Meryl Streep isn’t the only iconic thing to be returning to The Devil Wears Prada sequel: let’s talk about brand collabs.
20 years ahead of The Devil Wears Prada’s 2006 release, the advertising landscape looks completely different. Where brand partnerships once leaned on logo placement and red carpet visibility, today’s tie-ins are built for participation: think gamified drops, creator-ready formats, and IRL moments engineered for social spillover.
With The Devil Wears Prada 2, brands are competing to translate one of fashion’s most quotable films into something audiences can engage with, recognise and share.
From beauty giants and beverage brands to tech platforms positioning themselves as creator tools, each partner brings a different take on how to win attention in a fragmented media landscape.
Here’s how I’m ranking the brand collabs.
5. Smartwater
Smartwater taps into one of the film’s most meme-able cultural moments: the cerulean monologue.
Introducing the “Smartwater Cerulean” mobile game. Users hunt for the “right” shade of blue to see if they can get the perfect cerulean.
What elevates the campaign is the bridge from digital to physical. Limited-edition cerulean bottles with QR codes, seeded in retail environments, create a scavenger-hunt dynamic that mirrors creator-led treasure hunts and drops.
It’s a super fun and simple opportunity to get involved in a way that feels brand-appropriate.
4. Starbucks
Starbucks leans fully into experiential marketing here. It resurrected the original film’s “assistant coffee run” gag, but upgrades it for an online era of participation: deploying real assistants and interns as brand ambassadors across New York City.
Dressed in oversized cupholder costumes, they handed out gift cards hidden inside character-labelled cups, effectively gamifying discovery and encouraging UGC.
Beyond the stunt, Starbucks has extended the collab into its owned ecosystem. A classic Starbucks secret in-app menu featuring character-inspired drinks drives app engagement and repeat interaction, while limited-edition Runway magazines at its Reserve location add a collectable, editorial layer. It’s a solid 360 campaign with both brand theatrics and customer participation.
Also, as the official sponsor for The Devil Wears Prada: The Musical, it was essential that Starbucks step up its game.
3. Samsung Galaxy S26
Samsung positions the Samsung Galaxy S26 as the ultimate crisis-aversion tool, reframing one of the original film’s most chaotic plotlines as an AI-powered workflow.
Instead of panic-running across Manhattan, the campaign shows how AI-enabled search and visual tools can solve high-pressure creative briefs instantly. Featuring Helen Shen, who also ties into the film’s cast, the spot cleverly merges narrative continuity with product capability.
It was a way to showcase AI in a way that consumers would enjoy, and Miranda Priestly would approve of.
From a creator economy perspective, this is about positioning the device as a production partner; something that resonates with influencers juggling content output.
The Samsung Runway Cam presence at the premiere further reinforces Samsung’s push into creator tooling, though the storytelling leans more functional than culturally playful.
2. Diet Coke
Diet Coke takes the number two spot by understanding what makes the film endlessly remixable: behaviour. Rather than focusing on aesthetics alone, the campaign zooms in on a relatable moment: the exhale when the (Miranda Priestly-level scary) boss leaves.
“A Diet Coke Please. That’s All.” transforms that insight into a narrative format primed for social replication. The idea of a Diet Coke break is inherently meme-able, easily adapted by creators across office culture, fashion, and lifestyle niches.
The bespoke “Canny Pack”, designed with fictional Runway designer James Holt, adds a fashion credibility layer, even as a non-commercial prop. Its placement in Saks Fifth Avenue turns it into a physical content destination, bridging retail and social buzz.
Crucially, the WPP Open X Ogilvy campaign is simple but recognisable, and needs no introduction - much like Diet Coke.
My only criticism of this campaign is that this gorgeous bag is not for sale - I want one!
1. L’Oréal Paris
L'Oréal Paris wins by playing like a beauty collab but executing with scale and timing that most brands can’t match. Launched during the Academy Awards, the campaign secured maximum cultural visibility before the film even landed.
Fronted by Kendall Jenner, the activation blurs the line between film set and beauty ad, recreating Runway’s office as a content backdrop. This is highly native to influencer culture: aspirational environments, recognisable IP, and product integration that feels editorial rather than transactional.
The results speak for themselves: The campaign has over 11 million views on YouTube.
The accompanying product line turns fandom into conversion, giving audiences a direct way to buy into the film’s aesthetic.
This was a real go big or go home moment for L’Oreal, and I’m glad it chose the former. Despite what many think about maintaining low-drama authenticity to appeal to consumers, that’s not the vibe of L’Oreal or Miranda Priestly. Sometimes, a high production value feels more fitting.
This is what makes it the standout It Girl of the collabs.
