The resurgence of brand integration

Brand integration in Entourage

In a recent Adweek article, filmmaker Doug Ellin, creator of HBO’s engaging Hollywood send-up Entourage and director and writer of the big-screen version, discusses how strategically integrating brands into the storyline provides a sense realism, while using ‘fake’ brands can even be a distraction from the story.

His brilliant take on the new era of brand integration (or product placement) is catching on. From native advertising to products written into scripts, marketers want messaging that looks less like advertising and more like an element of the original content.

From movie and TV producers – to video game creators and musicians – to YouTube and Instagram influencers, the creative community is becoming more open to brand integration relationships—even seeking them.

And, the audience has also evolved over the years, viewers now want a connection and not a generic distraction. Well managed brand integration enhances the experience even providing an aspirational quality that can’t be achieved by made up generic products.

Having ads outside the content is no longer enough. A new era…or perhaps resurgence is underway.