THE VIRAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE
Illumination/Nintendo/Universal’s The Super Mario Bros Movie has made history with the biggest worldwide opening ever for an animated title at $377.5M, with an estimated $172.8M comes from the international box office. Box office projections are now looking at a potential $1B worldwide grosser. The films success has been backed by a global marketing campaign that brought mixed nostalgia, social media, and brand partnerships. In this blog I breakdown the marketing campaign behind one of the top grossing films in 2023. Wahoo!
- SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE – OFFICIAL PLUMBING COMMERCIAL
Looking for top-notch service? Simply call or text to experience it firsthand! Who needs one plumber when you can have two? Illumination Animation has unveiled a hilarious TV commercial to promote The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The ad takes the form of a local plumbers’ commercial, complete with all the trimmings and hilarious nods to the ways plumbers grab your attention. To top it off, the commercial is not only stylized to make it seem like a dated videotape with low-quality audio and video, but also features a new rendition of “The Mario Rap”. The song was originally performed by Lou Albano and Danny Wells as the theme song for the beloved The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. This entire marketing campaign is simply delightful. On YouTube the commercial has over 2.5M views with over 4,000 comments. In the description is an amazing breakdown of the Mario Bros. plumbing services.
“For super service, make it Super Mario Bros. Plumbing. If you’ve got a problem with your pipes, plumbing’s our game. As a family-owned and operated small business, you can expect friendly, reliable, and quality service right here in your area, Brooklyn and Queens. Your satisfaction is guaranteed—because we don’t make messes, we fix them. Visit us at www.smbplumbing.com to learn more.”
The video also leads viewers to a viral website for Mario & Luigi’s plumbing business, complete with a real phone number you can text if you live in Brooklyn & Queens. The marketing for this movie has been spot on so far, and this commercial is the cherry on top. The website is also worth checking out – who wouldn’t want to join the Bros in their “career”?
- SUPER MARIO BROS. PLUMBING PROMOTIONAL FLYERS
A keen-eyed fan in Brooklyn discovered that a member of the Super Mario Bros. movie marketing team had roamed around town with a stack of flyers. These flyers are plastered on walls and trees to promote Super Mario Bros. Plumbing! The flyers cleverly feature the same phone number and website address as the film, directing people to the viral marketing campaign. This along with targeted local social ads where people are prompted to click for more info.
- BRAND ACTIVATIONS
Shake Shack is partnered with “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” for a national promotion and exclusive restaurant experience. Shake Shack’s DUMBO location in Brooklyn, New York, featured physical and visual elements inspired by the movie, along with a special menu that includes a Gold Star Shake and 4 Cheese ‘Shroom + Fire Sauce items. This activation ran from March 31st to April 2nd, and the first 100 guests per day received branded merchandise. Additionally, to extend the campaign beyond New York, Shake Shack also offered guests who ordered a ‘Shroom Burger through the brand’s Shack App or website an entry into a sweepstakes for movie tickets. This collaboration highlights the rising prominence of video games in both pop culture and marketing.
Cosmetics company Lush powered up with a limited edition release of Super Mario Bros.-inspired bath items. The collection featured Mario and Luigi shower gels, Princess Peach and Bowser shower jellies, as well as a Question Block bath bomb that releases either a flower or a mini mushroom, just like in the Super Mario universe. Instead of activating the block by touching it, as is the case in the game, Mario Bros. fans can unlock hidden power-ups by throwing the bath bomb into a full tub of water.
Hot sauce brand Truff is teaming up with Nintendo, animation company Illumination and Universal Pictures for a limited edition pack of sauces. The pack features three of the brand’s best-selling truffle-infused hot sauces in 6 oz. bottles depicting Mario, Princess Peach and Toad. The $69.99 pack comes in a Mushroom Kingdom VIP gift box.
Super Mario Bros. is a beloved franchise with a dedicated fan base. The marketing campaign respected the history and legacy of the franchise, while also presenting something fresh and new. By staying true to the spirit of the games and delivering a fun and exciting movie, the marketing team built anticipation and excitement for the film’s release.
4. MARIO BROS THEME POP-QUIZ
Chris Pratt and Jimmy Fallon, who are both known for their love of nerd culture, including video games, are set to star in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, with Pratt playing the titular character himself. To put their knowledge of not just Mario, but video game history as a whole to the test, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon devised a Mario-themed version of their “Pop Quiz” segment. The stakes were high as the two stars donned spiky “plunger hats” and sat beneath Super Mario Bros. warp pipes, clogged with a mysterious substance. Their mission was clear: answer all the questions correctly or risk getting doused by the green tubes’ contents.
In conclusion, the Super Mario Bros. movie success is a reflection of a marketing campaign driven by brand loyalty. By creating an engaging trailer, partnering with other companies for promotions, utilizing social media, and respecting the franchise’s legacy, the marketing team generated buzz and excitement for the film’s release. The Super Mario Bros. movie is the most successful film and the first blockbuster of 2023.
Did you watch the Super Mario Bros. movie? Let us know in the comments what you think about the viral marketing campaign behind the film.
MJ Perkins is a creative marketer with 13 years of experience leading marketing campaigns for brands such as TikTok, Disney, EA Sports, TheWeeknd, and John Legend. For a free marketing consultation for your film or TV show click here.