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In today’s mixed-media world, brands are entertainment and entertainment is brand. Creating audience isn’t enough, marketers are working to create close-knit, always-on fandom. And there’s no longer any such thing as running a simple advertisement – everyone needs to be everywhere just to make an impression. 

That’s where marketers like Jen Bacchus come in. Formerly with talent agency WME, Bacchus has experience helping such major brands as Visa, Marriott, McDonald’s, T-Mobile and Eddie Bauer tap into innovative entertainment opportunities. In her new role as director, entertainment marketing at M+C Saatchi North America in Los Angeles, Bacchus will focus on building end-to-end marketing strategies for clients, including branded content, product integrations, entertainment partnerships, and talent negotiations and activations. 

Bacchus spoke with Spotlight by email to discuss her approach to integrating brands and entertainment to the benefit of both partners. 

Spotlight: What appealed to you about this opportunity at M+C Saatchi?

Jen Bacchus, director, entertainment marketing, M+C Saatchi North America: The opportunity to supercharge the work M+C Saatchi North America is already doing, pushing brands further into entertainment and unlocking new opportunities for them by getting in early, utilizing upstream intelligence and finding less traditional ways in.

Spotlight: How do you define entertainment marketing and how will you apply that definition in this new role?

Bacchus: I define entertainment marketing as brands engaging authentically with talent, film, television, content and music. In this role, we integrate each of those pillars into our approach and find the strongest path forward for every brand we work with using deep industry relationships and upstream intelligence. 

Spotlight: Everyone talks about marketing these days as creating culture as opposed to running a 30-second spot in the hottest new series. Why do you think that’s changed and how can brands really lean into that, especially if they don’t come from a culture of creating their own content or telling their own brand stories in that sort of imaginative way?

Traditional ads don't often capture attention. They're skipped, ignored, scrolled past.  Consumers are smart, they see through things that don't actually mean anything. When brands become part of the conversation, that's a much better way to break through.

Brands can lean in by meeting audiences where they are and getting hyper-specific about how they want to engage with them. The good news is that there are great ways to leverage entertainment that don’t require brands to create content themselves or reinvent their identity.

Spotlight: Entertainment brands – particularly those with culture-forward content like HBO Max or FX – are often creating culture with that content, so I think the marketing comes a little easier to them. Think Game of Thrones or The Bear. How do you work with brands (for example, your work with Little Caesars and Fantastic Four or  USAA and Masters of the Air) so that they can ride those culture waves to the benefit of all parties? 

‍Bacchus: The key is finding content that aligns. Masters of the Air, for example, had a military storyline that worked well with USAA, so we did screenings for veterans. With Little Caesars and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, we were able to give fans collectables, Fandango offers and other perks that deepened their connection to the franchise. That kind of work is often more impactful because it meets audiences where they’re at in a meaningful way.

Spotlight: Some brands, like Gap in particular, are forming their own in-house studios to create their own content. What do you think about that trend and how do you advise your clients around it? 

Bacchus: It's an interesting trend but it only makes sense for certain brands that can leverage existing IP. I don't recommend it for everyone, and I generally advise clients to venture into content through partnerships first.

Spotlight: We’re just coming off what has been an enormous branding opportunity for soccer, Fox Sports, Telemundo and even some individual talent, like Erling Haaland or Jude Bellingham. M+C Saatchi NA was named the US Soccer Federation’s integrated marketing agency in March. How would you advise clients to continue benefiting from this increasingly rare entertainment moment where millions of people’s attention are all focused on one thing? What branding have you seen within the World Cup that’s really impressed you? 

Bacchus: The goal is to become synonymous with these moments and to extend the connection beyond the game or the in-stadium branding. Find ways to connect so that if everyone is focused on the World Cup, make sure they're also thinking of you. Michelob Ultra's partnership with FIFA is a great example. It’s a consistent presence across all the fan zones, sending a cohort of creators to the games. They've done a great job of authentically connecting with audiences while using their title sponsorship to gain mass awareness.

Spotlight: If you are working with a brand that does not have an entertainment partner attached, how do you create those authentic and absorbing moments for them? 

Bacchus: We start with a holistic strategy, figuring out what moments make sense for that brand and building from there. Then it's all about industry relationships and upstream intelligence to determine which films, properties, or talent make sense to partner with in order to reach their audience and objectives.

Spotlight: What role do you see creators having in this space? What are some guidelines you recommend for brands who are interested in working with creators?

Bacchus: Creators present an excellent opportunity to amplify entertainment partnerships. Any creator partnership should be guided by authenticity and that means finding people who will speak to your audience in a trusted way.

Spotlight: What are one or two of the best/most creative/most effective integrated campaigns you’ve seen out in the world lately? 

Bacchus: You mentioned it earlier, but Gap is truly a best-in-class example. The recent campaign with Hailey Bieber set in the '90s, complete with 1996-themed mailers, is brilliant. It is a great way to leverage her cultural cachet without feeling over the top and is a masterclass in how to activate cultural relevance without overreaching.