How and Why Brands Collaborate with Film

Kateryna Popova, PR Director at PLEON Talan, has over 15 years of experience in communications and public relations, primarily within the consumer electronics and technology sectors. Her portfolio includes film festival sponsorships and collaborations with directors, actors, and influencers. While studying at King’s College London, she focused her dissertation on film and communications (2024). In this column, Kateryna discusses the dynamics of collaboration between brands and the film industry.

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The Role of Film

In 1928, Edward Bernays wrote in Propaganda: “American cinema today is the greatest unconscious carrier of propaganda in the world. It is a powerful tool for spreading ideas and beliefs. Cinema has the capacity to standardize the ideas and habits of an entire nation.” During World War I, the U.S. and other governments attempted to use film to influence the masses. It was in this context – amid a scientific and technological revolution and a geopolitical reshaping of the world – that cinema, public relations, and propaganda converged.

Today, PR, marketing, and advertising are so closely intertwined through the digitalization of communication channels that many professionals no longer distinguish between them, often referring instead to immersive marketing, which integrates multiple approaches. However, there is a reason why PR specialist Bernays highlighted the role of film in shaping public perception. PR differs from marketing and advertising in that it rarely communicates directly; instead, it creates a context for influence, often working through third parties and media channels. Its primary goal is to change attitudes and shape opinions, rather than drive immediate sales, although sales impact can be a secondary outcome. For this reason, cinema aligns well with cultural forms and serves as an effective tool for PR practitioners. Film allows for manipulation of context, embedding meanings into the narrative unfolding on screen.

Advertising film for Sunlight Soap by the Lumière brothers, 1896.

Today, we will examine how brands collaborate with film, exploring the different types of partnerships and the key characteristics of this format.

Content and Collaborations

Content is the primary focus. A-list brands produce several promotional videos each year, and their local offices often release their own content as well. While these videos, particularly product-focused ones, can be fairly standard, brands frequently involve artists and well-known directors in their advertising projects. This approach helps generate high-quality, original content and adds layers of meaning through the director’s creative vision and signature style.

Dior and David Lynch Collaboration (2010). The director created a short film commissioned by the iconic French brand.

An impressive collaboration between Ridley Scott and Apple for Macintosh (1984).

A mini-film by Ukrainian director Antonio Lukich for Xiaomi (2021).

Product Placement

Product placement refers to featuring a manufacturer’s products or brand logos within film or media to promote them. While audiences are familiar with this form of brand presence, achieving effective integration is more complex than it appears. Simply showing a product on screen is usually insufficient; for impact, the product needs to be meaningfully integrated into the narrative.

Such collaborations can take different forms. Often, when a production requires specific props, the crew approaches major brands to provide them in exchange for on-screen exposure. When integration is planned specifically for promotional purposes, the brand typically pays a fee. In Hollywood, such placements generally start around $300,000, while in Ukraine they begin at approximately $20,000.

A key challenge with product placement is timing. Product release schedules are usually limited to one or two years, whereas film production can take three to five years. As a result, a product appearing on screen may no longer align with market availability at the time of release. Placement can boost brand recognition, but for major brands – such as Apple, Samsung, LG, Sony, Audi, or Lexus – this is rarely the primary objective, since recognition levels are already very high. To better align product release and production timelines, placements in TV series or music videos are often more suitable, or brands may choose products with a multi-year market presence, which is common for FMCG companies.

Nemiroff, for example, implemented a dedicated product placement strategy. One notable instance is its appearance in Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance music video at 0:16.

A striking example of Audi product placement in Avengers: Endgame.

LG provided an example of smartphone product placement in the film Iron Man. At the time, the smartphone market was less saturated with rapid innovation, so the device remained relevant for more than a year. On screen, the placement emphasized the phone’s original form factor, making it a visible focal point within the narrative.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship is the most accessible form of collaboration, as it can include support for premieres, film festivals, and special screenings. It provides an additional opportunity to showcase a brand and create visible presence at events. This approach is particularly useful for emerging brands and new products. However, it is important to note that the responsibility for creative integration usually lies with the brand itself, as festivals typically offer inventory, not the concept.

Among recent developments in the world, TikTok has become a partner of the Cannes Film Festival.

In Ukraine, the Odessa International Film Festival (OIFF) is considered the most effective platform for film sponsorship. Like other international festivals, OIFF offers a range of integration opportunities, including logo placement, branded zones, and mentions of the brand in informational materials.

An interesting example is the Ukrainian film anthology War Through the Eyes of Animals (2025, SOTA Cinema Group), which was sponsored by the Save Pets of Ukraine initiative from Kormotech. In this case, sponsorship also served as a way for the company to demonstrate its social stance.

Sponsorship is also sometimes used to describe IP collaborations, although in Western markets this is considered a distinct type of partnership. This approach involves a brand purchasing a limited license to use the film’s identity or recognizable elements. As part of these collaborations, the brand may also receive rights to act as a sponsor or partner for local premieres and related events.

Ambassadorship

In Ukraine, ambassadorship with film stars is less common than in other countries, with brands more often partnering with musicians, singers, and football players. Nonetheless, collaborating with actors, directors, or other film professionals can strengthen a brand, adding depth and a sense of style.

Influencer Marketing

Today, many film stars and well-known directors maintain large social media followings and act as influencers. Brands often engage in one-off collaborations with them to highlight a new product or campaign.

For example, Lucid Motors partnered with Timothée Chalamet in 2025 in an ambassador-style collaboration, with most activities and integrations taking place on Instagram.

In Ukraine, this approach is also widely used, with brands collaborating with figures such as Natalka Denysenko, Anastasiia Korotka, and Nadiia Dorofeeva. While production work often remains behind the scenes, high-quality shoots frequently involve professional film crews.

Director Antonio Lukich, for example, maintains a dedicated YouTube channel, with his videos often sponsored by well-known brands ranging from Silpo to HBO Max.

How Filmmakers Can Secure Brand Partnerships

Cinema–business partnerships exist on several levels. First, academic research often examines the ethical implications of such marketing, particularly in the context of regulated products. For example, during the silent film era, the tobacco brand Lucky Strike positioned itself as “cigarettes for actors,” a strategy that proved successful for many years.

Second, there is the perspective of PR and marketing professionals, who consider how to structure collaborations effectively. Finally, from the filmmaker’s point of view, the question is how to secure a brand contract and obtain additional funding for a film through commercial partnerships.

1. Timing and Networking – Brands plan their budgets annually, so it is crucial to monitor the market and maintain a network to pitch compelling ideas. In Hollywood, agents and studios typically handle this process, while in Ukraine, it is often managed directly by production teams.
2. Understanding PR and Brand Marketing – A basic grasp of how public relations and brand marketing operate is essential. Major brands adhere strictly to their strategies and experiment only within approved plans. All integrations undergo additional risk checks, making it important that the film and its production are free of legal or copyright issues.
3. Product Familiarity – Companies look for creative teams that understand the product in depth and can approach its features in innovative ways. While artistic teams rarely focus on such details, brand partners prioritize “product understanding” when selecting collaborators. The brand is part of the product, but new product features are always the primary focus.
4. Flexibility – Major brands often require multiple rounds of approvals and revisions, with questions and requested changes along the way. Creative teams focused solely on the film may find these demands unusual or untimely. Working with international brands requires readiness to navigate this process. Local brands are often more flexible and impose fewer requirements.
5. English Proficiency – Collaboration with international brands requires the ability to present, negotiate, and defend ideas in English. Most decisions involve headquarters in other countries, even if working through a local office. Proficiency in English facilitates smoother budget approvals and ensures the headquarters can confidently communicate with the creative team at any stage.

How Audiences Watch Films Amid Pervasive Advertising

In reality, there is more advertising in films than we often realize. Today, we’ve looked at a small number of examples of commercial collaborations that are visible, regulated, and therefore transparent. However, product placement or sponsorship contracts alone are rarely enough to fund an entire film. Major studios frequently work with non-profit organizations, governments, and public institutions, embedding not just dynamic storylines or world-saving adventures, but also ideas.

The real challenge – and influence – occurs in these subtler layers. For example, Marvel comics, which later formed the basis of the MCU, were originally published during the context of World War II and aimed to provide audiences with material to reinterpret those events. This interplay between storytelling and broader messaging will be explored in upcoming materials.

Note. The column includes both widely known examples of brand–film collaborations and examples from the author’s personal experience while working in the Ukrainian offices of LG and Xiaomi.

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