For years, savvy marketers have skillfully placed and integrated brands into film and television productions as a key element of their marketing strategy (who could forget the iconic Reese's Pieces in E.T.?). However, with the sheer abundance of content available today, consumers are now exposed to an unprecedented amount of media and, thus, brands. That's where co-marketing partnerships can offer a powerful solution and elevate successful brand placements and integrations. These partnerships have the ability to enhance the impact of product placement/integration, resulting in meaningful experiences for consumers and reinforcing positive brand associations.

Placement in practice

• "ET: The Extra-Terrestrial" - Reese's Pieces: Reese's Pieces saw a 65% increase in sales after being featured prominently in the iconic film. The brand capitalized on the alien's obsession with the candy, leading to a successful product placement campaign that resonated with audiences.
• "Stranger Things" - Eggo Waffles: In the hit TV series "Stranger Things," Eggo waffles played a recurring role as a favorite food of one of the central characters. What started as a natural integration became something of a pop-culture sensation. Eggo capitalized on the placement with a marketing partnership to further drive sales by tapping into the series' massive fanbase.
• Marvel Cinematic Universe - Audi: The Marvel Cinematic Universe films have consistently featured Audi cars as transportation choices for their superheroes. This ongoing partnership continues to strengthen the existing association between Audi and luxury, style, and advanced technology, all attributes aligning closely with the superheroes' image. Audi has taken the collaboration off the screen and into real life with extensive co-marketing campaigns, including TV spots, event sponsorships, and more.

Our Partnerships experts recently had the opportunity to work on "Book Club 2," a sequel film centered around friendship, love, and a European adventure. We successfully partnered with a global airline that was integrated into the film, Lufthansa, bringing together the themes of travel and friendship. Lufthansa supported the project through paid media, their owned and operated channels, a sweepstakes giveaway, and an influencer travel activation. It was a fruitful collaboration that enhanced the film's message and the brand's integration and offered exciting opportunities for travel enthusiasts.

Promotional partnerships that build upon organic placement/integration help to ensure that the collaborative marketing efforts of all parties are magnified. This strategic approach empowers the brand to extract the utmost value from the effort. Want to learn more about how we extract that value? Get in touch.