Mediabrands, R&CPMK launch tool to integrate brands with premium content

Netflix might be launching ads, but brands still need a way to get in front of consumers in a media landscape where the most popular shows and movies are increasingly ad-free.

On Thursday, IPG agencies Mediabrands and R&CPMK said they have teamed up to create UpstreamPOP, a platform that can help brands identify the right content integration opportunities and broker relationships for placement in ad-free content. 

The platform uses Mediabrands’ audience data, analytics and technology to discover the right opportunities for brands within a library of two thousand greenlight movie and TV scripts and music videos, which R&CPMK has access to through its relationships with studios, directors, producers and talent.

The platform, exclusive to IPG clients, makes it easy to search through content using keywords such as date, talent, or demographic. R&CPMK’s partnership integrations team then brokers the deal. The platform, built on the Acxiom, Kinesso and Matterkind data stack, measures the performance of the integration on the back-end.

According to R&CPMK CEO Mark Owens, UpstreamPOP gives IPG’s clients an advantage when looking to align with “watercooler content,” from feature films to shows on major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV, HBO Max and more.

“That fundamental change that Gen Z and younger millennials have cord cut and more than 55% don’t have linear TV forced us all to think about how to embed products authentically into content,” he said. 

Integrations are made ahead of production and will appear when content airs, generally in six months from identifying the opportunity. “There is still a lot of friction in the content world,” Owens said. “It’s a journey working with writers, streamers and distributors.”

Despite the premium nature of the content, Owens said that deals range in the low to mid-six figure range which is “less than a 30 second spot on linear TV on a good prime time show.” Also, opportunities are also more affordable because they are identified before the content airs. 

The idea for UpstreamPOP came together after IPG Mediabrands Content Studio opened up shop inside of R&CPMK’s Los Angeles office.