As “Wicked: For Good” prepares for its Nov. 21, 2025 release, the film’s marketing campaign has become nearly unavoidable. Limited-edition brand collaborations, themed products and constant online promotions have pushed the movie into the public eye long before it reaches theaters. Now, some fans are wondering whether the strategy is building excitement or overwhelming the audience.

Aerin Plotner, a senior marketing major, explained how the visibility of the campaign stands out, even when compared to other major film releases.

“I’ll admit that although I love all of the creative ideas with the products for the promotion of ‘Wicked: For Good,’ it’s a bit more than the typical movie,” Plotner said. “Which I don’t think is at all a bad thing; it’s just not what people are used to.”

Even with the large scale of the movie, Plotner believes the franchise is still trying to find a balance. 

“I think they are balancing out the hype with the movie with the promotion,” she said. “It’s not all in your face on their media pages. Other brands are subtle with the release.”

Subtle or not, the push behind the film is hard to miss. The first “Wicked” movie, “Wicked: Part One,” was promoted through more than 200 brand partnerships, a number that surprised some viewers. 

Maggie Howard, a senior psychology major, felt that the volume had crossed a line.

“That feels like overdoing it,” Howard said. “I understand wanting to advertise everything, but stick to focusing on the movie and how exciting a musical that came out years ago is getting another chance to shine.”

However, Howard does not feel like the marketing has pushed her away from the sequel. If anything, it added to the anticipation.

“It makes me more excited to watch the movie,” Howard said. “There’s such a cinematic experience waiting to happen with this release, and I’m living for it.”

Howard added that she plans to see the sequel in theaters after missing the chance with the first film.

Wicked-themed products have become a regular sight for shoppers. Dunkin’ drinks, Gain detergents scented after Glinda and Elphaba, R.E.M. Beauty palettes, Takis bags, Le Creuset cookware, Lush bath items, OWALA bottles and even Stanley cups have all taken on the franchise’s signature green and pink aesthetic.

Plotner said she appreciates strong marketing, but even she has noticed the campaign’s intensity. 

“I’m a sucker for nicely done marketing and advertising tactics, but I will admit that some of the items coming out of this seem to be a little overboard,” Plotner said. “Going into Kroger, there’s a ‘Wicked’ promotional product in every aisle.”

Allyson Terlep, a senior accounting major, said frequent ads do not affect whether she wants to see a movie, but they do impact how she reacts to the campaign itself.

“I’ll get annoyed with excessive advertisements, but that doesn’t make me want to see what’s being promoted less,” Terlep said. “It just makes me want to see the advertisement less.”

She added that the high volume may have less to do with strategy and more to do with resources. 

“I’ve seen a lot more about this movie than I have about other movies that have been coming out recently, but I think it could just be because this is already an established franchise with the finances to do it,” Terlep said.

Despite the extreme amount of Wicked promotional items, some students said the creativity of the collaborations is part of the fun. Plotner described the variety of partnerships across different price points as giving fans options.

“Having a balance of brands that are loud about collaborating, with different price points, makes it fun to decide what items you want to buy,” Plotner said. “But that’s just the shopaholic side of me speaking.”

For many students, the difference between effective marketing and overexposure comes down to originality. While the volume of collaborations has been noticeable, the campaign works best when it offers something fresh rather than relying on the same visuals or messaging across platforms.

Howard said she mostly wants to see new ideas rather than repetitive ads.

“If your advertising is a smart way, like using Chili’s to make a signature drink, it’s fun,” Howard said. “I feel like I only get annoyed when I see the same things over and over again.”

As the release date approaches, the marketing for “Wicked: For Good” has no plans of slowing down. Whether audiences see it as creative promotion or overdone may just come down to how many more Glinda-scented detergent bottles they encounter between now and opening night.