “GreenWitch” became cultural moments. Influencer marketing, elevated brand collaborations, and a steady stream of social-media content — from emotion-driven interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses to official TikTok audio — told a story a new generation wanted to hear. You can give an event the “Wicked” treatment by rethinking how existing messaging and channels resonate with new audiences and where there may be opportunities to create more authentic content and emotional engagement.
- Be everywhere. You’d have to be living under a rock — or knocked out by a fresh crop of poppies, in keeping with the “Wicked” theme — not to see the “Wicked” influence in commercials from Target (see video below) and Xfinity, makeup lines, public-transportation takeovers, immersive billboards, specialty drinks and cups at Starbucks, influencer partnerships, or slew of interviews with stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. The publicity frenzy was strategically masterminded by Universal Chief Marketing Officer Michael Moses, whose mission was to be “just short of obnoxious,” as he told theater owners at the film’s screening. His insight that we no longer live in a “monoculture” environment is a reminder to be where our audiences are across multiple channels, particularly as event marketers trying to reach niche groups. If they don’t see an event on LinkedIn or Facebook, they can see it on Instagram or display ads, in email, or even via direct mail. And if they do end up seeing your event brand everywhere, the power of repetition will work in your favor.
- Broaden the audience with strategic partners. Starbucks and Target are plum partnerships for any marketing campaign and natural fits for the “Wicked” demo. But the marketing team also sought more unexpected brand partnerships like Lego, whose building sets are often more associated with boys and their fathers than girls and their mothers, but who also has a successful track record with other movie collaborations and a proven cross-generational appeal. The experience of building with Lego bricks to recreate the movie’s scenes, or create your own, also taps into that same sense of imagination and wonder. According to Variety, Moses called this deal a “big early indicator of how broad we could go.” Consider extending your reach with collaborators through sponsored content, barter campaigns, emails and promotional offerings — and think about breaking out of the bubble by considering companies, influencers, and audiences that aren’t immediately obvious.
- Dare to dream big. Don’t limit the wishlist in the early stages of strategizing — some ideas may not be as ambitious or expensive as one may think. The lights that illuminated Paris’ Arc de Triomphe in Wickedcore pink and green were merely digital magic. A lot can be done with a limited budget, particularly by leveraging AI, albeit cautiously. Start an event podcast, design-branded photo filters for registrants to share with their networks, or post behind-the-scenes content like booth set-up. Social-media challenges like the TikTok Wicked Riff Challenge can create engagement — and maybe even a few laughs.
The fifth lesson event marketers can take from the nearly flawless “Wicked” campaign is more of a cautionary one: You can never do enough proofing. Mattel’s “Wicked” doll got more attention than the company or Universal bargained for when a customer, who had bought the doll for a relative, navigated to the web address listed on the back of the box to purchase advertising. Instead of the official movie site, he was taken to an “adult” website. Proofread marketing assets before they go live to avoid risking an embarrassing blunder — or your organization’s reputation. Not all press is good press.
Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes is president and chief marketing strategist at mdg, a Freeman Company, a full-service marketing and public relations firm specializing in B2B events.
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Learn more about Universal Pictures’ “Wicked” marketing partnerships in this Variety interview with Chief Marketing Officer Michael Moses.