Squid Game S02 Marketing Playbook

When Squid Game first launched, it took the world by surprise. Netflix didn’t invest heavily in marketing for Season 01 — it became a hit organically.

But for Season 02, the approach changed dramatically.

This time, the show followed a strategy similar to the one used for the Barbie movie: brand collaborations and licensing deals.

Duolingo’s Playful Threat

Duolingo saw a 40% increase in Korean lessons after Season 01. For Season 02, they added Squid Game-related keywords and phrases to their lessons.

They even featured Duo, their popular owl mascot, as one of the threatening guards in a video with Squid Game.

It got 3 million views in 2 weeks for its 30 second video on YouTube.

The ad is dubbed "LEARN KOREAN OR ELSE" which makes sense for a language-learning app.

McDonald’s Special Squid Game Meal

McDonald’s in Australia launched a Squid Game-themed meal.

It included Korean barbecue sauce and dalgona, a candy featured in the show.

Each dalgona came in one of four shapes: circle, triangle, star, or golden arches. If customers could extract the golden arches unbroken, they entered a drawing to win $100,000.

This wasn’t just a meal—it was an experience. McDonald’s tied their product directly to the show, creating a buzz.

Xbox’s Themed Controllers

Xbox released pink controllers modeled after the show.

They also created 456 limited edition controllers, each with a unique number. To win one, fans had to enter a sweepstakes.

Domino’s Emergency Pizza

Domino’s ran ads showing Squid Game players receiving emergency pizza. They also gifted emergency pizza for a year to last-place players at Squid Game The Experience in New York.

This campaign was clever and timely. It tied Domino’s product to a key moment in the show, making it memorable.

Squid Game collaborated with Call of Duty for a crossover in Black Ops 6, Mattel for a Young Hee-inspired Monster High doll and Little People collector set, Displate for metal posters with artist Kenzie, Johnny Walker for a limited edition bottle with player numbers, and Crocs for themed footwear.

Puma also launched a Squid Game collection featuring green tracksuits and show-inspired shoes, while Olive Young released face masks resembling the doll Young Hee. These partnerships expanded the show’s reach into gaming, fashion, and lifestyle.

The Squid Game experience wasn’t confined to the digital world—it spilled into the physical realm as well. Events like the 4.56k run (a nod to player 456, Gi-hun) brought fans together in green tracksuits reminiscent of the show’s contestants. In Sydney, a ferry carried 300 guards and the iconic Young-hee doll to Luna Park, creating an immersive experience that blurred the lines between fiction and reality.

For Season 02, Squid Game took inspiration from Barbie’s marketing playbook, collaborating with a wide range of brands to create a cultural moment that extended far beyond the show itself. From McDonald’s Squid Game-themed meals to Puma’s green tracksuits, these partnerships demonstrated how a hit show could evolve into a marketing phenomenon.

This strategy not only boosted the show’s visibility but also opened new opportunities for brands to connect with audiences in creative and memorable ways. By adopting Barbie’s approach, the Squid Game marketing team successfully reached every age group, helping the show rank #1 in 92 countries.

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