The marketing campaign for the film Deadpool & Wolverine has been extensive, featuring collaborations with a diverse range of brands such as Aviation American Gin, Dave & Buster’s, DiGiorno, Heinz, Jack in the Box, Heineken, Homage, Spotify, The Bachelorette, The Real Housewives of Orange County, Old Spice, Tim Hortons, and Xbox.
The film, released on July 26, benefited from the expertise of Maximum Effort, a production company and marketing agency co-founded by Ryan Reynolds. Maximum Effort, named after a popular catchphrase from Deadpool, had strategically leveraged Reynolds’ brands to create a multi-faceted advertising approach.
Campaign US interviewed George Dewey, co-founder of Maximum Effort, to discuss the strategic depth of this marketing campaign, drawing comparisons to the highly successful Barbie movie promotions. This conversation has been edited for clarity.
Campaign US: Why did you engage in so many brand partnerships before the movie’s release?
George Dewey: Our goal wasn’t to hit a specific number of partnerships but to achieve a cultural breakthrough. In today’s media landscape, reaching that level of cultural impact is increasingly challenging. We aimed to select partners that could help us break through not just with media presence but also through innovative partnership approaches, like Xbox. Interesting collaborators were more valuable to us than large budgets, although financial support is always welcome.
Dewey mentioned that the production costs for these advertisements ranged from six to seven figures.
Campaign US: How did you choose which brands to collaborate with? Were brands approaching you, or were you reaching out to them?
Dewey: It was a mix of both. For example, Heineken approached us, and though we hadn’t previously worked with them, their track record gave us confidence. Similarly, we had existing relationships with brands like Aviation Gin, Jack in the Box, and Xbox through Disney. The key was finding brands willing to align with the R-rated nature of the film and its unique tone.
Campaign US: Was it challenging to maintain the film’s tone across different brand categories?
Dewey: The main challenge with Deadpool is avoiding over-reliance on fourth-wall-breaking and crude humor. While those elements are part of the character, they’re not his essence. He embodies moral flexibility and the pursuit of the unattainable. The difficulty lay in ensuring the advertisements felt fresh and non-repetitive. To achieve this, our team, which includes some of the first hires at Maximum Effort who have worked on every Deadpool marketing project, served as a comprehensive resource.
Campaign US: How did you manage the process of creating ads with different agencies for the same product?
Dewey: Effective collaboration and thick skin were crucial. With numerous stakeholders involved—brand teams, agencies, and Disney/Marvel—everyone had to be open to feedback and work together harmoniously.
Campaign US: How did Ryan Reynolds contribute to the vision, strategy, and execution of these ads?
Dewey: Ryan reviews every script and concept. Although he was busy finishing the film and couldn’t participate in the initial writing, he reviewed and refined scripts for certain brands like Heineken and Heinz.
Campaign US: Taylor Swift recently mentioned the campaign on Instagram. Did you have any role in that?
Dewey: Taylor reached out to Ryan expressing her desire to post about the campaign, and we welcomed her support.
This robust marketing strategy demonstrates Maximum Effort’s ability to blend creativity and collaboration, ensuring that Deadpool & Wolverine resonates with audiences and achieves substantial cultural impact.
