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Would Any Brand Sponsor a Free Film Studio?

10.15.10 @ 2:35PM Tags : branding, brandintegration, businessmodels, converse, studios

There’s an interesting story in the NYTimes about sneaker brand Converse opening a music recording studio here in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. By itself, it’s interesting for a brand to invest in a 5,200 square-foot state-of-the-art recording space, but check out Converse’s business model: the space will be free for musicians to use. In an era where content is becoming increasingly more and more branded, I can see how a lifestyle brand like Converse (no one is buying Converse shoes because of their superior performance) would find such a pursuit worthwhile. Music is “cool,” and giving independent musicians a space to record is also cool. But what about independent film? Is it cool enough that any brand would sponsor a film studio that was free to use? More »