For Good? How Wicked Plans to Stay "Popular" for Part Two

Why it Matters

The Wicked marketing campaign is a masterclass in franchise stamina. The "Oztastic" Barbie-style blitzkrieg was the easy part (one). The real PR challenge is Part Two, where the strategy must pivot from introduction to escalation. Universal is no longer just selling a movie; they are in the business of proving Wicked is an evergreen, not just a one short day, but a multi-generational franchise on the level of Harry Potter.

The brand strategy now shifts to "cultural dominance." But truly for me what makes the Part Two campaign so magical is this pivot from ubiquity to depth. The Part One blitz, with its 400+ brand partners, was about saturation; the  inescapable Wicked. Now is the "escalation" based on cultural integration, culture centrism. It’s no longer just "buy this green Stanley cup". It's about activating the massive community Part One built to evolved from consumerism to cultural signifier, making this second-year push feel less like a repeat and more like a relevant, necessary finale to a story people now see themselves in (because they already we part of).

Food for Thought

But cultural depth could easily also create fatigue; because at the end of the day it's about doubling down on the brand blitz. The real challenge for me is how to activate more people, brands, and moments. Maybe is a FOMO thing, where every brand (and box office) will be lining up for a ticket on the train to see the Wizard.

But does the audience see "partnership magic" or just "yet another green thing?" How do you keep the magical saturation from feeling like a tired, repetitive gimmick the second time around?

A Stranger Synergy: Gatorade's 80s Heritage Play

Why it Matters

Maybe for some, this went under the radar. And it may well be not a glorious huge thing. But Gatorade's Stranger Things collaboration is just a great brand-on-brand synergy. This isn't just slapping a logo on a product; it's a brilliant move that fuses Gatorade's own 1980s heritage with the show's 80s-soaked world. By resurrecting its 1987 "No Ordinary Thirst Quencher" jingle and the cult-favorite Citrus Cooler flavor, Gatorade isn't just a partner it's an authentic character within the story. Is nostalgia reframe. The campaign brilliantly equates the pressure of sports with the supernatural horrors of the Upside Down. This elevates the brand to fuel for overcoming any battle. It may not be much, but for me is a magnificent way to wink to the most valuable fandoms while simultaneously reintroducing its own iconic history to a new generation.

Food for Thought

For me this campaign is a powerful reminder that sometimes, the simplest answers are right in front of us - and as marketers we often dismiss them in the hunt for something "bigger."

Gatorade didn't try to build a massive, new universe. They just executed a single, perfect "surgical strike" ad. They did their brand archaeology, digging into their own assets that were authentic, simple, and perfectly aligned with the *Stranger Things* world. I think ads like this make us reflect on the fact that a well-aimed idea that hits all the right cultural points can be infinitely more powerful than the loudest, most expensive campaign.

Quote of the Week

"It took me thirty years to make this dream come true, gathering along the way the best of what I’ve learned in terms of craft.” — Guillermo del Toro.

Netflix's New Frontier: Train to Your Dreams?

Why it Matters

This is, without a doubt, one of the most brilliant and bizarre brand plays of the year. Yes, I call it now. Netflix has partnered with the Calm app to create "Train of Dreams," a sleep story designed to market to you while you sleep. This is the complete opposite of the attention economy; it's a move into the ambient economy.

From a branding perspective, this is… let me just use an emoji 👏👏 . Netflix is strategically brand-stretching, evolving its identity from a high-stimulation "binge-watch" platform to a full-spectrum brand that can also be part of your wellness and relaxation routine. The PR genius is in the synergy: they borrow Calm's massive brand equity in trust and relaxation, and in return, they get to non-intrusively embed their probably Oscar-contending IP into a user's most intimate, unguarded moments. A really new uncharted territory for niche films for FYC too?

Food for Thought

Now, with my regular person hat on… is this the final, creepy frontier of brand creep? We've accepted ads in our feeds, on our streets, and in our content, but are we really okay with marketing in our sleep?

This "wellness" play might just be one of the most innovative campaigns I’ve seen this year, but it's a Trojan horse nonetheless. It's a brilliant move, but one that's invading the last sacred, ad-free space we have: our subconscious.

Other Facts this week

⛳ PGA TOUR partners with YouTube group Good Good to launch a new, youth-focused championship in 2026.

🎢 MrBeast Land: The world's biggest YouTuber opens his temporary, challenge-based theme park in Saudi Arabia.

💥 Conde Nast abruptly fires four union staffers after a tense confrontation with the Head of HR over layoffs.

🌍 No English, No Problem: Non-English language films are dominating the multiplex as subtitled Oscar contenders go mainstream.