Brand Tie-ins in Film

Brand Tie-ins in Film
There are many ways a film likes to advertise itself. There are many different things a production does before and after the premiere of a film. A lot of it is in anticipation for the film itself. Take Barbie for example. There were so many different products associated with the film Barbie. Mattel Creations created an entire merch line dedicated to the film. This included replicas of the wardrobe such as Barbie’s pink & white dress and Ken’s, “I am Kenough” hoodie. Barbie as a brand already had an aesthetic and the movie Barbie brings a new kind of aesthetic to not only the brand but the fans of Barbie. What's the number one color associated with Barbie; that makes Barbie, Barbie. Pink, of course. The film, Barbie is filled with vibrant, bright colors. Just like the brand Barbie, but pink is the one color that has migrated from the brand into the movie. It's a staple of the brand and Mattel and Warner Bros. did not deter from it. The die hard fans of Barbie are introduced to this new display of Barbie while new fans become aware of the original style of Barbie.

It used to be that these companies would reach out to the studios in the hopes for a partnership or collaboration with the film, but they wouldn’t always be successful. In modern times now, it’s the complete opposite. Studios are now reaching out to companies which is why moviegoers are seeing more and more partnerships. Studios are aware these partnerships benefit them and their film. That’s why they’re doing it. Brand-tie-ins help the studio reach their secondary audience or anyone who happens to be watching or paying attention. HSN for example has helped films with this. HSN has said that moviegoers are more aware of a particular film because they’ve seen the advertising for it on their website.

Licensed merchandise is just as important as a movie poster for studios and production companies. As much as 40% of movie merchandise is sold before the film is released. The Harry Potter franchise has an endless supply of merchandise associated with their films, but the franchise that blows any film or other franchise out of the park is Star Wars and has generated more than $12 billion in sales.

I LOVE BARBIE!

Spoilers within Film
While there is proven success of brand tie-ins in film, sometimes the result can be a disappointment or a spoiler. Fans of Genis-Vell were able to determine they would be in the film Captain Marvel by spotting their action fiction before the release of the film. Moviegoers would have also gotten a spoiler if they visited Burger King before the premiere of Shrek because each kids toy came with toys from different characters of the film, including Fiona as she transitioned from a human into an ogre. Disney has been able to avoid this by not releasing any products associated with the film until after it has premiered. Saving their audience from the exposure of spoilers. There’s always a downside to any method used to market your film, but being strategic is key.

Media Adaptations in Film
Media Adaptations have been a rave as of late. A lot of bid studios have pulled the trigger of combining two groups of people together. Gamers and Moviegoers. Films such as Pokemon Detective Pikachu (2019) Film Adaptations, Sonic The Hedgehog (2020), The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), and Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023) have now entered the realm of film when they all originated as video games. Brands and studios have created a world for both of these groups to come together.

Let’s take Super Mario Bros. for an example. Super Mario Bros is one of the most popular and recognizable games to exist. Especially Mario himself. The media adaptations of this film allows Mario along with his brother and friends to come to life. What exactly goes on in the world of Mario after the Nintendo is turned off? The audience is able to gain insight into the world of the Mario video game franchise.

The brand Truff was able to capitalize on the media adaptation of the Nintendo game turned film. It was sort of a no-brainer for the brand given it started as a mushroom infused hot sauce and part of the Mario video game’s brand and aesthetic is mushrooms. The brand received over 5,000 re-post on social media after the announcement of collaboration with Nintendo & Universal

Product Placement vs. Brand Tie-ins
Product Placement- A practice in which manufacturers of goods or providers of a service gain exposure for their products by paying for them to be featured in movies and television programs.

Product Placement is only really beneficial for the product that is being displayed.

Brand Tie-in is a type of promotional campaign which combines multiple media for maximum public exposure.

When it comes to Brand tie-ins the benefits are for both the studio and film itself and the company. The company gains a new set of followers and customers to purchase their product. The studio and film gained new fans. Maybe these moviegoers are unfamiliar with the studio or possibly the work of the director and would like to see more of it. Doing this can open up a relationship between the brand and the studio. This gives them the opportunity to work on future projects together. Especially if there’s a possibility the film could have a sequel or turn into a franchise.

Audience mentality about the relationships between brand ties and films
Moviegoers are smart individuals. So a lot of them are very aware of any possible brand tie-ins or product placements within a film. Brand tie-ins allow the audience to engage with the content. Take the film Minions for example. The studio for the film Minions did a partnership with the baked goods company Hostess. They were able to secure the opportunity for Hostess to dress the twinkies as minions. Some may say that twinkies are not very popular and would be a bust but the public went wild for them. This goes back to how Hostess as a whole aesthetic with their brand and the film Minions has their own aesthetic. So these two brands coming together creates something new for the audience to see and enjoy. Many have said that having a piece of merchandise that in remembrance of the film, helps the audience stay connected and it creates a new level to the experience. This experience allows the audience to travel outside of the theater and into the real world for them. It also allows the audience to create their own aesthetic associated with the movie and brand.

Products linked to Characters
Sometimes whenever a product is linked with a certain character, it’s intertwined into the storyline or possibly a part of the characters make up. For example, in the first season of Stranger Things, Eleven develops an obsession with Eggo Waffles and throughout the season and later seasons it was normal to randomly see Eggos in frame. There’s even a scene where Eleven is in a grocery store, sitting on the floor of the frozen section. As the camera pushes out, there is a background of Eggo waffles in the freezer behind Eleven. There is a lot of camera movement throughout the series of this show from push ins and outs, to tracking shots. There is a lot to be seen in this world.

Brand Tie-ins & Film
Mattel Creations: Barbie (2023)

Hershey’s Reese’s Pieces: E.T. (1982)

Adult Minion costume: Despicable Me (2010)

Dog costume: Scooby Doo

Huggies: Monsters University (2013)

Mattel Creations: The Hunger Games (2012) Hunger games (film)