The Devil Wears Prada Movie Marketing Strategy? Actually Groundbreaking.
She's on her way...
Kick off your flats and throw your lunch away because Miranda Priestly is coming back. And this time, she didn't just bring the pursed lips; she brought an entire marketing playbook with her.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 hits theaters on May 1st, and the campaign surrounding it has been just as styled and polished as anything that ever left the Runway closet. The teaser trailer alone received over 181.5 million views in its first 24 hours.
So it's no surprise that brands are lining up faster than an assistant on a coffee run to jump in on this.
Here's what makes this campaign genuinely worth studying: it isn't just tapping into nostalgia. It's creating a conversation. Every collaboration, every pop-up, every limited-edition product drop is adding to the buzz.
So what can marketers and business owners actually take away from the way The Devil Wears Prada 2 has been promoted? A lot. The power of a seamless, multi-channel launch is turning this movie into a case study in how to build anticipation and make even a 20-year-old movie feel completely revived.
Let's get into it.
Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking. This Marketing Strategy? Even Better.
We could even argue that this is nearing Barbie-level movie collabs. Here are a few of our favorites.
Grey Goose
Not only did the well-known vodka brand create a collection of cocktails inspired by the film, but they're also hosting pop-ups for the "Devil's Roast" in NYC on April 14th, 21st, and 23rd, where fans can get a taste of a Miranda-approved espresso martini. This is a masterclass in sensory marketing: they're not just putting a logo on a movie. They're giving the audience a way to taste the world of the film before they ever sit down in a theater seat. That's the kind of experiential marketing that sticks with an audience.
Old Navy
They officially brought back the iconic blue sweater. Yes. That lumpy blue sweater. Beyond this, Old Navy launched a full line of graphic tees and other pieces made for the movie theater run on May 1st. The best part is that they're not a luxury brand trying to cosplay as one. They're leaning into being the accessible, wearable version of the film's fashion world, and that self-awareness is exactly what makes it work. The best collabs know their lane.
L'Oréal
Sorry — THE Kendall Jenner? Bringing a supermodel into a campaign about the fashion industry's most fearsome magazine editor is so obvious it's genius. Sometimes the brief writes itself because this social campaign surrounding this collection was the perfect combo.
Marketing Ideas We Can't Help But Add
Listen, we're marketers. We clearly couldn't stop at the recap. The ideas just keep coming once they are on our marketing brains. So, here's what we'd pitch if anyone at these brands would return our calls:
A few more Collabs
Einstein's Bagels: We would love to see an onion bagel-something with a nod to Andy's breakfast on her first day. Maybe a subway station pop-up for the late-to-work or a "Did someone just eat an onion bagel?" two-for-one promotion, so you don't have to be the only problem co-worker.
Rent The Runway: In Anne Hathaway's interview with Vogue, she expressed that she'd love for fans to show up in their "Miranda Priestly-approved outfits" to see the sequel, and what a better way than to partner with Rent The Runway to make this happen. We love Old Navy’s campaign but we’d also love to see a slightly elevated option that is still at an affordable rate.
Smith & Wollensky: Miranda had Andy deliver her steak to the Runway offices before brushing it off with "I don't want that"— one of the most iconic moments in the film. A limited "Miranda Order" on the menu? A campaign built around "She didn't want it. You do."? Just sayingggg…
The New York Times: Given that the sequel centers on the decline of print media (we disagree, though if we are being honest), a cheeky partnership where the Times plays into their own role in that story would have been culturally sharp and endlessly talkable.
Pop-Up Experiences
A pop-up Runway magazine office where fans can step into Miranda's world, complete with the iconic white couch, the Book, and aesthetic. Make it Instagrammable and shoppable for brand partners.
A "Miranda's Closet" styling experience where guests get styled in looks from the film's fashion partners, with a photographer on site. Built-in UGC machine!!
A Runway Magazine newsstand: limited edition printed "issues" of the fictional Runway magazine available at pop-up newsstands in fashion capitals.
'The Book' scavenger hunt around NYC— Andy put on major steps running to get Miranda everything she needed, and what if the script flipped to the fans running to find and get 'The Book' all over NYC. I think this would pair so well with an exclusive offer to get people interested in participating. Maybe that's an early showing of the movie or at least one of Grey Goose's cocktails.
What We're Taking From This
Every business can learn from this movie marketing, no matter your budget.
The best collabs are specific
Old Navy didn't try to be Valentino. Why? That's not what the audience needs. Each brand showed up as itself and found its natural entry point into the story. That specificity is what makes a collab feel intentional. Would you spend $20 on a tee for the movie? Likely. Would you spend upwards of $100? Probably not. It's about knowing where your audience is, what stage they are in, and what price points and collaborations just make sense.
Leave room for the audience
Your audience doesn't just want to consume, they want to be part of the story. Hand them the invite. Getting your audience involved doesn't have to be some grand campaign. The answer is probably simpler than you think.
Sensory marketing isn't a nice-to-have
The Grey Goose pop-ups are a great example of experience marketing. These exist because people don't just want to see something anymore. They want to be in it. If there's a way to give your audience a physical touchpoint or sensory experience to your campaign, build it.
Nostalgia.
We will KEEP screaming this. And, we know, we know. We don't all have notable brands with 20 years of references to fall back on. But get creative and think about how your brand can tap into these conversations, regardless of whether they were around then or not. Maybe it's a throwback from your team's personal life, like the 2016 trend, there's no living life 'inside the box' when it comes to great marketing strategies.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a reminder that the best marketing doesn't try to reinvent the wheel but rather strategically shows up for their community in all the right places. Every brand that's shown up for this release understood the assignment: don't just put your name on it. Make the audience feel something!
Miranda would expect nothing less.
That's all.
