The new film has so far grossed over 320 million dollars worldwide. Although reviews are somewhat mixed, this does not detract from the film’s appeal. It is based on the popular sandbox game Minecraft by Mojang Studios, known for its openness and lack of a fixed storyline. The filmmakers decided to create an original plot that preserves the spirit of the game and takes place in the typical world made up of blocks. Given the success of both the game itself and the new film, it’s no surprise that blocks have also made their way into television advertising. After all, who could resist them?
Advertising with a Minecraft twist
The Minecraft phenomenon has inspired a whole range of brands. Marketing collaborations took various forms – from TV commercials and out-of-home advertising to digital and gaming integrations. It is clear that gaming culture holds a place in brands’ marketing strategies, especially when targeting younger generations.
For example, the British fashion brand Burberry, which offers clothing, perfumes, and fashion accessories and is a symbol of luxury, timeless style, and quality, bet on gaming integration. In 2022, the brand partnered with the iconic game Minecraft to bridge the physical and digital worlds as part of expanding its presence in the metaverse. According to Phillip Hennche, Director of Marketing Channel Innovation, Burberry’s aim was to establish itself in the gaming world. “Gaming is a super important channel for us in terms of how we engage our customer. We know that it’s a very important passion point for our target markets and consumers. We know that they are there, they are present, and they’re very active in that community. With this partnership, Burberry hopes to reach both its customers that it knows are already playing Minecraft, and users who might not yet have engaged with the brand,” said Hennche, explaining the brand strategy.
Video: Burberry and Minecraft
In 2024, the British producer of vegetarian, vegan, and cruelty-free cosmetics, Lush, went crazy for Minecraft and launched a collection of “creative, handcrafted products for the shower or bath.”
Video: Lush – Minecraft
The British entertainment company Merlin Entertainments, which operates a number of theme parks and other attractions, took things even further. In 2024, it announced a partnership with Mojang Studios (which was acquired by Microsoft in 2014 for $2.5 billion) to create Minecraft-themed attractions and hotel rooms, with the first attractions planned to open in the UK and the USA in 2026 and 2027. In the long term, both companies plan to expand their strategic partnership, called “Adventures Made Real”, to other countries and territories.
Video: Merlin Entertainments – Minecraft
But let’s move to the present. Riding the wave of popularity of the new film, the brand Doritos recently launched flavoured square chips inspired by Minecraft.
Video: Doritos – Minecraft
Does it seem original to you? It wasn’t such a groundbreaking idea after all. Mondelēz International chose a similar strategy for Oreo cookies — and even enhanced it with a contest offering various exciting prizes.
Source: Oreo.euUnlike chips and cookies, the brand Poppi Soda would find it difficult to transform its drinks into cube shapes, so they had to take a different approach. The result is special flavours inspired by the world of Minecraft.
Video: Poppi Soda – Minecraft
Let’s stay with food for a moment. One of the largest frozen French fries brands, Grown in Idaho, established an extensive marketing partnership with A Minecraft Movie. Since Idaho serves as a real-life setting for the film, Grown in Idaho gained a great opportunity to raise awareness and sales among adult players who love Minecraft. To this end, the agency Blue Chip created a film-themed contest and a comprehensive media campaign aimed at boosting sales of this brand’s frozen fries in key retail stores. “It’s not every day that a major motion picture has a tie to Idaho potatoes,” said Kim Cupelli, SVP of marketing and innovation at Lamb Weston. “This is a highly relevant moment for us and provides the perfect opportunity to connect people’s love for Minecraft with our love for fries. We’re doing everything we can to turn the attention into heightened awareness, traffic, and sales for our brand, while showing our enthusiasm for A Minecraft Movie as well.”
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And of course, no one would expect McDonald’s to miss out on the opportunity brought by the premiere of the long-awaited film. The fast-food chain quickly responded worldwide to its popularity among Minecraft fans, who for years have been creating pixel-perfect replicas of McDonald’s golden arches and building their own full-scale restaurants complete with the iconic menu. To coincide with the premiere of A Minecraft Movie, McDonald’s launched a limited-time menu featuring a sauce inspired by the Nether dimension, collectable figurines, exclusive in-game bonuses, and Happy Meal toys. The limited menu and collectables reached fans in over a hundred countries. This Minecraft-themed marketing concept connected gaming and movie experiences with culinary delights in McDonald’s restaurants.
Video: McDonald’s and Minecraft
Advertisers in the realm of blocks
Minecraft is a phenomenon that connects generations and opens the door to a world of unlimited creativity. Its unique visual style, openness, and endless creative possibilities appeal to fans across all ages. Minecraft offers brands a unique opportunity to communicate playfully, interactively, and naturally, creating campaigns that capture attention at first glance and draw the audience into the story. For advertisers, it is a gateway to a world without limits — just blocks from which anything can be built.
Brands that succeed in building a bridge of blocks to an audience that values originality can become part of a world where the main currency is imagination and where fans reward the courage to create differently. Minecraft is not just a source of inspiration. It is a smart tool for reaching both the current and future generations of customers.