15 Brands That Are Redefining ‘Holding Space’ This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving week is a time to hold space for turkey, family, and this year, defying gravity.

The whirlwind of marketing surrounding Wicked finally made a splash at box offices, receiving rave reviews for its leads, actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The duo has been on a months-long press tour, dressed in pink and green, sharing heartfelt praises for each other’s performances.

One standout moment occurred during an interview with LGBTQ+ lifestyle magazine Out, where journalist Tracy Gilchrist highlighted how fans are taking the lyrics of “Defying Gravity” and using them to hold space and feel empowered. Erivo expressed her delight, stating that this was exactly her intention. Grande supported her, physically holding Erivo's finger, which sparked a wave of social media commentary likening their gesture to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel painting.

In a subsequent interview with Variety, Gilchrist clarified that holding space means being present physically, emotionally, and mentally, inspired by Toni Morrison’s post-election reflections. In a TikTok, Morrison described himself as the “CEO of Holding Space,” explaining that the lyrics resonated with the queer community's feelings during the previous administration.

This week, numerous brands have also taken to social media, using the Wicked theme to express their own interpretations of holding space. Here are 15 notable examples:

Empire State Building: Holding space for the 103rd floor.

"The 103rd floor of the Empire State Building was originally built to hold space for the lyrics of Defying Gravity"

Netflix: Holding space for Kristin Chenoweth, the original Glinda, and her upcoming holiday movie.

"Holding space for Our Little Secret tomorrow."

Duolingo: Holding space for learning a new language.

"holding space"

Kohl's: Holding space for endless Wicked merchandise.

Raising Cane’s: Holding space for chicken.

Cinnabon: Holding space for a sweet treat.

"currently holding space while listening to the song and eating a cinnamon roll"

Epic Reads: Holding space for singing to yourself.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Holding space for a Cav’s win.

La Croix: Holding space for H2O.

Paramount Pictures: Holding space for Romans hand-holding.

Today Tix: Holding space for every other Broadway musical.

Merriam-Webster: Holding space for words.

"...people are taking the over 476,000 entries of Webster's Dictionary and really holding space with that..."

DirecTV: Holding space without getting sued.

Lovesac: Physically holding space.

ACLU of Ohio: Holding space for basic human rights.

Wicked is now in theaters everywhere.