The massive marketing campaign for Avengers: Endgame reportedly cost a mind-blowing amount of money for Marvel Studios. It is estimated that the promotional expenses for Endgame easily outstripped the $200 million mark, making it the most expensive campaign of all time.
Previously, Marvel’s marketing team spent $150 million on Avengers: Infinity War, $140 million on Spiderman: Homecoming and $80 million on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The $200 million expenditure seemed like overkill to many fans, who believed that Marvel did not have to go to such lengths to promote the movie since it would still have broken box office records. However, the tactic of expanding the demographics of fans and building up even more anticipation seems to have worked seeing as Endgame crossed the $2 billion mark in its first 11 days of the box office.
Brands Share in MCU Movies’ Success
In fact, it seems Marvel is willing to share its success with its allied brands. Industry estimates claim that consumer brands that have allied themselves with the Marvel Cinematic Universe can see an astounding average of 50 percent rise in sales for a product line that they are promoting for at least three months.
When it comes to the MCU movies’ box office tracking, the potential moviegoers belong to all sorts of demographic, but the masses are slightly more male-dominated. Keeping this in mind, Marvel designed various marketing tactics to rope in the potential female and millennial audiences for Endgame.
UIta Beauty, the beauty chain store, collaborated with Endgame to produce an exclusive Avengers themed makeup collection for the first time ever. The Avengers: Endgame cosmetic line comprises of a 15-shade eye-shadow palette, four lip matte liquid lipsticks, four lip glosses, a highlighter palette and three different types of cosmetic bags to carry the arsenal everywhere you go. The makeup line sold out in the first weekend at Ulta Beauty.
Audi partnered with MCU on Spiderman: Homecoming and this time around, it showcases its Audi e-tron GT and Audi e-tron Sportback concept. The German automobile manufacturer launched a video in December in which Robert Downey Jr. spoke about his character, Tony Stark, while driving an Audi e-tron GT in the sequel. It also released a digital video that follows Captain Marvel, played by Brie Larson, and her introduction to Avengers, Thanos and various aspects of Earth’s society. The Audi e-tron SUV also features in the video.
Coca-Cola also teamed with Marvel Studios to run a series of Marvel-related ads featuring its custom-created Avengers-themed cans created by pop artist Tom Whalen. The massive movie campaign was run across 57 countries with custom ad spots.
Google’s Avengers-themed advertisement for Google Pixel phone explored what would happen if the phone was introduced in a world facing a little crisis. The advertisements show how Google Pixel phones always come to help when the going gets tough – just like the Avengers. Google Pixel also launched its exclusive augmented-reality “Playmoji” stickers of the heroes.
As Ziploc did last year in April when Avengers: Infinity War was launched, it launched a range of custom-designed Marvel-themed sandwich bags.
Moviegoers got an Endgame ticket for $13 when they purchased three participating Yoplait and Big G Cereals products. It also featured custom-designed Avengers-themed packaging including Avengers characters on Go-Gurt tubes and collectible cutout posters on Honey Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Other cross-promotional efforts for the Avengers finale included collaborations with McDonald’s, Hertz, Synchrony Financial, OPPO Mobile, Mastercard and Stand up to Cancer.
Avengers: Endgame may be the end of the series of movies depicting Earth’s mightiest heroes, but if the cross-promotional campaign is any indication, it seems humans still rule when it comes to marketing.
