The rise of the fractious streaming media environment has made it more challenging for brands to reach and connect with consumers via traditional advertising. As 15 to 30-second commercials become less effective, major brands are turning to feature-length films and documentaries as effective ways to elevate the brand with emotional, narrative storytelling.
From The LEGO Movie's family-friendly fun to Gucci's support of Invisible Beauty, a documentary about Black supermodel Bethann Hardison, brand-driven features are appearing in movie theaters, at film festivals, and on streaming services. Brand storytelling via feature-length films provides the ability to create an emotional connection with an audience, with A-list talent playing a spokesperson role in a less-obvious way. And a brand's core values and mission can come across clearly, reaching not only a loyal consumer base, but also an audience that it didn't previously have.
What types of brands should be considering this approach? Generally, larger brands are moving into the storytelling space, mainly because they have the resources to fully finance a project that might not recoup quickly (either via the box office or increased consumer engagement), and they have the leverage to retain high levels of control over the creative and production processes. Major brands as diverse as Louis Vuitton, Home Depot, and Gatorade are finding that they have stories and products that translate well into longer narratives; Patagonia has built a collection of documentaries that are entertaining while also reflecting the brand's association with nature and global cultures; and Yves Saint Laurent has helped set up a new studio that will produce approximately two to three films per year, with its first feature premiering at the Cannes festival.
The rise of brand storytelling has managed to turn a key part of the movie production process on its head: instead of filmmakers coming to companies to discuss product placement, companies are approaching filmmakers, taking on the role of a production company and studio. We've worked with brands on creating offers to directors, acquiring life rights or underlying rights (from a source article or book), and other deals that typically come from a studio, and have worked as finance, production, and distribution counsel on behalf of films as a whole. As the deals move forward, the brands are driving all of the production-related deals that come along with the project, including distribution. Even the promotion of the film can become part of a brand's marketing strategy, with a distribution advertising window that can last for up to six weeks prior to the release of a film.
Depending on several different factors (how much of the budget is financed by the brand, what materials the brand is licensing to the film, etc.), we are seeing broadened approvals rights, especially in the documentary space. These rights can cover decisions such as approval over other financiers, credits, the distributor, the press release, the way in which the film is advertised, the director, final cut, etc. These are highly negotiated points, and filmmakers are willing to work with brands rather than be the ultimate authority on the project. It has become a joint process, which distributors are now more willing to entertain and accept.
To many brands that are expert in their own realms of luxury goods or retail consumables, entering into the world of film production can seem frightening. And there are risks, even when the brand has final cut: The film marketplace is tough, especially for projects outside of big studios, and there's a very real possibility of putting money out and never seeing a dime back. But when the risk pays off, a brand is able to get in front of a wider audience than with a traditional ad, and potential customers beyond the brand's established fanbase might see the movie and start to form a connection.
There are more opportunities than ever for brands to move into longer-form storytelling, and audiences have shown that they're willing to engage with a brand when it's presented in a high-quality, entertaining package. There are storytelling options for brands from across a wide range of market sectors, and there is a growing infrastructure to put together deals and raise the curtain on these exciting new ways to talk to, solidify, and grow your customer base.
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