Astral Tequila is betting on witchcraft, sisterhood, and midnight margaritas to build awareness for a brand that only launched in 2022.

The tequila maker has signed on as official sponsor of Practical Magic 2, the sequel arriving in theaters September 11. The partnership, which originated in conversations with Warner Bros., spans an "It's Midnight Somewhere" multi-city tour, watch parties for bartenders, a microdrama social series, and an appearance in the film itself.

"This is a really opportune time for us to have this big moment in culture where we can truly supercharge the awareness that people have," Brand Director Jenn Rapp told Marketing Brew.

An obvious fit

The original Practical Magic, released in 1998, became a cult classic. In one memorable scene, sisters Sally and Gillian Owens—played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman—climb out of bed to join their aunts for a late night of margaritas and bonding.

For Astral, the film's cultural power and natural link to tequila made the partnership an easy call. "The answer was pretty much immediately yes, because there really is no more iconic margarita scene in film history than the midnight margarita in Practical Magic," Rapp said.

The sisterhood theme shaped both the storyline and casting of Astral's accompanying social campaign, titled "It's Midnight Somewhere." Across five minute-long episodes, reality stars and real-life sisters Brooks and Grace Ann Nader navigate mysteriously magical neighbors and a malfunctioning blender while attempting to make their own midnight margaritas.

"We wanted to make a microdrama, and we wanted it to be really centered around sisterhood," director Madelaine Turner said. "The Nader sisters ended up being just a really perfect choice and perfect fit for the project itself, and…we built the script tailored to their dynamic and their strengths, bringing their very fun sisterhood charm to life."

Turner brings a background in short-form vertical content and narrative storytelling, but she had never made a microdrama before working with Astral, a connection made through the agency Merman. She said the genre's novelty served the project while leaving room for creative experimentation, including leaning into reality TV tropes that suited the Nader sisters.

"Mediums are meant to be molded, and I think the microdrama has endless potential if tapped into from a unique creative perspective," she said. "I do think we will see more iterations of microdramas as time goes on, and more interesting stories told, with the benefit of a scroll factor built in."

Reaching a new generation

For Astral, the sequel's appeal goes beyond the original film's built-in fan base. Rapp pointed to younger Gen Z moviegoers as the growth target.

"We knew that we needed to be able to broaden it out and extend [Practical Magic] to a new generation of fans who might not be familiar with the movie," she said. "This social series is exactly how we feel like we've been able to do that, because yes, if you're familiar with the film, you're gonna love it, and if you are coming on to it for the first time, it really is a story that stands on its own."

The brand also avoided retreading the original's iconic scenes. Rapp said she never seriously considered re-creating them.

"How could you re-create perfection?" she asked. "Just re-creating it wouldn't have really introduced the spirit of it to a new generation. I think we needed to come at it from a slightly different angle."

Astral is not alone in using sequels to reach cross-generational audiences. When The Devil Wears Prada 2 premiered earlier this year, brands including Old Navy, Zillow, Diet Coke, and Dior pursued onscreen placement and cobranded products tied to that franchise.

As the campaign goes live, the Astral team is tracking view counts and shares to maximize exposure. Rapp said she is also mindful of the brand's role in shaping the next chapter of the Owens witches' story.

"It really is an opportunity for people to discover this brand in a way that is really fun and within a story that is so loved and so adored. I think it's a great privilege," Rapp said. "We didn't take that responsibility lightly, and we really feel like we've only been additive to the story and to continue to elevate and give the spotlight to the midnight margarita."

Source: Marketing Brew (https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/astral-tequila-practical-magic-2-microdrama-brand-intetgration?utm_source=&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=feed)