‘The Archies’: How big brand collaborations help build the buzz

livemint.com:

Archies, directed by Zoya Akhtar and co-written with Farhan Akhtar, Reema Kagti and Ayesha Devitre, is creating a lot of buzz online. Released on December 7, 2023, on the OTT platform Netflix, the excitement around ‘The Archies’ can be credited to the marketing efforts that went into collaborations for it, apart from its cast. Speaking on how the brand partnerships helped The Archies, Shilpa Singh, Senior Director - Marketing Partnerships, APAC, Netflix said, “Brand partnerships bring together two worlds, led by two brands, to tell one story neither could have told alone.

These partnerships open up a whole new way to connect with people and create new cultural moments that make a real impact." However, the budget for collaborations was not disclosed by Netflix. The Archies marked the debuts of a handful of Bollywood star kids, including the daughter of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan; the grandson of legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, Agastya Nanda; and the daughter of the late Indian icon Sri Devi, Khushi Kapoor. Additionally, the cast also included Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja, Dot, and Yuvraj Menda.

Netflix collaborated with Meta-owned WhatsApp to introduce Archies-themed stickers, and Maybelline New York launched a limited edition Archies makeup collection. Starbucks India was offering Toffee Nut Crunch, Gingerbread Bliss, and Crunchy Red Hat Mocha, among others, on its menu, inspired by the movie. Skybags also launched the Archies backpack collection.