On October 3rd, 2023, Paramount Pictures took a novel marketing approach by releasing the original “Mean Girls” movie on TikTok, segmented into 23 parts, and subsequently streaming it in full on their TikTok account. This date, known as “Mean Girls Day,” is celebrated by fans due to its significance in a line from the film. The release on TikTok aimed to stir excitement among the platform’s predominantly younger audience ahead of the reboot’s theatrical release scheduled for January 12th.
The original “Mean Girls,” released in 2004, was a significant success, grossing over $86M in the United States and $130M worldwide. The film, scripted by Tina Fey, explores high school dynamics and has since become a cultural phenomenon.
The upcoming reboot, also scripted by Fey and directed by Arturo Perez and Samantha Jayne, features a cast including Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Tina Fey, and others. It has been tested positively, prompting a decision for a big-screen release. The reboot is produced by Lorne Michaels and Fey, with oversight from Erin David, Caroline Maroney, Micah Frank, Eric Gurian, and Jeff Richmond.
Paramount’s marketing strategy also included turning the Paramount+ logo pink and engaging audiences across both Paramount Pictures and Paramount+ platforms. The launch on TikTok was notably successful, with the Mean Girls account growing from 700 to 24K followers since midnight of the launch and trending No. 1 on Twitter.
