With Nail Clippers and Diet Coke, 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' Embraces the Un-Miranda

Key facts

• The Devil Wears Prada 2 launches with official partnerships including L'Oreal Paris, Smartwater, Diet Coke, Starbucks, Samsung Galaxy, Lancôme, TRESemmé, Havaianas, Grey Goose, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Tiffany & Co., Dior and Valentino fragrance.
• Licensing partners include Walmart, Tangle Teezer, Old Navy, Lulus and Tweezerman, which produced a limited-edition collection of tweezers, nail clippers and nail files.
• Disney's EVP of partnerships Lylle Breier said the campaign was curated to feel 'like a fashion collection,' with each brand bringing unique qualities.
• The marketing strategy aims to create 'cultural moments' to sustain the film's conversation lifespan, a shift from the era of collector's edition Happy Meal toys.
• The original film, released in 2006, has cultivated a devoted fan base that still quotes lines like 'By all means, move at a glacial pace.'
• The Barbie film's success with brand collaborations, including a candle that aimed to capture 'new doll smell,' proved the viability of extensive cross-promotion.

A Sequel's Unlikely Bedfellows

What would Miranda Priestly say about being associated with a pair of drugstore nail clippers? The fictional editor-in-chief of Runway, who embodies the unattainable summit of luxury fashion, would never. Yet ahead of the release of 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' grooming company Tweezerman launched a limited-edition collection of tweezers, nail clippers and nail files in a licensing partnership with the film. From the outside, the brand collab-heavy rollout has seemed like a lot — Diet Coke packs, Starbucks commercials, special Smartwater bottles and many items that don't involve beverages. Some partnerships have appeared the antithesis of the chic vibe that has been the film's hallmark since 2006. But, like a lumpy blue sweater that wants its cerulean origins told, there is more to the story.

Official Collaborations vs. Licensing Deals

First, it is important to distinguish between official collaborations and 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. Many other brands entered into licensing partnerships with the studio, including Walmart, Tangle Teezer, Old Navy, Lulus and Tweezerman, which is why the 'Devil Wears Prada 2' logo appears on a pair of nail clippers. On the official side, Lylle Breier, executive vice president of partnerships, promotions, synergy and events at Disney, said the studio aimed to curate a campaign that felt 'like a fashion collection,' something that made sense together but had unique qualities. Major motion pictures partnering with brands to promote movies is now the norm, a practice that has evolved as quickly as technology since the iPhone was invented in 2007.

From Happy Meals to Cultural Moments

The practice has become much less about producing collector's edition action figures for McDonald's Happy Meals and more about creating a cultural moment — a phrase that came up often when Breier discussed the strategy for the sequel. The goal is to sustain a movie's lifespan in the conversation. 'Barbie' — which, to be fair, was a movie about a toy — proved that there was very little in the way of collab movies that could not at least try to make work. See: the 'Barbie'-themed candle that aimed to capture what one candle executive called a 'new doll smell.' For 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' the marketing machine is betting that fans who have been rewatching the original for 20 years will embrace the commercial cacophony. Tefi Pessoa, a fan, cannot look at a Chanel boot without thinking about Anne Hathaway. Sometimes the phrase 'That's all' randomly echoes in her head. When one of her colleagues takes an extra moment to confirm a meeting time, the rest give a knowing look and say, sometimes in unison: 'By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.'

The Stakes for Disney and the Franchise

The sequel arrives with enormous expectations, both creative and commercial. The original film, released in 2006, grossed over $326 million worldwide on a $35 million budget and became a cultural touchstone for fashion and workplace satire. Disney, which owns the rights through its 20th Century Studios label, is investing heavily in a campaign that blurs the line between advertising and entertainment. Breier's team has orchestrated a multi-tiered strategy that treats each brand partnership as a component of a larger 'fashion collection.' The official collaborations with luxury houses like Dior and Tiffany & Co. sit alongside mass-market licensing deals with Walmart and Old Navy, creating a spectrum that mirrors the film's own tension between high fashion and accessible style.

What Comes Next for Branded Movie Marketing

The 'Barbie' precedent demonstrated that audiences are willing to engage with corporate tie-ins when they feel organic to the film's world. For 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' the challenge is maintaining that authenticity while partnering with brands that Miranda Priestly would scorn. The film's marketing may ultimately succeed by embracing the irony — a sequel about fashion's elite that sells nail clippers at drugstores. As the release date approaches, the question remains whether the cultural moment strategy will translate into box office returns. The film's success could further entrench the practice of extensive brand integration, while a failure might prompt studios to reconsider. For now, Disney is betting that the sequel can have its cerulean sweater and eat it too.

The bottom line

• The Devil Wears Prada 2 features over a dozen official brand partners and several licensing deals, spanning luxury to mass-market.
• Disney's campaign aims to create 'cultural moments' rather than traditional product placement, following the Barbie film's model.
• The sequel's marketing deliberately juxtaposes high-fashion partnerships with drugstore items like Tweezerman nail clippers.
• Fans of the original film continue to quote lines and engage with the franchise, providing a built-in audience for the sequel.
• The success or failure of this strategy could influence how Hollywood approaches brand integration in major film releases.