THE WICKEDEST WEEK

After two decades dazzling audiences on Broadway and the West End, Wicked has finally taken to the silver screen—and it is flying high! Its debut weekend shattered records, becoming the biggest opening for a Broadway musical adaptation with $214 million in the U.S. over Thanksgiving weekend and $162 million globally on its first day. It’s already the highest-grossing musical in U.S. box office history, with its sights set on Barbie’s crown as the top-grossing live-action musical.

But this isn’t just about box office numbers. Wicked is a cultural phenomenon, fueled by one of the most passionate fandoms in musical theater history. The Superbowl trailer drop in February ignited a frenzy, flooding timelines with reaction and explainer videos, while a new generation of Ozians dove into Wicked lore. The soundtrack debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, amassing 5.53 million Spotify streams within just four days, while a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes solidified its acclaim among critics and fans alike.

OUR TAKE

What sets Wicked apart is how it’s embraced both its loyal fandom and its new generation of fans. Universal learned from the stumbles of past Broadway adaptations (Dear Evan Hansen and Cats come to mind) and delivered a campaign as magical as the story itself. Partnerships with over 400 brands created a green-and-pink marketing wave—from Starbucks drinks and Emerald City Lego sets to Aldo heels—that made Wicked impossible to ignore.

Offline, Universal catered to the fandom’s love for immersive experiences with pop-ups like London’s Popcorn Emporium and a Wicked-themed Universal Studios takeover. Fans in Asia—where a newfound fascination with musical theater is growing—enjoyed localized touches such as dubbed releases in Korea and Thailand and Vietnamese subtitles. In the Philippines, #AwitingWicked, a singing contest, drew thousands of entries, with winners featured in promotional videos shown before the movie in cinemas. This seamless blend of online and offline marketing allowed fans to naturally champion the film.

Perhaps most impressively, Universal’s marketing respected fan culture. Instead of overstepping (and overspeaking), they let the fandom lead the conversation through memes, tributes, makeup transformations, and TikTok riff challenges. This approach stayed true to Wicked’s heart: a story that celebrates outsiders and underdogs while giving them space to shine.

For marketers like us, the most important lesson from Wicked is to set aside what we know about what’s popular. Wicked reminds us of the power of niche identities (be it theater kids or choir nerds) and female audiences. We’ve talked about so many cultural moments in the past where women are the primary targets and movers—from F1 appealing to female racing fans and luxury brands stepping into women’s basketball, to the rise of pop girlies and Laufey’s take on soft femininity. Universal CMO Michael Moses summed it up perfectly: “There are enough women in the world. If you make something that is truly an event for them, they will show up.”

The takeaway? Embrace your audience’s quirks. Cater to their passions. Because when fans feel seen and celebrated, they’ll lift your campaign to heights that, dare we say, defy gravity.

For those of you born before 1997, ‘fax, no printer‘ is Gen Z speak for ‘undeniable facts I agree with’

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