• Ad Age, Friday, February 10, 2006 11:30 AM

When it comes to branded entertainment, there are apparently a lot of marketers out there who don't know what they're doing. The problem is that they are entering into this still- developing arena without knowing exactly who they are as a brand. That was one of the conclusions put forth at a conference panel on branded entertainment sponsored by Advertising Age in Los Angeles. The blame has to be shared with Hollywood, panelists said, for a willingness to sacrifice the integrity of a story for the sake of a deal. "You must be very clear about what you stand for and why you deserve a place in the market," said Stephen Berkov, director of marketing for Audi of America. "You start with knowing your brand DNA." The panel was led by Harvard Law School professor Arthur Miller, and included executives from Hollywood's creative community along with marketers, consultants and other branded entertainment players. Using fictional scenarios that have become his trademark, Miller drew the discussion from potential consumer overload on product placement to brands fully funding entertainment projects. In previous conferences, talk centered on whether branded entertainment was the right path for marketers to follow. This year, there seemed to be no question that it's a marketing approach worth investing in. What remains to be figured out is how to structure deals and execute programs.

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