Corbis Entertainment Launches The World's First Branded Entertainment Network (BEN)

Corbis Entertainment Launches The World's First Branded Entertainment Network (BEN)

Provides Global Brands Instant Access to Top Placement Opportunities Across All Entertainment Media

Service Launches with Strategic Alliance with Producers Guild of America and Partnership with UM (Universal McCann)





NEW YORK, May 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Corbis Entertainment, a division of Corbis, a Bill Gates company, today announced the launch of Branded Entertainment Network (BEN). The new interactive platform provides global brands and media buyers with instant, upstream access to the hottest Film, TV, Digital and celebrity placement opportunities resulting in a marketplace for integration. BEN will utilize a proprietary CPM model created through years of data analysis of placement deals. BEN allows media agencies customized planning, comprehensive reporting through third-party providers Nielsen and Motion Picture Group (MPG) and guarantees impressions.

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"BEN is a natural next phase for our entertainment division, one that brings a desktop utility to the multitude of assets and relationships gained by our 2012 acquisition of Norm Marshall & Associates (NMA), the biggest name in entertainment marketing and product placement," said Gary Shenk, Chief Executive Officer, Corbis. "Through BEN, we are delivering scale, efficiency and measurement science to the world of branded integration, solidifying our leadership position in the fast-growing, $8 billion-a-year global entertainment marketing and product placement marketplace."

Through a strategic alignment with the Producers Guild of America (PGA), BEN clients are assured a first look at exclusive integration opportunities via new content from some of the most prolific producers in entertainment. At launch, BEN will have upwards of 600 placement opportunities from its content providers. BEN's content providers produce for studios, networks, and distributors including Netflix, Amazon, Discovery, Bravo, Sony Pictures, etc.

"BEN provides the ultimate two-way exchange for building buzz," added Mark Gordon, President of the Producers Guild of America. "For advertisers, it offers a way to plan smart, quantifiable, guaranteed integrations to reach their target audiences, with the most exciting projects and personalities in the world of entertainment. For producers, it offers an important stream of revenue to bring our creative visions to life, and a way to cross-promote our content in partnerships with prestigious brands."

"With over 35 years of product integration expertise under our Corbis banner," added Shenk, "the BEN team will take a collaborative approach to find organic, meaningful opportunities for brand clients, while protecting the creative integrity of producers."

The BEN interface provides media planners and buyers with a turn-key solution to search, target, filter, create media plans, place integrations and track performance on behalf of their clients. It facilitates the delivery of placements customized to a brand's marketing goals and target audience, while providing comprehensive metrics through industry leading third-party partners such as MPG and Nielsen, enabling clients to effectively track performance and ROI in real time. The BEN team coordinates all placement logistics and guarantees impression delivery across all media.

"By working with the BEN team, media agencies can now execute brand integration deals within their traditional media mix consistent with how they purchase broadcast, cable and digital video media," added Mark Owens, Executive Vice President, Corbis Entertainment. "We're especially delighted to take the wraps off this exciting venture with support from one of the world's most forward-thinking agencies, Universal McCann."

"BEN is a fantastic tool that enhances our ability to identify relevant branded entertainment opportunities across media channels," said Scott Donaton, Global Chief Content Officer for UM and head of UM Studios. "We are excited to partner with BEN's network of producers and studios to create and execute integrations for our clients as part of our story-led approach to content marketing."

According to industry authority, PQ Media, worldwide product placement revenues have continued their rise, for four straight years. Advertising spending on product placement deals was 12 percent higher in 2012, up to $8.3 billion globally. While the U.S. remains the world's largest product placement market (with an 11.4 percent gain to $4.75 in 2012 according to PQ Media), the industry is experiencing rapid growth in Brazil, India, China and Russia, the latter two seeing respective gains of 27.2 percent and 20 percent in 2012.

For more information about the Branded Entertainment Network (BEN) please visit www.productplacement.com or call 212.375.7355.

About Corbis Entertainment: Corbis Entertainment connects global brands to consumers through the power of entertainment. Our core competencies include product integration, entertainment public relations, music licensing and partnerships, rights clearances and representation, talent seeding and negotiation.



About Corbis: Founded in 1989 by Bill Gates, Corbis® is a leading digital content and worldwide entertainment rights company. We empower agencies, brands, publishers, and other media producers to capture the attention of audiences worldwide by integrating premium and timely content into their communications. From exceptional creative, documentary, and breaking entertainment content, to product and media integration services, Corbis helps elevate projects, amplify brands, and captivate any audience.

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SOURCE Corbis Entertainment

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140506/84635
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Corbis Entertainment

CONTACT: Sal Cataldi, sal@cataldipr.com, 212.244.9797

Web Site: http://www.productplacement.com


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