In one of the most astonishing promotional campaigns in current music, MARINA began sending out living caterpillars to her followers in preparation for her new, long-awaited album, out February 21, 2025. The campaign, which surprised social networks, is both engrossing and contentious, with followers in disarray regarding its purpose and use.
Welsh singer and songwriter MARINA, a one-time Marina and the Diamonds, hasn’t been afraid of an experimental sound in both her work and her marketing for years. With a career spanning over a decade, she’s continued to make incredibly introspective and striking work. With her new record, she took her imagination to new heights—by sending out caterpillars to stand in for transformation, rebirth, and personal growth.
MARINA distributes caterpillars for fans to find and nurture into butterflies ahead of new music era. pic.twitter.com/KEiQwRQoV8
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 31, 2025
According to fan reports, a group of followers have been sent packages with living caterpillars and care instructions, inviting them to nurture them through to the butterfly stage. The campaign continues with fan motifs seen in MARINA’s work in recent months, most recently in her soon-to-be-released single “Butterfly,” about which she posted a tease on May 18, 2024, and in her poem “Cocoon” in her book of poems EAT THE WORLD, out October 24, 2024. In both, transformation and discovery regarding oneself have been emphasized—motifs that have recently manifested in her campaign.
The campaign elicited a mixed reaction amongst MARINA’s fan base. Fans have been amazed with the immersive campaign, saying it is a “genius” move in relation to connecting with the message of the album. Fans have descended onto social networks to post photos of their caterpillars, taking the endeavor both as an emotional journey and a DIY bug challenge.
Not everyone, however, is a supporter. There have been questions regarding its viability and ethics, with critics citing concerns about sending living insects and whether, in fact, it is legal to post caterpillars through borders and its environmental impact. “A cool idea in theory, but then nobody looks after them?” one supporter posted on Twitter. Others have questioned whether it is a metaphorical campaign, with no actual caterpillars ever being posted out.
#MccallOnlineNews®: @MarinaDiamandis is teasing an audio and music video for her upcoming single "BUTTERFLY," set to drop on February 21st.
On January 4, Marina posted a snippet of the music video and officially announced the release date. A few days later, on the 7th, Marina… pic.twitter.com/YIUzBbIMYw
— McCall Kwadzo (@mccallkwadzo) February 8, 2025
