Sony Pictures Entertainment has turned the India marketing campaign for Spider-Man: Brand New Day into a case study in how a global entertainment franchise can be localised without losing its identity.
The film has crossed ₹500 crore in India within three weeks, making it the biggest Hollywood release in the country, according to the report. Sony's marketing strategy was built around two key ideas: culture and community.
Rather than relying solely on Spider-Man's enormous global recognition, Sony began building excitement months before release and used a phased campaign designed to convert awareness into theatrical footfalls.
Making Spider-Man feel Indian
Localisation became the centrepiece of the campaign. Sony brought Indian cultural icons and creators into the Spider-Man universe, including KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav and Rishab Shetty, while also using regional music and language-led communication.
Cricket became a major cultural entry point, while the campaign's music strategy was adapted for different regions. The North received a more emotional, heartbreak-oriented treatment, while the South campaign leaned into celebration and dance.
The two promotional songs reportedly generated more than 48 million views on official channels, demonstrating the potential of culture-led entertainment marketing.
Turning marketing into moments
Sony also moved beyond traditional media buying with high-impact activations, including metro wraps, bus takeovers and an anamorphic CGI billboard in Mumbai.
The Mumbai billboard, designed to make Spider-Man appear as though he was interacting with the city, became a major social-media moment, with the campaign reel approaching 100 million views, according to Sony.
The objective wasn't simply to generate impressions. The team wanted to create experiences that audiences would naturally want to photograph, share and discuss.
Building a fan community
Sony also used social listening to understand how fans were reacting to the campaign and incorporated fandom into its marketing approach.
Limited-edition collectibles, including special tickets and pin badges, were used to reward fans and make the theatrical experience feel more exclusive.
The strategy also accounted for Spider-Man's unusually broad audience, from younger children to older fans familiar with Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland.
Partnerships multiplied the impact
Sony worked with nearly 15 brand partners, including BMW, McDonald's, Ocean Beverages, ITC Sunfeast and Pulse.
These partnerships extended Spider-Man's visibility into retail, food, automotive and other consumer environments while creating additional cultural touchpoints around the film.
The broader lesson from Sony's campaign is that global IP doesn't have to be marketed globally in exactly the same way. By combining a recognisable character with local celebrities, sports, music, languages, experiences and fan communities, Sony transformed Spider-Man from a Hollywood property into something that felt culturally relevant to Indian audiences.
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