Wicker Trend Surges on Social Media Driven by New Film

A burgeoning trend centered on wicker is rapidly gaining traction across social media platforms, propelled by the anticipation surrounding the forthcoming film titled 'Wicker.' This art house film, which released its initial trailer in early August, features Olivia Colman as a solitary fisherwoman who commissions a husband to be constructed entirely from wicker. The character of the wicker husband is portrayed by Alexander Skarsgård, and the narrative explores a passionate relationship that develops between him and his human wife, a premise that has already generated considerable online discussion and comparisons to "50 Shades of Grey," with some users humorously dubbing it "50 shades of hay."

This viral momentum presents a significant marketing opportunity for businesses associated with wicker products. Rachel Karten, the author of the widely read newsletter "Link in Bio," highlighted on the social media platform X that the film's buzz could be a "big opportunity for any brand that sells wicker furniture right now." Furniture giant Ikea has notably leveraged this trend in its recent social media campaigns. On its official U.S. Instagram account, Ikea published an image of a wicker chair accompanied by the caption "husband material," further elaborating in the post's text, "We’ve got plenty of husband material. Be honest . . . how many times did you watch the trailer?" Similarly, Ikea Australia shared a photograph of a wicker bench with the accompanying phrase "made from husband material."

Beyond direct furniture retailers, other brands are creatively engaging with the wicker theme to capitalize on its trending status. Scrub Daddy, known for its distinctive cleaning products, commented on Ikea's Instagram post with "What we’d do to clean that chair," a playful double entendre. Sephora also joined the conversation, posting "We’d love to sit on that." Even established cultural institutions are participating; the New York Public Library's Instagram account featured a carousel of books related to basket weaving, with the cover image stating, "For Readers Suddenly Interested in Baskets (For absolutely no reason at all)." This widespread adoption of the wicker theme by diverse brands indicates a successful, albeit unconventional, social media marketing moment, with users appearing receptive to these trend-driven posts.