Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has swung into theatres and generated $51.75 million on its opening day globally. In India, its social media strategy jumped across the universes of Spidey-themed memes, social media activation, and strategic collaborations with partner brands, here's how.
The first installment of Spiderverse's animated franchise collected a box office of over USD 380 million and is the highest-rated Spiderman movie on Rotten Tomatoes. This release has already garnered the rank of second-highest-rated feature film. The latest release was highly anticipated by enthusiasts, and the marketing strategy required to be as robust as Spiderman's web.
Shony Panjikaran, General Manager & Head, Sony Pictures Releasing International (India) in a press release said, "‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ has been creating a lot of buzz in India with multiple milestones, including a first-time ever 10 language theatrical release, and a collaboration with Indian cricketer Shubman Gill for the voice of Indian Spider-Man".
Here, we jump through the various verses and gain a sight of the strategy in an important region.
The Socioverse
Sony Pictures Entertainment India activated a visually immersive experience at Mumbai's iconic Gateway Of India. This phase of the campaign was executed in collaboration with the advertising agency SoCheers. A post on Instagram amplified on various pages that shared a glimpse of unusual sightings at the location.
Slinging this web further, fans then also shared their encounters with the Spider-Verse, from Pter (T-Rex) to Spider-Horse, Spider-Punk to Spider-Woman. The various versions made their presence felt around the Gateway. Influencer collaborations also amplified the #SpidermanInMumbattan phase of the campaign.
The activation effectively tapped into diverse audiences, ensuring broader reach and higher engagement, and influencers shared exclusive content, and engaged in conversations.
The Brandverse
Strategic collaborations with partner brands from complementary industries elevated the brand messaging access to a wider audience base. These partnerships included cross-promotions, co-branded content, and interactive campaigns. The collaborative efforts amplified the movie's presence across various platforms.
This collaboration between Zomato is the first of its kind in India and marks the first in-film placement of an Indian company in a Hollywood movie. Sahibjeet Singh Sawhney, Marketing Head, Zomato commented on the integration, saying, “It's a one-of-its-kind integration – for the first time an Indian company will be showcased in a Hollywood film, globally.”
More brand collaborations as a part of the #SpidermanInMumbattan were also a part of the strategy. Online ticketing company BookMyShow and the payment company Paytm also dispensed their Spidey- themed creatives.
The Memeverse
Tapping the potential of memes to captivate the audience, Sony Pictures India created a slate of relatable, humorous, and visually striking memes, with references from stills and snippets of the movie. They aim to pique the curiosity and interest of potential viewers through a laugh.
The Shubh'man'verse
Shubhman Gill, the up & coming cricketer and ardent fan of the franchise, is the voice of Pavitr Prabhakar (Indian Spiderman) in Hindi & Punjabi. His popularity and social media influence brings a wide fanbase to the collaboration. Through his posts, behind-the-scenes insights, and shared excitement for the movie, Gill merges cricket enthusiasts and Marvel fans alike, weaving a bridge between the movie and cricket enthusiasts.
The integration of Spidey-themed memes, collaboration with internet personalities, immersive social media activation, and partnerships with complementary brands, the movie created a web-slinging pre-release campaign.
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