Films and brands meet real-life drama at this year’s Cannes Film Festival
Digital Cinema Media’s (DCM) CEO Simon Rees shares his reflections on the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and the increasingly close relationship between brands and film.
DCM joined more than 30,000 official attendees at Cannes this month for the biggest and most widely acclaimed film festival in the world. According to Jean Cocteau, one of the most talented artists and filmmakers of the 20th Century:
“The festival is an apolitical no-man’s-land, a microcosm of what the world would be like if people could make direct contact with one another and speak the same language.”
The coveted Palme d’Or was awarded this year by Jury President Steven Spielberg to Blue is the Warmest Colour, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, and the Grand Prix went to Inside Llewyn Davis, directed by previous Palme d’Or winners, Ethan and Joel Coen.
Other stand-out films from the event included The Great Gatsby, The Bling Ring and Only God Forgives.
But this year’s festival was about far more than the films – it was about the stars, the parties, the fashion and some real-life drama through an audacious jewellery heist.
While this helped jewellery brand Chopard take the headlines, the ubiquitous presence of brands at the festival reflects the increasingly close relationship between advertising and film.
Hewlett Packard and Orange were official festival partners, Nespresso provided free coffees and Nikon dominated huge billboards featuring images of iconic film stars.
These stars paraded the red carpet in various sponsored clothes and accessories with a huge amount of global coverage dedicated entirely to who’s wearing who…
The Bling Ring, which premiered at Cannes, mirrored this side of the Cannes culture as it features celebrity-obsessed Los Angeles kids who use the internet to track their favourite icons in order to break into their homes – and then show off the designer loot on Facebook.
Even writer-director Coppola had to smile about the coincidence between the film’s plot and the Cannes jewellery heist, joking that her actors had an alibi and that it wasn’t a publicity stunt.
However, it was The Great Gatsby which took its association with luxury brands and 20s excess to a whole new level.
The film features 40 bespoke Miu Miu and Prada 1920s cocktail designs – which are on travelling display at Prada’s flagship stores in New York, Tokyo and Shanghai until mid-July. Tiffany & Co. created fine jewellery for the film based on its 1920s designs – which are currently touring the premiere circuit and attracting interest from collectors.
While Gatsby, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, wears Brooks Brothers suits which have inspired the brand to create ‘The Gatsby Collection’ of Regatta blazers, pink linen suits and straw boater hats.
Talking to the Financial Times this month, fashion consultant Lillian Von Stauffenberg, explained that for the advertisers, it’s about visibility and brand building.
“Get it right and it can be hugely important,” she said. “Looking back at history, there are lots of great films with fashion brands associated, and that has actually made them more iconic.
“When I think of the original Great Gatsby movie starring Robert Redford, the first thing I think of is the amazing Ralph Lauren costumes. The same when I think of Givenchy’s designs for Breakfast at Tiffany’s. If it’s done a meaningful way, it adds to the film.”
As the economic dynamics of Hollywood change, the opportunities for the branding of movies are becoming more pronounced. In Gatsby’s case, the brand collaborations are part of the entertainment, particularly as there is historic legitimacy.
As with all forms of advertising, relevance, credibility and the entertainment experience are essential to creating such a successful partnership.