The Marketing Playbook That Turned ‘Sinners’ Into Oscar History

Ryan Coogler’s period horror film Sinners just made history at the 98th Academy Awards with 16 nominations, surpassing previous records held by classics like “All About Eve” and “Titanic.” Before any good marketing there must be great art, and Sinners came through on both. Here’s a look at the film’s winning marketing campaign that got them here.

Social-First Content Strategy

The film’s official social media channels prioritized shareability, a winning strategy on Instagram. Rather than relying on just standard trailers and poster drops, the marketing team created bite-sized content designed for viral distribution across platforms. Their custom award-winning graphics were seen on many Instagram stories. Content was created with proud superfans in mind, making their sharable content reach further than most. This approach transformed casual viewers into active brand ambassadors, with content consistently appearing across feeds organically rather than through paid promotion alone.

The cast became integral to this strategy, with lead and supporting actors actively participating in promotional efforts. The cast of Sinners went beyond the obligatory press tour posting. Actors participated in authentic, engaging content that resonated with their individual audiences while driving interest in the film.

Strategic Press Positioning

Perhaps the most exciting part of the film’s always-on press campaign was their attention to supporting actors. Too often, film promotions will focus on one or two leads and neglect to support the rest of the cast in press efforts. Sinners’ press team made no such mistake. This led to supporting cast members and fan favorites Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku securing Best Supporting Actor and Actress nominations. This inclusive yet sophisticated press approach no doubt ensured critics and awards voters recognized their contributions early in the season.

Michael B. Jordan, competing in a crowded Best Actor category with Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio, also stood at the forefront of the press campaign. With killer red carpet appearances, interviews and even a viral meme, MBJ’s contribution to the press success of the film is notable.

Audio-Driven Virality

Original music from the film’s soundtrack gained traction on TikTok through organic promotion, with users organically incorporating tracks into their content. The fan favorite songs made their way into many viral fan-cam style edits, ensuring Sinners stayed on users’ highly coveted For You page. This created a cultural moment that extended far beyond the film’s core audience, introducing the property to diverse demographics that might not typically engage with period horror. Fan-created content is invaluable word-of-mouth marketing that money just can’t buy.

Theatrical Innovation

The announcement of an IMAX re-release capitalized on the film’s awards momentum, giving audiences a reason to experience the film again in premium format. The re-release demonstrated Sinners teams’ understanding of how theatrical distribution can work symbiotically with awards season. Thus, creating multiple revenue opportunities while maintaining cultural relevance.

Smart, multi-platform marketing still drives mainstream cultural conversation. Sinners didn’t achieve record-breaking nominations through traditional Oscar campaigning alone.

The film’s marketing success stemmed from understanding how modern audiences consume and share content. As the entertainment industry continues navigating theatrical challenges and evolving viewer habits, this campaign demonstrates that innovative marketing strategy remains as crucial to a film’s legacy as the creative work itself.