What would Miranda Priestly say about being associated with a pair of drug store nail clippers? Ahead of the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, grooming company Tweezerman launched a limited-edition collection in a licensing partnership with the film. Miranda, who embodies the unattainable top of the luxury fashion food chain, would never.
From the outside, the brand collab-heavy rollout has seemed like a lot – branded Diet Coke packs, Starbucks commercials, special Smartwater bottles, and lots of things that don’t involve beverages. Some partnerships have seemed like the antithesis of the chic vibe that’s been the film’s hallmark since 2006.
Official collaborations vs. licensing deals
In an official capacity, the movie paired with L’Oreal Paris, Smartwater, Diet Coke, Starbucks, Samsung Galaxy, Lancôme, TRESemmé, Havaianas, Grey Goose, Google, Mercedes Benz, Tiffany & Co., Dior and Valentino fragrance.
Meanwhile, many other brands entered into licensing partnerships including Walmart, Tangle Teezer, Old Navy, Lulus and Tweezerman – which is why you’re seeing the Devil Wears Prada 2 logo on nail clippers.
The ‘Barbie’ effect
Major motion pictures partnering with brands to promote movies is now the norm. It’s become less about collector’s edition action figures and more about creating a cultural moment.
Barbie proved there was very little in the way of collabs movies couldn’t try to make work. Riding that pink tailwind came Wicked, which partnered with over 400 brands – including Elphaba-inspired Crocs and green-colored macaroni and cheese.
The numbers don’t lie
Alison Bringé, CMO at Launchmetrics, told CNN that the Barbie collaboration with Zara generated 11millioninmediaimpactvalue.∗Wicked∗’spartnershipwithArianaGrande’sr.e.m.beautydrove15 million.
For both film studios and brands, these partnerships are win-win situations, Bringé said: “They’re central drivers of how a film reaches new audiences and converts cultural attention into commercial momentum.”
What consumers are buying
It’s been 20 years since audiences first met Andy Sachs. The sequel centers on Miranda struggling to keep up with her former assistant Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt), who is now a rival executive.
The stars have been delivering high-fashion moments on the global red carpet. But appearing on The Late Show, Meryl Streep wore a custom J.Crew blue sweater in a nod to Andy’s iconic cerulean sweater. You can buy your own replica at Old Navy for $49.99 – though it’s currently sold out.
Lylle Breier, EVP of partnerships at Disney, told CNN: “If you look at our spots, we’re not using a lot of footage from the movie. We’re not giving the movie away. We are celebrating it.”
Whether Miranda would approve of a Tweezerman partnership is another question entirely. But for Disney and its brand partners, the math is simple: cultural buzz sells tickets – and nail clippers.
