The “Why” Behind Brand Films (PART 1)
I recently had the unique and humbling opportunity to serve as selection committee chair for the upcoming Brand Storytelling Theater Showcase at Sundance. The screening will take place January 19-22. During the film selection process, the committee had an open, thoughtful and refreshingly honest discussion about the state of the brand film industry.
Before I dive in, let me set the stage. Brand Storytelling is a leading organization in supporting, educating, and inspiring brand-funded content. The upcoming showcase at Sundance was created to elevate and celebrate the best in brand-funded films. We had hundreds of entries from around the world and assembled a group of top media execs, brand leaders, agency heads and award-winning film directors to be judges around the virtual table. It was a snapshot of what I would imagine the United Nations of brand storytelling would look like; lots of perspectives and opinions but all coming from a place of incredible experience, expertise, and real passion.
Beyond the incredibly inspiring official selects, which I encourage you to check out, the conversation became a barometer for the state of our industry. The conversation was too good not to share. The industry is evolving faster than most and with every discussion, event and brand film success or failure, it’s an opportunity to grow…something most people reading this care about as much as I do, and why it’s such an exciting time to be a part of this industry.
SIX TAKEAWAYS…
A TIDE TO RISE ALL SHIPS
Let’s be honest…a filmmaker's job is to make a great film, not to develop the film strategy for the brand. Brands don't always have a big picture or long-term strategy in place when they jump into the brand film world. Without the upfront time investment, it doesn’t matter how great the film is; chances are most brands won’t rush back to do more. It's exciting to see some forward-thinking brands evolving as film development becomes a core part of a long-term storytelling enterprise. When this big picture approach is applied, brands and their partners can begin to focus on building thoughtful slates that all ladder up to a long-term collective vision and evolve past the “one and done”.
FROM “NICE-TO-HAVE” TO “MUST-HAVE”
When the strategies behind brand films are sound and have company-wide support, it means priorities won’t shift dramatically or waiver with each new CMO. The value of storytelling becomes ingrained in the organization, not one individual. This can position brand film development as essential to annual budgeting and planning, ensuring it’s no longer a “unicorn” that is tapped into once in a blue moon, but rather a consistent, predictable, and desired part of the brand marketing mix.
BUILD AN ECOSYSTEM AROUND THE FILM…NOT IN THE FILM
These can’t be solo acts. In other words, from a brand POV, every film is part of a bigger platform that includes bespoke extensions that ultimately connect and support the business. This requires creatives and marketers to think beyond just the film itself and apply more of a franchise mindset. This is done by providing a bespoke model to multiple orgs within the brand; from integrating customer loyalty programs and supporting CSR activations to providing derivative premium content for related campaign needs. Having this mindset from the start, once again, ensures these types of projects go from buzz-worthy to essential. It’s also a great way to ensure the film remains a pure entertainment vehicle while the related elements and derivatives provide benefit and value to the business.
Check out Part 2 with more takeaways.
