<\/p>\n
When it comes to pop culture, CAA sometimes finds itself at the center of it. Charli XCX, who was the face of this summer\u2019s brat summer, Ashley Park, who stars in Netflix\u2019s Emily in Paris<\/em>, and comedian and SNL<\/em> cast member Ego Nwodim are among the agency\u2019s roster of talent.<\/p>\n But enough about the stars: the agency is looking to strike up even deeper relationships with brands.<\/p>\n Earlier this summer, CAA announced the formation of a new media and entertainment partnerships department, which formalizes the work the agency had already been doing in bringing brands into Hollywood productions. The new unit comes as more brands seek out ways to integrate with content to reach consumers, especially after the success of Barbie<\/em> and its brand partnerships last summer, according to Libby Bush, global head of media and entertainment partnerships at CAA.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had been missing\u2026really big blockbuster tentpole moments,\u201d Bush, who leads the new department, told Marketing Brew. \u201cI do think what [Barbie<\/em>] did was it reminded brands that this is a space that can be really fun and creative and successful. We just hadn\u2019t had it because of Covid and strikes and all those things.\u201d<\/p>\n When it comes to brokering brand partnerships, several teams within the agency work in tandem. Bush\u2019s team works with the TV and motion picture teams to pair talent with brand opportunities, as well as with the brand consulting team that reps brands themselves. Recently, for example, amid the rise in popularity of women\u2019s sports, brands have been clamoring to get involved with related talent, Bush said, and Bush\u2019s team has approached other internal teams to help source talent to meet that demand.<\/p>\n Essentially, the idea behind the new department is to help CAA put together branded production partnerships at scale, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe uptick has been the desire not just to market around creative, but to really be in creative and in it from the very beginning, rather than coming further down the road when the creative is further along,\u201d Bush said. \u201cThat\u2019s where I think the need for our team has really skyrocketed. Because of where my team sits inside of CAA, we get to see stuff from the very beginning stages.\u201d<\/p>\n Marketing Brew informs marketing pros of the latest on brand strategy, social media, and ad tech via our weekday newsletter, virtual events, marketing conferences, and digital guides.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In some cases, CAA\u2019s own clients have come to the agency with ideas they have. Ahead of a recent Bridgerton<\/em> campaign, for example, Bush said that show creator Shonda Rhimes, who is on the agency\u2019s talent roster, asked the agency about finding a brand partner to collaborate with Season 3\u2019s star couple, Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton, which ans online had dubbed \u201cPolin.\u201d<\/p>\n Bush recalls Rhimes asking, \u201cDo you think a brand would be interested in riding this cultural conversation and this wave and partnering with me and my creative team to develop a campaign around pollen and help promote the show?\u201d<\/p>\n The result: CAA worked with the nasal spray brand Flonase on a Bridgerton<\/em>-themed commercial featuring members of the \u2019Ton<\/em> struggling with allergies but unable to use Flonase\u2014because it would not be invented for another 200 years.<\/p>\nBrand loyal<\/h2>\n
Get marketing news you’ll actually want to read<\/h5>\n