The latest Hollywood sensation, “It Ends With Us,” adapted from Colleen Hoover’s book of the same name, is causing a stir and has become one of the most discussed movies lately. This movie has become a hot topic of conversation due to its exploration of a crucial issue impacting women: domestic violence (DV).
Since Hoover announced the plans to adapt the story into a movie, the anticipation among fans of the book, myself included, soared. The book, known for its vivid portrayal of the complex nature of domestic violence, has achieved remarkable success. It sold close to seven million copies and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 140 weeks.
The movie is directed by Justin Baldoni, who doubles as the male lead, Ryle Kincaid, and Blake Lively, who plays the female lead, Lily Bloom. Alongside Lively and Baldoni, the movie features Jenny Slate as Allysa, Brandon Sklenar as Atlas, Hasan Minhaj as Marshall, Kevin McKidd as Andrew, and Amy Morton as Jenny. Christy Hall wrote the screenplay.
The “It Ends With Us” promotions
A series of promotions preceded the movie’s release on August 9th, which made me question its marketing direction because everything I saw pointed towards a fun ‘rom-com’. Based on the marketing and promotion, one would hardly know the movie was about the struggles and pain of a woman determined to break the generational cycle of domestic violence.
To clear my doubts, I decided to dig deeper into the movie’s pre- and post-release marketing strategies, and I couldn’t be more disappointed. Here’s what I found:
Let’s start with the cover photo
The cover photo features a headshot of Lively with a warm smile and colourful flowers surrounding her face that scream “ready to love” without hinting at the DV theme. I might be biased because I have read the book, but see for yourself.
Let’s get into the trailer
I’m not entirely sure what my expectations were for the movie trailer on domestic violence, but this was not it. The trailer explores a tumultuous love triangle between Lily, Ryle, and Lily’s first love, Atlas. Perhaps if I hadn’t read the book and seen only the trailer, I would have gone into the cinemas hoping to see a lighthearted movie about the depth of a woman’s love and a love triangle.
Another exclusive video used during promotions of the movie spotlighted Lily’s flower shop and had confusing captions such as “It Ends With Us is gleaming and romantic,” “Blake Lively is magnetic,” and “An emotional movie that pulls you along.” These all do nothing to capture the sensitivity and seriousness of the core theme of the movie—domestic violence.
Social media promotions
Going on a curiosity-inspired adventure to the official page for the movie, my disappointment in the entire marketing department grew. You’d expect a film dealing with such serious issues to be marketed with the same level of gravity. But that’s not what we saw.
From the smiles and playfulness of the cast in pictures and videos to the focus on the looks from the premiere to the laid-back nature of interviews with the cast for the movie, it is clear the entire marketing team ignored the gravity of the subject matter. Take this interview, for instance. How did we go from addressing a sensitive topic to guessing the names of flowers while promoting a movie on domestic violence? This and many other interviews on the official page completely take away from the seriousness and urgency of domestic violence discussions.
Promotions by crew and cast trigger more controversy
Colleen Hoover
One would hope that Hoover, who wrote the self-inspired book that was adapted, would fully understand the severity of domestic violence and promote the movie as such, but based on her tea time interview with Blake and colouring book interviews, one could go into the cinemas expecting to see a cute, cheesy rom-com.
The author has faced criticism for romanticising domestic violence in the book. She dealt with more backlash after revealing plans to release an adult colouring book based on the book. Fans have also accused her of trying to cash in on domestic violence to keep her popularity up.
Blake Lively
Blake Lively’s promotion, however, is where things get even more frustrating. Looking through the comments on Justin’s page, I found many messages calling out the lead female for “not promoting the movie as she should.” Not one to be easily swayed by public opinion, I did more digging, and what I found can easily be described as “a flower garden.”
Between the posts showcasing different kinds and colours of flowers to a plethora of posts spotlighting floral-themed dresses, shimmering pop-up stores, and debuting her hair care line, I’m not sure where discussing domestic violence fits into Lively’s schedule.
She has been pushing her brand rather than focusing on the film’s serious subject. From promoting her hair care line to showing off her floral-themed outfits, her efforts feel disconnected from the film’s core message. Her suggestion to “grab your friends, wear your florals, and head out to see it” seems more suited for a summer blockbuster or a rom-com than a film about domestic violence.
It’s not just about what Lively posted—or didn’t post—on Instagram. It’s about the missed opportunity. This was a chance to use her platform to elevate the conversation around domestic violence, provide resources, and encourage meaningful discussions. Instead, we got “girls’ night out” vibes and awkward jokes about fans approaching her. Her marketing strategy feels tone-deaf and disappointing for a film with such a heavy narrative.
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds, Blake’s husband, who rewrote the iconic rooftop scene where Lily and Ryle first met, has become a constant face during the promotion of the film. The cross-promotion with Reynolds’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” comes across as an attempt to create a buzz akin to the “Barbie and Oppenheimer” phenomenon. Instead of generating meaningful conversation, we get a gimmick that trivialises the film’s serious themes—pairing a film about abuse with a superhero franchise is cliché and a disservice to the gravity of the story.
The only one with the right agenda
Justin Baldoni is the lead male actor and standout advocate for domestic violence awareness. Right from the beginning, he stated that he made this film for survivors of domestic abuse. After optioning the film in 2019 with his production company, Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni initially set out to be the director, working with Hoover to adapt the BookTok sensation. He ended up also playing the male lead, the DV perpetrator in the movie. During his interviews for the film’s rollout, Baldoni repeatedly put the spotlight on domestic violence, directing the audience to the right resources. His efforts to use his platform, a nonprofit organisation called No More, to highlight the film’s message and support survivors have been commendable. It’s clear that for Baldoni, this isn’t just a project—it’s a cause.
A look through his platform shows his dedication to promoting the movie as it should be. Constantly speaking on the evils of domestic violence, in his latest interview, he talks about the horror that is DV and makes his stance clear on supporting every victim and survivor and urging society to quit victim blaming.
Final thoughts on “It Ends With Us”
Let’s clarify: “It Ends With Us” is a movie on domestic violence. Lily was a victim of DV, and as such, the movie should have been promoted from that angle, but one can say Blake and the rest of the cast, aside from Justin, of course, didn’t get the memo. The result is a promotional campaign that feels both tone-deaf and disappointing.
Social media backlash highlights how out of touch the marketing has been, with many calling out the lack of sensitivity and focus. Lively’s late attempt to share domestic violence resources on Instagram after the backlash comes across as an afterthought, not a genuine effort to engage with the film’s message.
The promotion of “It Ends With Us” misses the mark. It’s not just about selling tickets—it’s about respecting the story and the issues it tackles. But then again, what can one expect from a Colleen Hoover book? The serious issues tackled in her books often get overshadowed by a promotional approach that feels more like a rom-com than a serious exploration of domestic violence. From selling colouring books to a light-hearted marketing campaign, the focus is misplaced.
The film adaptation follows this trend with a promotional campaign that fails to respect the gravity of the story. Instead of enhancing the film’s message, the emphasis on personal branding and frivolous cross-promotion undermines the serious issues it addresses. As a result, both the book’s promotion and the movie leave a bitter taste, overshadowing the important message they set out to convey.
