What sports and festivals have done for beer brands for years, entertainment can do even better: make brands part of culture. This has been demonstrated once again this week. AB InBev has entered into a global partnership with Netflix, and House of Guinness is appearing on the same platform. These are two signs of the same trend: beer brands are conquering the screen.

Cultural relevance above all else

Anyone who uses entertainment must do it well. Not every appearance automatically generates brand power; it's all about cultural relevance. Heineken has understood this for years. For Skyfall (2012), the brand paid tens of millions to have James Bond drink a Heineken instead of his classic Martini. Die-hard fans were furious. James Bond drinking beer? Shameful! But that's exactly what created extra media value and cultural impact. Heineken also appears regularly in the series Billions , despite the fact that the main characters are, to say the least, complete jerks and some of them have the moral compass of Patrick Bateman. It doesn't matter, it's just a really cool series and what sticks in your mind is that even billionaires who can drink anything occasionally grab a Heineken.

Free gold: Corona in Fast & Furious

Not every collaboration costs millions. The Fast & Furiousfranchise is chock-full of Corona bottles, without a penny ever having been paid for them. For the screenwriter, Corona simply suited the characters too well. The beer has now become an indispensable part of the franchise's DNA. As the screenwriter of the later films says: 

“It’s literally a character in the films”

Eric Smallwood of Apex Marketing Group calculated the value of Furious 7 for Corona at 6.1 million dollars, more than a Super Bowl commercial in the same year. In total, the series has now generated over 15 million dollars in media value. And that without a single briefing or pitch. 

Budweiser: from missed opportunity to excess

Budweiser struggled more with its role in entertainment. When Denzel Washington drank a Budweiser as an alcoholic pilot in the Oscar-nominated film Flight (2012), vice president Robert McCarthy reacted strongly:

“We would never condone the misuse of our products, and have a long history of promoting responsible drinking and preventing drunk driving. It is disappointing that Image Movers, the production company, and Paramount chose to use one of our brands in this manner.”

In short: panic. Even though it is precisely these kinds of raw stories that can yield more cultural value than ten campaigns full of smiling friends on a terrace.

A few years later, Budweiser took a different approach with Transformers: Age of Extinction (2013). In a franchise that was originally a marketing machine designed to sell toys, Mark Wahlberg drank a Bud Light in a ridiculous manner. This earned the film the nickname “Age of Product Placement”. The film was so full of commercial displays that even the Beats Pillscene won a trophy: the award for worst product placement of the year. Nevertheless, the film became the most watched film of 2013 and Bud Light was the best-selling beer in the US that year, with 290 million cases and ~20% market share. Even such a poorly executed sponsorship collaboration turned out well in the end.

The lasting benefit of entertainment

Budweiser had already struck gold before. In Top Gun (1986), the brand got over four minutes of screen time. The cinema release alone generated 2.6 million dollar in media value. Because the film became a classic, that value, according to analysts of Concave BThas now risen to over 15 million dollarsThis shows what distinguishes entertainment from traditional sponsorship. A festival or sports match is over after a weekend. A film remains. It is rewatched. Streamed. Rediscovered by new generations. Budweiser is still benefiting from this, partly thanks to the sequel Top Gun: Maverick from 2022, almost forty years later. Every time someone watches the film again, Budweiser gets free visibility without even noticing.

Tom Cruise can certainly pour a nice beer for your brand. In The Firm , he opens a fridge full of Red Stripe. According to Bloomberg , sales in the US rose by 50% within a month. A few weeks later, the brewery sold a majority stake to Guinness Brewing Worldwide (now Diageo).

From fear to insight

As far as I know, House of Guinness was developed independently, without any interference from Diageo. That lack of control will cause many marketers to break out in a cold sweat. Because what if the family history is told in a way that is more raw than your brand team would like? What if there are scenes that clash with carefully constructed brand values? It is precisely this fear that prevents brands from connecting with entertainment. Yet it is precisely in stories that rub people up the wrong way that the greatest brand power is created.

As marketing expert Andrew Tindall astutely observed on LinkedIn:

“Even if this new drama makes the Guinness family look totally evil, we are about to see the true power of salience and familiarity. A brand simply being top of mind and recognisable, talked about, and famous. All things this new show will crank up, introducing this brand to more and more people. Pure marketing gold dust.”

Visibility and cultural relevance, even in controversial contexts, yield more than a safe campaign that no one remembers.

If House of Guinness becomes as successful as Peaky BlindersI see a good chance that dark Irish beers will be re-evaluated. Just as Mad Men made whisky sexy again, or The Queen’s Gambit did for chessWhen Guinness becomes part of the cultural conversation again, not only will pubs in Dublin benefit, but so will sales figures worldwide.

AB InBev and Netflix: actively seeking out the zeitgeist

Don't wait for a screenwriter to spontaneously pick up your brand, but take control yourself. That's what AB InBev is doing now. Together with Jae Goodman's Superconnector Studios, the company is working on integrations in Netflix content. AbInBev CMO Marcel Marcondes says in Adweek: 

“We work together to encapsulate the best way to integrate the stories. And then the three parties sit together to really discuss the possibilities, the hypothesis, until they reach an agreement on how it can be a win, win, win.”

Netflix also recognises the value. CMO Marian Lee: 

“We are super excited about creating attention-grabbing campaigns with AB InBev that are just as unique, fun, and creative as the shows and movies they support.”

In short: beer and entertainment prove to be excellent partners.

Lesson for marketers and sponsorship managers

The big lesson: entertainment is not just an extra media channel that you can simply add on. It requires vision, courage and expertise. You need to know which stories are appropriate, how to allow creative freedom without losing your brand, and how to avoid ending up with Transformers-style overkill. Entertainment requires partners who understand the dynamics of culture and storytelling and can translate that into brand strategy. With the right approach, entertainment delivers more than an advertising block ever could: genuine cultural relevance and lasting brand power.

And the best part? It also offers opportunities for traditional campaigns. Heineken brought James Bond to the commercial, Daniel Craig to the pub. Film and brand reinforce each other in two directions. 

So don't just bring your brand to the film, bring the film back to your brand too.

Previously published on: SponsorReport

Imagine a theatrical release that doubles as a showcase of Apple’s technology ecosystem, a communications platform for Formula 1, a lifestyle campaign for Tommy Hilfiger, and a brand story for Heineken 0.0. Without ever feeling like an ad. F1: The Movie, premiering this week, is exactly that.

More than a racing film, it’s a case study in 360-degree co-branding. Brands are not just visible but meaningfully integrated into the story and activated with commercial intelligence.

Branded Entertainment at Its Best

The film is produced by Apple Original Films, Jerry Bruckheimer, Plan B, and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton (through his company Dawn Apollo), with support from Formula 1. From the very first frame, it’s clear F1: The Movie aims to be more than just a Hollywood spectacle. Hamilton guided the director on the technical accuracy of the cars and sounds. Actors like Brad Pitt and Damson Idris filmed during actual Grand Prix weekends, surrounded by real F1 teams. Apple deployed its own technology, including a custom camera rig based on an iPhone, to amplify the visceral, mechanical feel of the action.It’s all about authenticity, and that’s where the brand partnerships shine. The film shows how brands can go beyond screen presence and become part of the story. These aren’t superficial placements, but partnerships that align with the world, the characters, and the narrative. That’s what makes it feel so natural, and so effective.

Formula 1, long a fertile ground for sponsorship, uses the film to reposition itself for a younger audience. Not just as a sport, but as a cultural lifestyle brand. Apple, in turn, weaves the film into its own ecosystem in every way possible. Before Brad Pitt even speaks, he’s already wearing a pair of AirPods Max. The film is promoted through Apple Wallet notifications, Apple Maps integrations, and will debut globally on Apple TV+.

Rather than relying on traditional product placement, Apple opted to collaborate with brands that enhance the story itself. The fictional APX GP team is not only visually convincing, it is commercially and narratively integrated.

Brands as Creative Partners

The fictional APX GP team, which sees Brad Pitt making a comeback as a driver, is supported by a carefully curated lineup of real-world brands that act as creative partners. The film presents a brand ecosystem that extends far beyond the screen. These brands are not passive sponsors; they are active players in the larger narrative.

• Mercedes-Benz not only supplied the race cars and safety car used in filming, but also launched a limited edition AMG GT63 APXGP model. Only 52 units were produced, complete with gold accents and APXGP branding on the floor mats and dashboard.
  
• Tommy Hilfiger designed the team uniforms and launched a capsule collection. Damson Idris wore a custom racing suit and a Swarovski-covered helmet on the Met Gala red carpet, a moment that quickly went viral.
  
• Expensify is the top sponsor of the fictional F1 team. Its logo appears prominently throughout the film’s two-hour runtime, but the collaboration goes far beyond that. CEO David Barrett said in his note to investors the following: “we are extremely excited for the visibility we will get in the movie and lead up advertising: this gives us incredible exposure on a global basis, and we believe it is possibly one of the best brand placement opportunities ever.”  When Idris walked the Met Gala carpet in an APX GP racing suit with the Expensify logo, it led to an immediate fourfold increase in new sign-ups. 

• Zalando supported the collaboration with app push notifications highlighting the film release and the Hilfiger collection.

• Heineken , a global sponsor of Formula 1 since 2016, leveraged Heineken 0.0’s presence in the film with a campaign starring Brad Pitt centered around focus and balance.

“By being part of F1: The Movie, we’re bringing the conversation around moderation to a global and emotionally resonant platform,” says Heineken global head Nabil Nasser. “This partnership isn’t just about visibility. It’s about making alcohol-free choices socially accepted and second nature.”

• IWC Schaffhausen released exclusive timepieces tied to the film, which are also worn by characters on screen. One of the race cars was showcased at the Goodwood Festival, where cast members engaged with fans.
  
• Qatar Airways chartered a Boeing 777-300ER to fly drivers and team principals to the New York premiere and appears both on screen and in the film’s global promotional materials.
  
• EA Sports integrated the fictional team into F1 25, including special gameplay chapters inspired by the movie. Hot Wheels released a die-cast model of the APX GP car. Regal Cinemas offers collectible helmet-shaped popcorn buckets. Brembo developed a custom braking system for the APX GP car. Brands such as SharkNinja, Geico and American Express appear across cars, uniforms, and sets.
  
• Several local partnerships are also in place. Samsung Electronics Australia, Kayo Sports, AAMI, GIO, Audible and Honda are activating the film through regional campaigns ranging from streaming bundles to co-branded retail and promotional tie-ins. 

A Mutually Reinforcing Ecosystem

These integrations are not only strategically valuable for the brands, but also vital to the production and distribution model behind the film. According to Sports Business Journal, brand partners contributed an estimated 40 million dollars . This helps reduce production costs and significantly increases the film’s profitability.

But the real value lies elsewhere. When dozens of brands around the world use their own channels to promote the film, through retail campaigns, social media activations, and red carpet moments like the Met Gala, it amplifies visibility and momentum. This increases the chances of a box office and streaming hit, which in turn makes the brand participation even more valuable.

It’s a true symbiosis. The better the film performs, the stronger the brands look. And vice versa.

From Brand Visibility to Brand Relevance

The strength of F1: The Movie is not in how many people see it, but in how deeply the brand integrations are embedded. These brands are not just props; they are part of the story. They reinforce the credibility of the fictional world while building their own values in the process.

At the Miami Grand Prix, fans were already spotted wearing APXGP merchandise. Sponsorship expert Will Saunders calling it “one of the most surprising things I’ve ever seen.”

And that’s the real lesson here.

Branded content has been a buzzword for years, but too often it ends up as fragmented campaigns, short-lived formats, or content nobody asks for. F1: The Movie shows what’s possible when brands become part of entertainment people actually want to watch. Not by stealing attention, but by earning their place in the story. That’s when brands become culturally relevant. That’s when they build fans.

A New Standard

This film signals where brand marketing is heading. It hasn’t even hit global theaters, and already the conversation is about the brands. Not because of pre-roll ads or sponsored interludes, but because of co-creation. Brands that think along from day one, invest in quality, and add substance to the creative process. Branded entertainment isn’t a spin-off of the brand anymore. It’s a strategic core.

For marketers wondering how to stay relevant in an overloaded market, the answer is simple: invest in entertainment.

The Missing Link: Without Connection, It's Just a Cameo

F1: The Movie shows what’s possible when brands are involved from the start. But these kinds of deep collaborations don’t happen on their own. They require a different approach, one where producers open their projects to brand partnerships early on. And one where marketers look beyond media buying and become true creative partners.

This takes more than enthusiasm. It demands specific expertise, a shared network, and the ability to speak both the language of storytelling and the logic of marketing. Producers often don’t have the time or knowledge to build that bridge. Brands don’t either. And most agencies aren’t structured to take on this role.On top of that, true co-creation also depends on collaboration with the distributor or streaming platform, not just to release the film, but to coordinate joint marketing efforts. This is about the triangle between producer, brand, and platform. And the connection between them.To make that work, a new role is needed. A role like the Chief Entertainment Officer, previously advocated here. Someone who brings together creativity, commerce, and culture. Someone who can build the bridge before the first script is even written.

Previously published on: Adformatie

Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan wrote it as early as 1964: “The medium is the message”The recently released research report by Digital Cinema Media and everyday people, titled “Maximising price: The role of media” , endorses this once again. It shows that screenings in cinemas realise a price premium of 14% compared to the average of all advertising channels.

This data confirms what many marketing professionals already suspected: premium channels deliver premium results for premium brands.

The logic behind premium channel strategy

For brands positioning themselves in the premium segment, the choice of media channels is at least as important as the message itself. The principle is simple but powerful: the context in which consumers encounter your brand helps determine how they perceive your brand. When consumers associate your brand with premium entertainment experiences, it reinforces the perception of quality and exclusivity. And that, in turn, determines how much consumers are willing to pay for your product.

Or as Rory Sutherland aptly puts it: “to economists, price is a number; to consumers, price is a feeling”

The chart shows that not all media channels are equal in their ability to generate a price premium. While outdoor advertising and social media perform below the average optimal price point, entertainment channels such as cinema, video sharing sites and television score significantly better. This suggests that premium visual entertainmentchannels contribute the most to effective premium positioning.

“In this time of heightened price scrutiny, price perception is absolutely key to brand success and our research showcases how cinema enhances a brand’s ability to maintain strong pricing power and optimise perceived value. Cinema stands apart – it’s immersive, fully engaging, and captures attention like no other medium, forging a deep connection with viewers. Our research bolsters this experience with real data, reinforcing the importance of context and the power of premium video to build long-term brand value.” ~ Karen Stacey, CEO, Digital Cinema Media

Entertainment: a strategic opportunity

Entertainment offers premium brands a unique combination of benefits:

1. Emotional engagement: Consumers are in a more receptive state of mind during entertainment experiences, leading to stronger brand associations.
2. Contextual relevance: The right film, series or event can fit seamlessly with brand values.
3. Qualitative reach: In addition to wide reach, entertainment provides access to specific, often buying audiences.
4. Storytelling opportunities: Premium entertainment provides a narrative context in which brands can weave their own story.

Successful case studies

BMW & Mission Impossible films: Action and performance

BMW trengthened its position as a premium car brand through a long-term partnership with the Mission Impossible franchise. The spectacular chase scenes in which Tom Cruise drives BMW models perfectly demonstrate the combination of performance, technology and design that the brand represents.

“BMW and ‘Mission: Impossible’ are a perfect fit. This provides the ideal stage for our most dynamic business athlete: the BMW M5.” ~ Uwe Dreher, head of Brand Communications BMW.

In addition to product placement in optima forma in the Mission Impossible films, BMW is also offering itself the opportunity for co-marketing ventures in which it makes the most of the popularity of the films.

Emily in Paris & Luxury Brands: The ultimate premium content strategy

In today's media landscape, Netflix's megahit Emily in Paris offers a fascinating example of how premium brands can benefit from entertainment partnerships. The series, which follows the life of luxury marketing executive Emily Cooper (played by Lily Collins), has become one of Netflix's most successful shows, with the second season being Netflix's most-watched programme of 2022.

Reach and impact

The numbers speak for themselves:

• The first season (2020) was streamed by 58 million households worldwide
• The first half of season four reached the top of the global TV chart with 19.9 million views in just four days
• There are 7 million posts on TikTok with the term ‘Emily in Paris clothes’.
• Numerous Instagram accounts like @EmilyInParisOutfits (170,000 followers) were created to identify the looks from the show

Brand integration with measurable results

What sets ‘Emily in Paris’ apart from traditional ad channels is the organic integration of luxury brands into the storyline. The results speak volumes:

• Vestiaire Collective: Following their collaboration in the fourth season, in which character Mindy Chen sells a couture outfit through the platform, Vestiaire Collective saw:
  • An increase of more than 22,000 followers
  • Almost a doubling of Google searches in the US (+85%) compared to the previous year
  • A significant increase in new sellers and buyers on the platform
• Baccarat: The luxury crystal brand seized the oppportunity to introduce consumers who know Baccarat only as a perfume brand to the full brand in a more holistic way. Together, they developed a new storyline to incorporate Baccarat's history into the show. In episode three, a masked ball takes place at Maison Baccarat in Paris:
  • Baccarat created a limited-edition ‘broken-hearted Coeur Amor’ crystal (€490) based on a product from the show
  • Jim Banfield, Baccarat representative, reports “very encouraging sales figures”
  • The integration helped the brand introduce younger consumers (who knew Baccarat mainly from the popular Rouge 540 perfume) to the wider Baccarat range
• Jacquemus: Searches for ‘Jacquemus cardigans’ increased by 18% month-on-month
• Ganni: Searches for ‘Ganni bags’ increased by 15% month-on-month
• Fashion items that appeared in the show saw significant increases in interest:
  • Searches for ‘sailor caps’ increased by 46%
  • Searches for ‘checked coats’ increased by 53%

Chopard & Cannes Film Festival: A legendary partnership

The Golden Palm, coveted by every director, awards the best film at the Cannes Film Festival every year. The award was redesigned in 1998 by Swiss luxury watch brand Chopard and has since been exclusively manufactured in the Maison's workshops, along with all the trophies awarded at the festival's closing ceremony. In addition, Chopard promotes the rising generation in the film industry by awarding the Trophée Chopard to a young actor or actress every year.

If a partner of the festival , Chopard associates itself with creativity, craftsmanship and artistic excellence - values that align perfectly with the watch brand.

Conclusion

The data is compelling: premium channels, especially those related to entertainment, deliver significant price premium. For brands, entertainment sponsorship offers a powerful way to reach their target audience in a context that reinforces their premium positioning.

By carefully choosing entertainment partnerships that authentically align with brand identity, premium brands can build a deeper emotional connection with their target audience. At a time when consumers increasingly ignore or block forms of advertising, entertainment sponsorship offers a welcome way to stay relevant without being intrusive.

Premium products deserve premium channels. Cinema and other entertainment platforms such as streaming have proven to be the ideal environment for brands looking to maintain and enhance their exclusive status.

Previously published on: Adformatie

Retailers no longer just sell products, they sell stories. And those who control the story, control the market. That is why meal delivery company Wonder is now buying media company Tastemade for about $90 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Retailers realise that controlling the story is as powerful as owning the transaction. Wonder's acquisition of Tastemade is not a loose change, but a sign of things to come. Media is no longer an afterthought; it is the backbone of modern commerce.

Why retailers are investing in media

Retailers understand that attention is the new currency. At a time when consumers are not buying just anything, but are guided by stories, experiences and brands with a soul, media is becoming the key to growth. That is why Amazon launched Prime Video years ago and bought MGM for $8.5 billion. It's why Apple not only has an App Store, but also Apple TV+. 

With the acquisition of Tastemade, Wonder is buying not just a content studio, but a global audience of millions of viewers. This is not just a marketing ploy, but a strategic move to take control of the entire customer journey.

Media als groeimotor: Inspirerende Case studies

Unilever: Pioniers van Branded Content

The strategy works. Unilever understood this early on with Life & Cooking, a TV programme that reached Dutch households for nine years and unwittingly placed Unilever products at the heart of their daily habits.

Starbucks: Entertainment as a Brand Experience

What Unilever pioneered, Starbucks is continuing at Hollywood level. Starbucks has been experimenting with co-producing entertainment for some time, the This Is Football series on Prime Video being a good example. November last year, they announced they were going one step further by setting up Starbucks Studios, their own production company that tells inspiring stories and contributes directly to the brand experience. Their first project? Madwoman’s Game, a documentary with Keanu Reeves as executive producer, celebrating the power of perseverance and creativity.

Procter & Gamble: Hollywood Level Storytelling

Perhaps the founder of the phenomenon of brand funded programming is Procter & Gamble, dat ooit de soap opera uitvond om zeep te verkopen. In de 21e eeuw pakt het nóg groter aan. Met P&G Studios , they finance Hollywood productions and work with top names like Ron Howard (director of A Beautiful Mind, among others) and Reese Witherspoon. The result? Emmy-nominated documentaries (The Cost of Winning) and films picked up by HBO and Hulu. This is not advertising, this is entertainment at the highest level, with a clever link to P&G's brand values.

Kimberly Doebereiner with the all-important job title VP of the Future of Advertising at P&G and head of the studio says it this way:

“Because ultimately, we’re about connecting our brands to our consumers to sell more product, right? So the brands aren’t necessarily leading it, but they’re looking for ways for their brand to show up. They’re looking for ways to be more authentic and more a part of culture and conversation.”

And sometimes the investment is not even a cost item, P&G earns back on some productions through sales and distribution deals:

“We are looking for an ROI and we’ve had success recouping the cost of some or all or more of the projects, depending on the cost”

Shopify Studios: Glorifying Entrepreneurship

Shopify in 2019 launched Shopify Studios, a full-fledged TV and film production company focused on inspiring entrepreneurship. Jason Badal, head of Shopify Studios, states:

“Behind every product, system, and modern convenience that makes the world turn is an entrepreneur with an idea” The studio produces documentary series such as ‘Studios Films’, which tells stories of entrepreneurs going against the grain, such as David Hieatt of Hiut Denim, who is bringing 400 jobs back to a small Welsh community. And founder Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart with VAUTE she was the first vegan fashion line to appear at New York Fashion Week. Not short promo pitches, but 30-minute long-form content with millions of views.

Home Depot: From Store to Inspiration Platform

Home Depot goes one step further with Studio Orange, a 240,000-square-foot production house established in early 2024. The company took over a former furniture studio and transformed it into a complete content factory. Talitha Wiles, director of marketing operations, explains:

“If we’re using agencies to create this content, there’s only so much you can do because it gets too expensive. This [facility] came along at a fantastic time to [produce] content at scale, at a reasonable cost, that you can control.”

Studio Orange not only produces marketing material, but also inspirational videos such as How to Create a Gamer Space. The three-and-a-half-minute production did not highlight any specific products, but instead was meant to “help you think about the process” of creating a game room, said Studio Orange's senior manager of creative production Jennifer Hudson. “That's different from what we would have done 10 years ago.”

Thomas Ordahl, a brand strategist, called this the “third click” in Home Depot's brand evolution. In the early years, he said, the company established itself as a one-stop, big-box destination for homeowners. Then it worked to position itself as a source of expertise and instruction.

Now it is at the third level:

“Now they’re going to a third level, trying to inspire you around home projects, to move you emotionally. They’re progressing along this continuum to own a more ephemeral space of emotion and dreams.”

Neutrogena: Social Relevance

Another notable example is Neutrogena, which in 2024 launched Neutrogena Studios, the world's first brand-funded content studio focused on skin health. Their debut documentary In the Sun was produced in collaboration with Emmy-winner Kerry Washington as executive producer. The documentary tells the personal stories of seven families and their relationship with sunlight, aimed at breaking misconceptions about skin care. In addition, they launched the First Frame programme, which gives emerging Gen Z filmmakers the chance to make short films about skin health – an innovative way to engage young creators while deepening the brand.

Dove: Storytelling as a Social Statement

Dove shows how brands can use stories to explore deep social issues. In collaboration with Channel 4 and Pulse Films, the brand produced the documentary Hair Power: Me and My Afro, presented by social historian Emma Dabiri.

Moving beyond traditional marketing content, the documentary explores the cultural and social dimensions of black hair in Britain. By highlighting issues such as hair discrimination and the struggle for recognition of natural hair, Dove creates more than advertising. It delivers a meaningful statement about inclusivity and social justice.

Five principles for branded entertainment

What do we learn from these cases? Successful brands follow these five strategies.

1. Don't interrupt. Entertain

If you do it, do it well. No slogans, no sales pitches. Just stories.

2. Show don’t tell

Every film reflects what the brand stands for. Their style, attitude and values.

You already feel it without even having seen a logo.

3. Work less with agencies and more with producers

Agencies work in advertising, producers create entertainment.

So work with reputable producers with access to channels and streamers. Then sometimes they even manage to recoup the investment through sales and distribution deals.

4. Support outspoken creatives

Safe is boring. Boring is always a waste of money.

Work with producers and directors with a clear vision.

5. Think long-term brand value, not short-term reach

The Emmy nomination didn't make P&G sell more razor blades the next day, but it does make Gillette a brand with a story.

Conclusion

Wonder's acquisition of Tastemade shows that traditional divisions between retail and media are blurring. Retailers that want to stay relevant need to do more than just sell – they need to inspire. In a world where stories have power, every brand must ask itself: are you just shifting boxes, or a brand with a story?

Retailers who think media is an afterthought are falling behind. Those who do not invest in storytelling will remain a salesman in a world that demands storytellers.

Previously published on: Frankwatching

Tonight, the Academy Awards were handed out, the world's most prestigious film prizes. With Dutch success for Victoria Warmerdam, who won with her short film I am not a robot. For filmmakers, winning an Oscar is the ultimate recognition of their work. But why shouldn't brands aspire to the same?

From interruption to perception

Ads, for all their good intentions, often have a negative connotation. Viewers perceive them as distracting or irrelevant. Even the most creative, beautifully produced commercial becomes irritating when it passes by on television for the umpteenth time. And no one is waiting for a commercial halfway through an exciting scene of your favourite series. Another source of frustration; those ‘unskippable’ ads on YouTube. 

However, brands that produce entertainment can build a deeper connection with their audience. Instead of interrupting the viewing experience, they become part of it. This requires a fundamental shift in thinking: from producing ‘marketing content’ to creating high-quality entertainment that can compete with the best in the industry.

Award-winning examples of brands investing in entertainment

Glass - Vereenigde Glasfabrieken (First Dutch Oscar winner) 1960

In 1958, director Bert Haanstra made Over glas gesproken , a black-and-white information film commissioned by the Vereenigde Glasfabrieken. During this project, Haanstra became inspired and the access and resources he was given allowed him to make Glass . This short colour documentary about glass production, with jazz music by the Pim Jacobs quintet, became the first Dutch film to win an Oscar. 

Although – as far as I could find out – the Vereenigde Glasfabrieken did not pay directly for Glas, the film would never have been made without their commission. This makes it an early example of ‘Brand Funded Entertainment’.

The LEGO Movie - LEGO (Oscar nomination) 2015

Imagine: you are CMO of a toy company with a rich history. Generations grew up with your product, but now you compete with video games, YouTube and VR. You've already experimented with digital content, but you're looking for a real home run—something timeless that touches both children and adults and connects generations.

The LEGO Movie  received rave reviews and achieved an impressive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. The song Everything Is Awesome was nominated for an Oscar. The film was not only an entertainment hit, but also generated better sales than any other LEGO campaign. In 2015, the year after its release, sales were up de omzet met 25 per cent. In 2014, after the film's release, sales were already up 14 per cent.

“This has been the best year ever for the LEGO Group. If I could sing and dance, I should be singing and dancing because it is a fantastic number of results.” — LEGO CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, 2015.

Hair Love - Dove (Oscar winner) 2020

The short animated film Hair Love began as a Kickstarterproject by filmmaker Matthew A. Cherry, inspired by viral videos of black dads styling their daughters' hair. It raised almost $300,000-the highest funding for a short film on the platform.

In an interview with AdAge , Cherry explains that Dove largely stayed away from the project. ‘In the middle of the Kickstarter campaign, they reached out and were one of the few companies that really got it,’ he says. The brand donated some money for the production, but had no requirements regarding product placement. ‘They just really wanted to support from the beginning, and the only thing we had to do really was the shout-out in the end credits’ he says.

With 110 million views on YouTube alone, the film became an unprecedented success, with an Oscar as icing on the cake. In 2021, Dove will intensify its partnership with Cherry and launch its own product line. The collection exceeded retail forecasts, doubling expected sales in the first two months..

The Long Goodbye - WeTransfer (Oscar winner) 2022

In 2018, WeTransfer launched the content platform WePresent.  In 2020, they released The Long Goodbye , a short film by Riz Ahmed outlining a dystopian world post-Brexit. The project proved that a brand can create entertainment with both artistic and social impact, while reinforcing its core values.

The impact extended beyond the screen: the film was named as ‘must-see’ in the British parliament and in addition to an Oscar won three Cannes Lions. 

Barbie - Mattel (Oscar winner) 2024

In 2023, you couldn't ignore Barbie . At almost $1.5 billion, the film had the highest box office revenue of the year. Billie Eilish's title track, What Was I Made For?won an Oscar.

In 2018, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz embarked on a Hollywood strategy to reverse declining sales. Several ideas for Barbie were rejected, until indie director Greta Gerwig was given the green light after a pitch from Margot Robbie’s team;

“In that very first meeting, we impressed upon Ynon we are going to honor the legacy of your brand, but if we don’t acknowledge certain things—if we don’t say it, someone else is going to say it. So you might as well be a part of that conversation.”

By poking fun at the stereotypical Barbie and even the CEO, the film managed to make the doll relevant again. Mattel estimated that the film generated $125 millionin revenue growth, with sales in the doll category up 24 per cent and Barbie sales up 14 per cent. After the earnings report, Mattel said it expected the Barbie movie to continue to boost sales in the years to come.

Emilia Perez – Yves Saint Laurent (Oscar winner) 2025

In 2023, fashion house Yves Saint Laurent founded Saint Laurent Productions . Just a year later, three films had already been selected for Cannes, including Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez , which won the most awards at the Golden Globes.

Although the film did not completely dominate Oscar night, partly due to a number of controversial old statements by the lead actor, it still won two Academy Awards. 

By focusing on films of this calibre, YSL is positioning itself not only as a fashion giant, but also as a cultural force in the entertainment world. Or as Anthony Vaccarello, Creative Director of YSL, puts it;

“You can still see a film in 10 or 30 years if it’s good. In some ways, making a film can be more impactful than a seasonal collection.”

Entertainment as the ultimate brand expression

Of course, film awards are not the only measure of success, but they do force brands to raise the bar. When a brand produces entertainment with the ambition to win an Oscar, the focus is on creativity, storytelling and quality instead of purely commercial messages. 

The result? Content that the audience really wants. Brands that embrace entertainment not only make better content, but also build a deeper bond with their target audience. In a world where consumers increasingly ignore advertising, that may be the ultimate prize a brand can win.

Previously published on: Adformatie

This week, the third season of The White Lotus premieres on HBO Max. That it is a delightful comedy series I don't need to stress—with a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes , that goes without saying. What is more interesting is the huge impact the series is having on the travel industry.

Travellers want to experience the locations of their favourite films and series in real life. This phenomenon, also known as film tourism , is a form of branding with unprecedented ROI. In a world where consumers are inundated with ads, it is crucial for brands to stand out in a way that doesn't feel like marketing, but like inspiration. But how do you harness this power effectively?

Set-Jetting: Films as Travel inspiration

According to the latest trend report from travel site Expedia, ‘Set-Jetting’ is a growing trend. A survey of 25,000 travellers in 19 countries shows that two-thirds of respondents say films and series influence their travel choices. Indeed, 36 per cent say this influence has increased in the past year.

One of the most famous examples is the impact of The Lord of the Ringstrilogy on New Zealand, which created Tolkien tourism. The country saw a 40 per cent increase in tourism, from 1.7 million visitors in 2000 to 2.4 million in 2006. Similar effects were seen with Game of Thrones, with Spanish and Irish film locations becoming tourist attractions. Tourism Ireland even went a step further with a creative campaign: 10 hand-carved wooden doors with Game of Thronesimages were placed in pubs near film locations. The result?

• £17 million in earned media
• 8% increase in tourism
• 17.5 million views and 126 million mensen reached

Brands as media companies

Not only destinations, but businesses are also benefiting from this trend. More and more brands are stepping into the role of media companies and producing their own content to create an emotional connection with consumers.

Marriott Hotels: From hotel chain to film producer

Marriott Hotels founded its own media company in 2014. In 2015, they already produced several successful projects, including:

• The Navigator Live (tv-show)
• The Two Bellmen (short film with multiple sequels; parts 2 and 3)
• French Kiss (short film, shot at a Marriott hotel in Paris)

These films not only generated millions of YouTube views, but also generated direct bookings. For example, a promotion around French Kiss generated $500,000 in additional revenue.

“A lot of brands will get into content marketing and want to produce the content themselves,” said David Beebe, Marriott’s Emmy-winning vice president of global creative.

“They’ll spend millions of dollars building a studio. They’re going to shoot film, all this stuff. What happens? You get in your own way. Then it becomes an ad. You start inserting your product. It’s a turn-off.”

Airbnb: Documentaries with impact

In addition, Airbnb funded and produced the documentary Gay Chorus Deep South, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and won. According to Rotten Tomatoes, it is one of the 20 best LGBTQ films of all time. The film follows the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, which embarks on a 10-day Tour of the US Deep South in 2016 in response to a wave of discriminatory anti-LGBT laws and divisive elections. James Goode, head of creative at Airbnb, explains that the film underscores Airbnb's mission: to welcome everyone, regardless of background or orientation.

Tripadvisor: Travel based on genuine recommendations

Tripadvisor launched The Wandererin 2022, a travel programme on Prime Video, each destination has a different presenter, who creates a trip based on recommendations and reviews from Tripadvisor users. 

Each episode of The Wanderer will be promoted on Amazon's Prime Video through a series of paid media placements and on Tripadvisor through paid and organic media. Viewers can get further inspiration through customised Tripadvisor destination guides created to accompany each episode.

The campaign has been such a success that the series has been extended for a second season and a third season is expected.

Dramamine: Humour as a branding strategy

Not all brands opt for traditional storytelling. Dramamine, known for travel pills for nausea, took a different approach. They capitalised on an unexpected emotion: nostalgia.

With their campaign The Last Barf Bag , they paid tribute to barf bags, which are being used less and less thanks to their product. A humorous short documentary put the barf bag in the spotlight. And refilled, for the first time in years, with something new: purpose. The campaign won the Grand Prix at Cannes last year and realised;

• 650 million impressions
• +23% Brand engagement
• +26% Sales

The White Lotus & Four Seasons: a golden collaboration

Back to The White Lotus. The luxury hotels where the series is set are benefiting hugely from the publicity. The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, where season 3 was partly shot, already saw bookings - despite the $2,000-per-night price tag - increase by 40 per cent. Chief commercial officer, Marc Speichert, expects that once the new season airs, it will continue to grow “exponentially”.

Indeed, earlier seasons had an even greater impact:

• The Four Seasons Resort in Maui and Taormina saw a 10x increase in bookings.
• High-end travel network Virtuoso reported a 424% rise in Sicily bookings after season 2.

Speichert, aptly sums up the power of entertainment branding:

“It also underscores the growing connection between travel and pop culture – two worlds that naturally complement each other, as travel fuels creativity and sparks curiosity on a global scale.”

What can brands learn from this?

1. Tell an authentic story: Brands that use storytelling build a stronger emotional connection with their audience.
2. Make entertainment the core of your strategy: Content that inspires and amuses feels more natural than traditional ads.
3. Collaborate with filmmakers and platforms: By collaborating smartly with the entertainment industry, brands can be featured organically.

Entertainment has the power to make destinations irresistible. For brands that want to stand out in a saturated market, storytelling in the form of film and series is not a luxury, but a necessity.

Previously published on: Adformatie