How Self-Awareness Doubles As Clever Self-Promotion

The times they are a changing, at least as far as product placement goes, and no we're not just talking about the work we do over at Hollywood Branded, and other agencies.  Taking a brand, placing it in a movie - when you think of product placement that is the exact image you get, isn't it? A Coke can in the hands of an A-List actor while they're having lunch, or cracking open a cold Bud Light after surviving an alien robot attack (we're looking at you Transformers: Age of Extinction).

While those overt placements are top of mind there's another level that exists, one that's much more subversive in nature, one that you may not even consider to be product placement in the first place since it's so natural, or in some cases, expected - like in Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2. So, what exactly are we talking about? Well, we're glad you asked.  In this blog, Hollywood Branded delves into a trend in movies by using studio properties as a form of product placement, and see just how successful this new form of promotion is...

Stranger Things Has Led To Major Brand Sales

Hit TV shows offer prime opportunities for brands to show off and promote their product. And that is no exception with Stranger Things, one of the most popular TV series currently on TV or SVOD.  And while many brands may have been a little slow to realize the power of a TV show that takes place in the 80's, other brands have found product placement nirvana.

In fact, even brands who haven't been featured in the content, but have found ways to still be associated, have seen sales success. And one brand in particular has actually seen sales (and stock) drop after their meteoric rise in popularity and sales driven by the Stranger Things storyline, after the season ended.  In this blog, Hollywood Branded discusses the effects of product placement and licensing partnerships on brand sales, with two case studies proving it works from Stranger Things.  

The Celebrity Impact For Brands

Celebrities are sales drivers who strongly influence consumer engagement. We believe Nike's edition of LeBron James and Michael Jordan shoes will enhance our skills on the court, and how many of us are using Proactiv acne treatment because Jessica Simpson and Katy Perry said so?

But just like the crises of Paula Deen and Lance Armstrong, celebrity endorsers and their corresponding brands can find themselves in a publicity nightmare through a bad decision or simple oversight. However, marketers should not avoid investing in a celebrity partnership due to fear of the unknown.  There are absolutely ways you can protect yourself.  In this blog, Hollywood Branded takes a look at how to create your own brand's celebrity partnership safety net in order to be successful - and safe. 

The Smallest Heroes With Large Brand Promotions

With the latest Disney/Marvel superhero installment hitting theaters July 6th, the brand partnerships are out in force. Riding the coattails of the cinematic universe's success this year with Black Panther in February (which broke the $1 Billion mark), and Avengers: Infinity War, who went on to surpass $2 Billion worldwide, Ant-Man and The Wasp hopes to add to the impressive 2018 tally.

So, what brands can we see this time around? Let's count them down.  In this blog, Hollywood Branded brings you the top brand partnerships with Ant-Man and the Wasp, and explains why the smallest of supers make for some of the biggest promotions...

With Three Billion People Tuning In... Marketing Dollars Join The Game

As the World Cup tournament heads down the final stretch, the on-field battle for soccer supremacy isn’t the only fierce competition taking place. Off the field, brands -- both big and small -- are competing for consumers’ attentions in more ways than ever before. According to FIFA, three billion people watched the 2014 World Cup, with another estimated 280 million tuning in online or on a mobile device.

This digital trend is expected to grow exponentially for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and the tournament's even been dubbed the first truly digital World Cup. In this blog post, Hollywood Branded looks at how brands are making a digital impact at the 2018 World Cup, and taking advantage of the spike in online fan engagement.