BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT

Take your placement a step further – Branded Integrations are placement agreements in steroids!

Brand Integration allows you to reach consumers by integrating products or messages within the entertainment content already being consumed. It is an amplified type of product placement in which the product is central to the program’s plot line. The brand is interwoven within the script, showcasing product functions or unique features. This typically only occurs with a cash fee, media buy or significant production provisioning resulting in major production cost savings.

A Branded Integration often fills a particular scripted need and contains a verbal reference, hands-on use of a product or other direct use of a product.  Some examples are:

  • Wardrobe clients – wearing, purchasing or referenced “Brand Name” clothing as a way to emphasize the character’s dress, stature or aspirations.
  • Vehicle Clients – researching, purchasing, driving or referring a particular car.  Such placements may emphasize a vehicle’s capabilities or may be modified to fit a scripted prototype vehicle.  The JAMES BOND film franchise is famous for their vehicle integrations.
  • Personal Care Products – used as store displays, being purchased, used by a character.
  • Cell phones, Computers and Electronics – Demonstrating unique features and capabilities, a character purchasing a product, using a product or mentioning it verbally.
  • Liquor and Beverages – purchased, consumed, given as gifts, store displays, used to celebrate a milestone, or verbally to make a “character” point.

We put the placement in writing!

The agreement between the studio or producers and the brand spell out the obligations of both parties.  Using a vehicle integration as an example some obligations may include:

  • The Brand will provide – 2 White Jeep Grand Cherokee’s.
  • The Brand will provide a Jeep/Chrysler dealership as a location for two days.
  • A description of the exposure expected – i.e. “The lead character goes to the Jeep dealer and test drives a Jeep Cherokee.”

The agreement will provide a well defined measurement for the evaluation of the integration:

  • A measurement of success –the Jeep logo and vehicle will be visible for a minimum of 30 seconds and there will be 2 verbal references as follows:
    • The lead character test drives the car and tells the sales person “I love the Cherokee, let’s make a deal, and”
    • The lead character gets home and brings his wife outside to see the car and says “We have a new Jeep in the family…”

The agreement will protect the brand:

  • A liquidation clause – should the 30 seconds of exposure not occur client will receive a prorated refund of any fees paid.  In addition, should the exposure not occur, the brand will receive a daily rental of $100 for each vehicle provided and location rental of $10,000 per day.
  • A loss/damage clause – while an insurance rider will accompany the agreement, should the vehicles or location be damaged the producers will pay for such damages.
  • If the integration does not meet the minimum measurements for success the brand will be relieved of any promotional or other obligations.

The agreement may also include conditional commitments and/or triggers:

  • The brand will provide the 2 vehicles used in the entertainment property as prizes for an on-line promotion supporting the release of the production.
  • Based on receiving the minimum exposure, the brand will promote the film in all dealerships with point of sale displays.
  • Based on receiving the minimum exposure, the brand will tag their television commercials with “as seem in the movie title in theaters on the release date“.

While no placement or integration can be guaranteed, the producers or studio hold the right to edit the film as they deem necessary to tell the story.  Sometimes this includes the elimination of a scene which includes the placement.  With an agreement in place, the brand is better protected.

Let’s start the negotiations!