Inside Netflix’s Elaborate Marketing Push for ‘Squid Game’ Season 2

Netflix is ​​pulling out all the stops to promote the highly anticipated second season of Squid Game, the platform’s most popular show ever.

With the series slated to return on December 26, Netflix is ​​taking an integrated approach to its marketing, pushing the boundaries of how to promote a TV show.

In fact, the second season of Squid Game is one of the most anticipated releases of the year, already making waves before it even airs. It is even nominated for a Golden Globe in Best TV Series – Drama category even though it hasn’t been released yet.

The scale of Netflix’s marketing for the second season of Squid Game is huge. From real-world experiences to a wide range of product partnerships and even billboards, Netflix leaves no stone unturned.

While the streaming giant hasn’t revealed how much it’s spending on the campaign, it’s clear the budget is significant.

Netflix

Immersive activations

Immersive Gamebox

For fans who want to dive deeper into the world of Squid Game, Netflix has launched immersive experiences like Squid Game: The Experience. The New York run, which opened in October, sold out within weeks, drawing huge crowds. Similar events have since been launched in Sydney and Madrid, with plans to expand to Seoul next year.

In these experiences, fans can interact with the iconic elements of the series. In collaboration with Johnnie Walker, a custom bar is featured in Squid Game: The Experience, offering unique cocktails for guests.

Big name collaborations

Netflix brand partnerships also add to the excitement. Big companies like Xbox, Domino’s, Johnnie Walker and Duolingo are involved in promoting the upcoming season.

According to Magno Herran, Netflix’s vice president of marketing and partners, the company’s strategy is based on creating “authentic” partnerships that are deeply connected to the Squid Game universe.

Johnnie Walker, for example, released a special edition of its Black Label Scotch whisky, with packaging that ties in with the show. The limited-edition bottles, which are numbered 456—just like the players in the Squid Game—are sold in 20,000 stores worldwide. The Striding Man logo has also been updated to feature a Squid Game-style form, and the campaign is running through high-profile ads, including the NFL game on Christmas Day.

World Brand Design Society

Duolingo, a first-time advertiser on Netflix, is promoting its Korean language lessons using the show’s iconic “Pink Guards” in a playful campaign that includes a K-pop remix of the Pink Guards song. The campaign appears in Netflix’s ad-supported plan, on billboards in Los Angeles and New York, and through a TikTok campaign.

DesignRush

Meanwhile, Xbox is offering fans the chance to pick sides with a Squid Game-inspired Pink Guard Instinct Pro controller available for purchase on Best Buy’s US website. Scuf Gaming, another partner, also released controllers inspired by the show.

Raising the stakes for season 2

Netflix knows it needs to recapture the magic of its first season, which became a global phenomenon in 2021. This record-breaking, history-making first season by becoming the first non-English show to win an Emmy had little to no marketing budget behind it. The success of Squid Game took Netflix by surprise, and now the stakes are higher than ever.

Netflix

“We knew it would do well in Korea, but the scale and level at which it has captivated members around the world was something we didn’t expect,” Herran said. “I think the stakes are a lot higher because everyone is talking about the show and excited about coming back.”

In Season 2, players face increasingly difficult decisions, including whether to continue the deadly competition. This idea of ​​choice has been incorporated into Netflix’s marketing efforts, with campaigns challenging fans to make their own difficult choices.

Global Marketing Push

Netflix is ​​using its global reach to promote the new season. In Bangkok, a giant Young-hee doll makes waves in the Chao Phraya River, while Manila’s Christmas market has been transformed into a Squid Game-themed playground.

In Kuala Lumpur, stations have been set up to host ddakji games and Sydney’s Bondi Icebergs Pool has staged live Red Light, Green Light games. Young-hee herself even made an appearance on Sydney Harbour.

This global marketing is combined with product partnerships in various industries, including food and beauty. Knorr India launched Korean ramen, Jinro produces special edition soju and Olive Young launches Squid Game-themed beauty products. Even Kakao Friends deals in collections of characters connected to the series.

For creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, the pressure to deliver an even bigger and better season is immense. After the success of the first season, Hwang had to create the second and third seasons back to back, a daunting task that has taken its toll on him.

Young-hee cruise in Sydney Harbour. (Netflix)

He has even lost eight teeth from the stress of working on this franchise, but his passion for the show has kept him going. What started as a one-season show has turned into a 12-year journey, making Squid Game South Korea’s most valuable TV property.

The Great Return

The second season of Squid Game promises to be as intense as ever, with returning stars Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun alongside newcomers Park Gyu-young, Jo Yu-ri and Lee David. The seven-episode season comes out on December 26, strategically timed to dominate TV viewing between Christmas and New Year, like previous Netflix hits Bridgerton and Wednesday. With the third season already greenlit for 2025, Netflix has high hopes for the future of Squid Game.