The primary goal was to drive brand awareness to maximize the film’s box office performance. A secondary objective was to organically grow the TikTok page from the ground up, with a strong emphasis on authenticity and relatability. This organic approach was essential to resonate with the target audience. Additionally, the campaign aimed to position the film as highly accessible to young adult audiences by leveraging their distinct sense of humor and online cultural references.
This approach allowed the campaign to tap into a cultural moment and create content that felt timely, engaging, and attuned to the audience’s digital sensibilities. By aligning the campaign with prevailing online discourse and trends, it successfully connected the film to its intended demographic, building excitement and driving both engagement and viewership.
MediaNug strategically analyzed online conversations surrounding the film’s stars, Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, to develop a campaign grounded in “chronically online” Gen Z humor. This approach allowed us to navigate one of the primary challenges: overcoming Gen Z’s well-documented cynicism and skepticism toward branded accounts. By positioning the film’s social media presence as a peer voice rather than a corporate entity, we built authenticity and trust with the audience.
To achieve this, we created diverse content buckets, including trending humor that resonated with Gen Z’s online culture, nostalgic callbacks to the first film, behind-the-scenes footage, and lyric videos to amplify the film’s soundtrack. In addition to utilizing existing footage, we attended content days at Universal with the film's stars to create original content, and we captured unique moments at red carpet events as well as gatherings with artists featured on the film's soundtrack. Each type of content served a specific purpose, from driving engagement to expanding the narrative universe of the film.
Execution was supported by a meticulously planned posting schedule, with daily uploads that increased in frequency leading up to the film’s release. This consistency ensured sustained audience engagement and anticipation.
Challenges included maintaining a balance between authentic content and promotional messaging, while staying agile enough to capitalize on evolving online trends. For example, responding quickly to viral moments required flexibility and close collaboration with the creative team.
What sets this campaign apart is its deliberate embrace of Gen Z’s humor and digital sensibilities, positioning the film not just as entertainment but as part of their cultural landscape. By blending strategy, creativity, and adaptability, we created a unique campaign that resonated deeply with its target audience.
Our objectives focused on raising brand awareness to drive box office success, and the results exceeded expectations. The TikTok account grew from zero to 280,000 followers, garnered 8.6 million likes, and achieved over 100 million views, establishing a robust and engaged online presence. This translated into significant cultural impact, with the film being dubbed the “movie of the summer” by audiences and critics alike.
The campaign also contributed to the film’s global box office success, culminating in $370 million worldwide. Additionally, it elevated the profile of the film’s star, Glen Powell, further solidifying his status as a leading talent. These achievements reflect not only the campaign's effectiveness but also its ability to create a lasting cultural footprint.
