1) There’s been a dramatic increase of brands taking it upon themselves to encourage positive social change through the messages they put out as advertisers, which has been inspiring to our filmmakers and us as a community. The idea that advertising can not only sell products but also bring awareness and compel people to participate in positive change is something that is adding another layer of meaning to what we do.
And, as clients focus on the power of content more and more, they’re shifting marketing dollars toward the development of branded entertainment, which is creating new opportunities for production companies and directors to develop longer-form communication strategies hand-in-hand with agencies and clients from the start.
2) I am so proud of the work we did on our branded film Corazon, which was directed by John Hillcoat and produced in partnership with JohnXHannes for Montefiore Health Systems. The beauty of the impact of Corazon is that by telling a true story, it raised awareness of the great need for organ donors and triggered a surge of new donors signing up because of the campaign. More importantly than the awards it gathered, it is helping save thousands of lives and gives a deeper meaning to what’s possible in the work that we do.
3) There is tremendous value when we are given the opportunity to collaborate with agencies and clients in the early stages. It gives us the ability to team our directors with screenwriters, to get to know the people or products we’re talking about, and better understand the subject matter to tell a narrative that will have a profound impact In traditional advertising. We tend to get called at the last minute after agencies have worked for months to understand the brand’s DNA; by getting called in early by JohnXHannes and Montefiore, we got to develop a story that struck a chord with audiences because it held so much truth. That came from us having the time to develop a relationship with the subjects, as well as the brand. We are excited by the fact that with today’s evolution of branded communication, we have more opportunities to adopt a process that’s closer to how we operate for feature films.
4) The fact that streaming platforms like Hulu and Netflix are opening the doors to branded entertainment is going to help our business evolve. I think that there’s going to be a lot more opportunities to create branded series and content at a high level, allowing us to take the audience on a bigger journey that’s more immersive and to sell products in a way that is connective and truthful without being on the nose. I see the lines blurring more and more between advertising and long-form filmmaking.
5) Brands are taking risks and addressing social issues head on in an honest way, and it can really pay off when the work is embraced and celebrated. Nike’s “Dream Crazy” with Colin Kaepernick was so inspiring, and it was wonderful to see them recognized for that powerful message.
6) We’ve naturally always made an effort because at its core, Serial is a female-operated company with a core team of women running the show. And, we’re working to ensure that our projects are tapping into diverse perspectives, whether from gender, race, or sexual orientation. We think it’s important to not only convey that with our filmmakers and the young talent we mentor, but also with any key positions such as producers, production designers, cinematographers, etc.
