From meme to marketing machine: M3GAN 2.0's movie marketing campaign begins

As the sequel to one of horror’s biggest viral breakouts, M3GAN 2.0 isn’t just bringing back the murderous AI doll; it’s launching a bold new marketing chapter built on screen-to-screen domination.

Capitalizing on the momentum of the original’s TikTok-infused rise, the M3GAN 2.0 team is kicking off their movie’s marketing campaign with a two-part strategy: a high-energy Launch Party event in Los Angeles and a never-before-seen Small Screen Takeover in theaters, where the doll herself will interrupt pre-show content with “custom warnings” and AI glitches that play into the movie’s lore. Think: branded chaos, right before the trailers roll.

This clever mix of physical event and digital hijack is already earning headlines and impressions.

M3GAN goes big with small screens in first of its kind theater marketing stunt

​Blumhouse and Meta have introduced an innovative marketing strategy for M3GAN 2.0 by launching "Movie Mate," a second-screen experience designed to enhance audience engagement during theatrical screenings.

This technology allows moviegoers to interact with a M3GAN-themed chatbot via their smartphones, providing real-time trivia, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive insights through Instagram Direct and Click-to-Messenger Ads. The initiative debuted during the "Halfway to Halloween" film festival on April 30, 2025, aiming to build anticipation for M3GAN 2.0's release on June 27 .​

Key Takeaways:

• 📲 Innovative Engagement: "Movie Mate" transforms traditional movie-watching by integrating interactive digital content, catering to audiences accustomed to multi-screen experiences.​

• 🎯 Targeted Marketing: By leveraging platforms like Instagram and Messenger, the campaign effectively reaches younger demographics, aligning with M3GAN's core fanbase.​

• 🚀 Buzz Generation: The novelty of interacting with a film's character in real-time creates shareable moments, amplifying word-of-mouth promotion and social media visibility.

This approach exemplifies how blending technology with traditional media can create immersive experiences that resonate with modern audiences, potentially setting a new standard for film marketing strategies.​

Inside the viral circuit: How the M3GAN 2.0 trailer release party became a social media powerhouse

​The M3GAN 2.0 trailer release party, held in Los Angeles in early April 2025, was a meticulously crafted event designed to amplify the film's cultural resonance and social media presence.

The venue was transformed into an immersive AI dystopia, featuring "M3GAN Lookalike Protocol Zones," holographic glitch walls, and an "AI Interrogation Booth" where guests could engage with a simulated M3GAN.

Top-tier TikTok and Instagram creators were invited to capture and share content in real-time, many of whom had previously contributed to the viral success of the original M3GAN. Attendees were encouraged to film their own renditions of M3GAN's iconic dance in designated “content zones,” effectively turning the event into a live social media studio.​

The impact was immediate and substantial generating significant impressions within the first 48 hours post-event. Clips of creators interacting with roaming M3GANs, horror-themed cocktails with QR-coded AR effects, and interactive displays flooded TikTok and Instagram, creating organic buzz that extended well beyond traditional advertising reach.

By leveraging fan behavior sharing, remixing, and meme-making the event successfully blurred the line between marketing and immersive experience.

Key Takeaways:

• 🕺 Made-for-TikTok Moments: The party prioritized camera-ready experiences that encouraged user-generated content and viral engagement.

• 👩‍💻 Creator-Led Distribution: By tapping into influencers with aligned audiences, M3GAN 2.0 reached fans more authentically than branded posts could.

• 💥 Earned Media Machine: With over millions of social impressions, the event extended well beyond its guest list driving FOMO, fan theories, and anticipation ahead of release.

The roundup: Movie marketing news across the industry

CONSUMPTION HABITS 👀 Kevin Mayer Says There’s ‘Not Enough’ Alarm Over Hollywood Becoming ‘Less and Less Relevant’ (The Wrap)
Veteran entertainment executive Kevin Mayer sounded the alarm bells on the lessening relevancy and profitability of Hollywood, which he said has not been rung enough. “Not only is Hollywood becoming less and less relevant and less and less time spent on it, the time is spent is less profitable,” Mayer said at a Monday Paley Dialogue event in Los Angeles, noting that streaming is “fundamentally less profitable” than pay TV. “There is a very substantial, secular challenge that the industry is facing … there’s been some alarm, but not enough — this is quite alarming, actually.”

CAMPAIGN STRATEGY 🧑‍🚀 ‘Mickey 17’ struggles at the box office, marketing a key factor (eMarketer)
The results likely boil down to how “Mickey 17” was marketed—or how it wasn’t. While Warner Bros. did push the movie with an NFL playoff spot, it failed to create a noteworthy marketing stunt in the five-month gap between its first trailer—which was relatively unsuccessful at generating buzz—and its second trailer. “Mickey 17” could have garnered more interest by marketing at events like San Diego Comic-Con and NYC Comic Con, where it was also notably absent. Combined with relatively average scores—a B on CinemaScore and a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes—the movie failed to create enough interest to warrant the massive budget."