The Definitive Guide to Brand Integration
The practice of brand integration is nothing new. Since the early days of entertainment — and specifically soap operas, daytime television wholly sponsored by brands — it has been an engaging and compelling arrow in a marketer's quiver. There are many historical markers around brand integration since that time. E.T. and Reese's Pieces. The Bond franchise and multiple brands including Aston Martin and Heineken. FedEx and Wilson in Cast Away. These integrations are considered the gold standards, but thousands and thousands of others may not necessarily grab the headlines but are equally powerful — and sometimes more so.
In the continuum of advertising and entertainment, the VCR began the ad-skipping revolution. From there, DVRs added a more sophisticated layer to ad avoidance. In digital marketing in general, ad blocking continually raises the specter of a brand disappearing into the ether. And today, the rise of streaming, especially with the likes of Netflix and Amazon, which are non ad-supported, puts even more pressure on marketers to get in front of audiences in meaningful ways. Additionally, as social media platforms become a major destination for audiences, influencer marketing has become another essential component of brand integration that marketers need to consider.
However, brand integration, from those early days to this day, remains a tried-and-true valuable opportunity for marketers. As a marketer, brand integration is not merely a "nice to have" anymore. As audiences seek ways to avoid traditional and digital advertising, it has become an incredibly powerful tool.
When long-standing relationships are combined with technology that addresses efficacy and a brand's KPIs in both the entertainment and influencer space, brand integration deserves a closer and more in-depth look. The goal of this definitive guide from Branded Entertainment Network (BEN) and The Drum is to educate marketers in any industry on how brand integration can be an essential part of a marketing mix. Use it as a reference to understand how your brand can take advantage of this exciting, continually emerging marketing space.
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Source
"The Definitive Guide to Brand Integration." Branded Entertainment Network; The Drum, 2018.