Vistan (heart) with Barreto and Nicholas Saputra
Think about making a drama sequence for a global viewers—with an all-star solid and content material at par with Okay-drama blockbusters—with out worrying in regards to the bills, because the tab shall be picked up by shopper manufacturers which can be adroitly woven into the storyline.
Filipina filmmaker Corinna Vistan, previously based mostly in Hollywood as a content material producer at Marvel, did simply that and extra when she created the 2024 TV miniseries “Secret Ingredient,” a landmark partnership between Hong Kong-based streaming platform Viu and shopper big Unilever.
Cannes Company Media & TV Awards (and in a while Asian Academy Awards) feted this mission because it grew to become a shining instance of how filmmakers and entrepreneurs can come collectively to craft tales that each improve the narrative and align with model values, with out feeling pressured or misplaced.
READ: Julia Barretto impressed by her ‘Secret Ingredient’ character to go away consolation zone
Except for the sequence successful “Finest Branded Content material” and “Finest Ensemble Forged,” Cannes summoned Vistan in September final yr to ship a lecture on the revolutionary funding construction of Secret Ingredient.
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The six-part miniseries tells a love story between a South Korean chaebol inheritor Ha Joon, performed by Sang Heon Lee (star of Gran Turismo and XO, Kitty), and Maya, a proficient Filipina chef performed by Julia Barreto, a subordinate of well-known Indonesian chef Arif, performed by Nicholas Saputra.
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Ha Joon offers up his complete luxurious life in Seoul to pursue Maya, a childhood buddy he had misplaced contact with however who now not acknowledges him in current day.
As lots of the scenes are set within the kitchen of Chef Arif’s restaurant in Jakarta, the sequence includes numerous cooking and is thus in a position to imbed Unilever merchandise.
“Conventional fashions of financing are altering, and types are stepping up as key companions within the growth of recent media,” says Vistan, sharing with Sunday Biz excerpts from the lecture.
Julia Baretto making ready for her function as chef Maya
“The rise of streaming providers, modifications in promoting consumption and the explosion of branded content material have opened new alternatives for manufacturers to turn into direct financiers of artistic initiatives,” she says. “This makes filmmakers a pretty associate for manufacturers wanting to achieve audiences in a extra partaking, natural means.”
Manufacturers now perceive that viewers are skipping adverts or avoiding them altogether, particularly with the proliferation of on-demand content material, she provides.
“It was a monumental mission for Viu in partnership with Unilever as a result of it was the primary case examine we’ve achieved that showcased how content material can marry branded integration so long as you will have nice storytelling at its core,” Viu Philippines head of content material Garlic Garcia says in an electronic mail interview.
“This main worldwide recognition from Cannes affirms the success of this groundbreaking model collaboration between Viu and Unilever, that reinforces how one can at all times discover a means for a model to shine with out letting it disrupt the viewer expertise and that is what we wish to present to potential manufacturers which can be on the lookout for other ways to advertise their services,” Garcia provides.
Garcia says one success issue right here is that the present highlights one of the best of the Philippines and Indonesia, two of essentially the most populous international locations within the area. “We tapped A-list celebrities that have been homegrown so as to add to the star issue of the present,” she notes.
Saputra, as an illustration, is claimed to be Indonesia’s model of Piolo Pascual.
“Second, we capitalized on the Okay-wave affect and tapped a South Korean director and author to helm the present with breakout star Sang Heon Lee additionally to guide it,” she provides.
What makes it work
Refined promoting in movies or TV sequence isn’t actually one thing new. Assume Mattel’s Barbie movie (2023). Nearer to dwelling, tycoon Henry “Huge Boy” Sy Jr. produced in 2011 the comedy flick “Who’s that woman?” starring Anne Curtis as a strategy to promote residential condominium developer SM Growth Corp. Different manufacturers have been likewise showcased within the film.
However Secret Ingredient is the primary time {that a} fast-moving shopper items firm like Unilever got here in to help a whole sequence to imbed a number of manufacturers in a multinational manufacturing led by a Filipino showrunner.
It opens the doorways for creators to deliver their visions to life with out relying solely on studios, networks, or streaming platforms.
However how can entrepreneurs, filmmakers or storytellers seamlessly combine manufacturers into these narratives with out interrupting the circulation, disrupting authenticity, or most significantly, alienating the viewers?
Korean actor Sang Heon Lee attempting some Filipino meals beside Corinna Vistan (rightmost) —Contributed images
Vistan shares just a few ideas:
1. Begin with the story: The narrative comes first. All the time.
All of it begins with an idea: what the film shall be about that the creator can pitch to financiers.
Secret Ingredient is about childhood mates who discovered one another by way of meals and have become lodge cooks as adults.
“So whenever you see them prepare dinner utilizing the (Unilever) merchandise, hindi pilit (it isn’t one thing pressured into you),” says Vistan.
2. Know your viewers: Perceive what resonates with them emotionally and align the model with these components.
Right here, the primary goal demographic base is that section of girls, together with moms, who love Okay-dramas. Nevertheless it has to return with a Southeast Asian component. The story takes place in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Manila, however every part was filmed in Manila. Ayala Tower 2 was used because the capturing location for the fictional chaebol workplace.
“The pull is the Korean component; that’s the anchor,” Vistan says.
3. Refined however seen: Strike a steadiness between making the model noticeable however not intrusive.
“In hanging a steadiness between subtlety and visibility, and making certain the model enhances moderately than detracts from the story, we are able to create compelling, immersive content material that resonates with viewers whereas serving the model’s goals,” Vistan says.
“Storytelling is about connection—between the creator and the viewers, between characters and their world.”
As a associate, Unilever gave Vistan’s workforce the liberty to execute their artistic imaginative and prescient.
“They trusted us, gave us artistic freedom, and simply mentioned now we have to work with a Korean author and director,” Vistan remembers.
The workforce would ship the script to Unilever however solely supplied their inputs when their manufacturers appeared.
4. Create a world the place the model belongs: The model ought to really feel like a pure a part of the setting, characters and plot.
“Unilever had recipes they needed to focus on. The objective was to indicate these recipes so when viewer watches it, they’ll get hungry and wish to prepare dinner,” Vistan says.
Vistan’s workforce labored with six Unilever manufacturers , together with two which can be identified within the Philippines: Woman’s Selection and Knorr (4 are Indonesian manufacturers).
“On the time the present went out, gross sales went up for these forms of merchandise,” she says.
Within the Philippines, the present ranked No. 1 on Viu’s platform on its fifth and sixth week, and likewise topped the rating in Indonesia.
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As soon as the partnership was finalized, capturing started in January final yr. By Might, the sequence began streaming.
