Branded Entertainment News
While the absence of breaks may not have seemed overtly noticeable over the past three Saturdays, the addition of sponsored sketches certainly should have caught your attention this past weekend. SNL utilized a variety of techniques to introduce brands and products both within and outside of the live sketches. (CC)
Not long after Doctor Strange premiered in Los Angeles, the Marvel Comics movie made an unexpected crossover with ABC’s soap General Hospital. Viewers and critics in response reacted to the awkward and uncanny mention of the film in the series. (IT)
Entertainment marketers have increasingly been relying on influencer marketing campaigns to reach Millennial and Gen Z audiences who are less receptive to traditional forms of advertising. (MP)
Top Deals
NBCUniversal and Mazda North American Operation are working together on their fourth annual Drive for Good community charity program.
(BC)
The chocolate bar will be featured in a two-minute commercial break in Fox’s revival of
The Rocky Horror Picture Show that will depict how the actors and actresses in the production were transformed into the outlandish characters who populate the off-kilter musical comedy.
(VAR)USA Today Network has released its first ad unit in VR, or what it calls the cubemercial, in a new weekly VR show, VRtually There, in partnership with Toyota.
(DR)
Hot Projects
Netflix’s action fantasy film written by Max Landis and David Ayer. Ayer will direct the film and produce via his Crave Films alongside Bryan Unkeless of Clubhouse Pictures and Eric Newman of Arcade Films. Will Smith and Joel Edgerton will star.
(SE)Syfy gave a pilot order to this crime drama based on the graphic novel,
Happy! written by Grant Morrison and published by Image Comics. Morrison and Brian Taylor wrote the pilot and executive produce alongside Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, and Toby Jaffe of Original Film. Universal Cable Productions will produce the project.
(SE)