On Christmas Day 2023 the Bridgerton Account posted the teaser poster for season 3.
Image Credit: Jason Bell for Netflix
As with all marketing, the goal of the Bridgerton season 3 promotion is to attract viewers, both new viewers and returning viewers, through specific messaging, so what is the specific messaging that this teaser poster is sending?
Colour Theme
The colour theme for season 3 has moved away from the softer Bridgerton blues and lilacs, and towards the bolder, harsher - and some would say tackier - Featherington colours of Green and Gold.
This change to the colour scheme appears to be signalling a move away from the Bridgertons as a focus for season 3, and towards the Featheringtons, or at least one Featherington, to be the centre of the story, this could be a risky move for a show that is called Bridgerton. The Featheringtons are not universally loved, and for those viewers that get the message that this season is focussed on the Featheringtons it may work against the show as some viewers decide that it is not for them.
The image
The image on the poster is of a mirror reflecting Penelope's face. Now, whilst I understand the imagery is potentially fan service, or is a nod to an earlier cover of the book, from the perspective of what we have been told about the themes of the season the image does not feel cohesive with those ideas, and seems to be introducing different themes and analogies, all of which sends a confused message. Further, the image could inadvertently send a negative message to the casual viewer who has not read the book, or is involved in the fandom.
I have seen the image of Penelope looking at her reflection compared with the image of Narcissus falling in love with his own reflection, another comparison has been with the image of the Evil Queen from Snow White looking into her mirror. It can be argued that these comparisons are from overly negative people who dislike the character of Penelope, and whilst this may be true, the Bridgerton promotional team should still be concerned that this is an interpretation of the image that some are spreading on social media, and most likely among their offline friends and family as well.
The second aspect of this image is that it appears to be focussing on the idea of a makeover for Penelope. Whilst the 'glow up' or 'makeover' may not be a big plot point in the season, to be leaning into it in official promotion sends a message that this is potentially a story where the man falls in love after a makeover, in a 2019 article for Cosmopolitan on the problematic aspects of the movie She's All That, Melissa Blake calls this the 'Hot after Makeover Trope', and it is one that the Bridgerton marketing team run the risk of associating Bridgerton season 3 with through these types of images.
Overall I believe the imagery used presents a number of problems with the messaging about what season 3 is about. The associations with negative imagery within myth and fairy tales could taint the season for a few - or it could work in its favour if people tune in expecting to see Penelope as the villain. More problematic is the messaging that this season is about Penelope changing her appearance to find love, this takes away from what Penelope and Colin's story should be about.
Additionally, this messaging has raised the question for some fans of how big a role Colin - or any of the Bridgertons - will be playing in the season, or even if the season will be focussed on the romance, or on Penelope's journey with the romance being secondary.
