Horror Film ‘Us’ Taps Fans For Co-Collab Marketing

Us, the follow-up to US director Jordan Peele's Oscar-nominated horror Get Out, has already generated an intense fan following before its March 22 release. Alongside obsessional internet theorising, fans have created artworks based on the film's characters. Peele has now added a select number of these fan illustrations to the movie's latest official trailer, tapping into a key trend for Gen Z consumers of tribe-focused co-collaboration that offers a real platform to amplify consumer-creative work.

Jordan Peele has become an influential Hollywood figure by spotlighting racial politics, inclusivity and diversity within the horror format, creating a cultural fusion that speaks directly to audiences typically underserved by the genre.

In the past few years, Peele has devoted much of his Instagram account (followed by over a million fans) to fan-art created by these audiences. Movie fan-art has become a pop culture cottage industry over the past few years, with many artists building careers from releasing tribute posters online. For the marketing of Us, Peele has taken this to the next level by incorporating a select number of Us fan illustrations into the latest official trailer for the film.

In marketing terms, Peele understands the power of embracing fandom to build deeper relationships with audiences, and turn followers into ambassadors. The Us campaign is an exemplar of how brand collaborations need to do more than just enable expression; they must amplify creative voices and offer real professional opportunities – it's a trend we'll explore in more detail in our upcoming Dynamic Youth Spotlight.

See The State of Esports for more on the opportunities arising from the breakdown of celeb-fan-brand hierarchies, and Cultivating Brand Ambassadors for more of turning customers into advocates.