Innocean (214320.KS) is launching Cinema by Brand, a content platform that connects brands with filmmakers, with Hanwha Group as its first partner. The move extends the company's business beyond advertising production into the planning, production and distribution of film content, opening a new revenue model and a path to additional advertising clients at home and abroad.
Innocean said on the 13th that it presented the vision for Cinema by Brand and its first project at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, held at BEXCO in Busan. The platform was jointly conceived by Innocean and the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) to develop and produce film content. Rather than simply placing brands on screen, it aims to translate a brand's philosophy and the essence of its business into a director's own perspective and cinematic narrative.
Innocean CEO Kim Jung-ah explained the thinking behind the venture. "If brands, creators and consumers are connected through film, we can offer creators new opportunities and give consumers a brand experience they seek out and enjoy on their own," the CEO said. "This is the area where Innocean can best apply the content production experience and creative capabilities it has built up."
Innocean also views the platform itself as a new revenue model and a chance to broaden its business. The plan is to expand beyond advertising production and media buying into content planning and production, distribution and the use of intellectual property (IP). The company also intends to use the content competitiveness strengthened through the platform to win new clients in its existing advertising agency business.
"Cinema by Brand is an attempt to build a new business model by drawing on our content production capabilities and our network of creators," the CEO said. "Creating points of contact with new advertisers, turning those into successful campaigns and expanding our client base is also a goal."
Hanwha Group signed on as the platform's first participant. The central subject of the films is space-based solar power. Three directors were selected after a review by experts from Innocean, ACFM and the Producers Guild of Korea (PGK). The completed works are scheduled for release in theaters or on global streaming platforms sometime in 2027. Because Hanwha Group runs a range of businesses in countries around the world, the films will target overseas audiences as well as domestic viewers. Innocean plans to develop Cinema by Brand into a long-term platform operated every year.
"This year we started with a single advertiser because it was our first, but many brands showed interest," the CEO said. "Directors were given only about one to two weeks to prepare their proposals this year, so next year we plan to extend the preparation period and expand the platform so more brands can take part."
Innocean also plans to use the platform to secure overseas advertisers. The strategy is to widen its client base beyond Korean companies to global firms hoping to enter the Korean market and to Asian brands in markets such as Japan and Thailand.