Netflix Is Getting In The Steak Business
Netflix is partnering with Outback Steakhouse to promote Daniel Craig's new movie Glass Onion.
The massively popular streaming platform Netflix is partnering with chain restaurant Outback Steakhouse to promote the upcoming Daniel Craig mystery film Glass Onion. Specifically, the idea is that customers can buy Outback Steakhouse’s popular Bloomin’ Onion appetizer (an onion cut and deep-fried to resemble a very carbohydrate-heavy flower), “destroy the evidence,” then upload evidence of destroying the evidence and receive a voucher for a free Bloomin’ Onion on their next village. While the synergy between the Beatles-inspired Glass Onion title and the main ingredient of the food item is undeniable, it still is a pretty convoluted promotion for both Netflix and Outback Steakhouse.
We will break this down a little bit for clarification. Though promotions between blockbuster films and chain restaurants are by no means uncommon (just as the 1989 Taco Bell-Tim Burton Batman crossover), this particular meeting of Netflix and Outback Steakhouse is a little odd. While it makes sense to reference the mystery thriller aspect of Glass Onion by encouraging customers to “destroy the evidence,” the video above makes it seem like they’re pushing people to skip out on a bill. Then you add in the contradictory concept of getting someone to record evidence (for proof of purchase) of destroying evidence (the actual proof of purchase) and it is just a little bit weird.
If we are generous, we would like to assume that the Netflix-Outback Steakhouse collaboration is intentionally convoluted and confusing in reference to the twists and turns of the Rian Johnson-Daniel Craig movies’ plots. However, it is slightly more likely that it is just kind of an underthought promotion.
Oddly enough, it seems that Netflix is going all in on promoting Glass Onion via food brands. In addition to Outback Steakhouse, Glass Onion is also being heavily marketed by Van Leeuwen Ice Cream via a “mystery flavor” that reportedly has a Greek yogurt base in homage to the setting of the Knives Out sequel. While our own review of the movie did not indicate that the plot involves Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc puzzling out what ingredients are in a frozen treat, it makes as much sense as faux-Australian steakhouses.
However, it does not stop there. Netflix has also partnered with the popular alcoholic seltzer brand White Claw to produce a limited-edition game called “Crack the CLAW.” The game is essentially a whodunit game in which participants try to guess the identity of a pre-established murderer player, who is themselves trying not to be identified.
While neither the Bloomin’ Onion, Van Leeuwen mystery flavor ice cream, nor White Claw is a particularly healthy food or beverage (though White Claws are surprisingly low in calories), no one can deny that Netflix is not working overtime to promote Glass Onion. All of this cross-promotion might be tied to the increasing competition that Netflix is facing from Disney+ and HBO Max, leading the company to both raise prices, introduce ads, and see how it can promote prestige murder mysteries among recognized food brands. Pretty creative, really.
