The Brand Storytelling Selection Committee Members discuss what we took away from viewing submissions across, film, series and podcast for this year’s festival - live on-stage in Park City at Brand Storytelling 2024. We highlight best practices alongside disruptive innovation within strategy, production and distribution of content as we reflect on the opportunity to have a finger on the pulse of this intersection of storytelling and brand engagement.

Manager of Content & Editorial at IAG, Raelene Metlitzky, shares why the NRMA Insurance brand decided to create a feature length documentary about volunteer firefighters. Rae shares how a leap of faith on behalf of the brand turned into a book, then a film, then a movement that’s reached across Australia and has made a profound impact on brand affinity after being picked up for broadcast by the largest network in Australia.

Senior Director of Content at WeTransfer Holly Fraser takes us inside We Present, WeTransfer's award-winning editorial and digital arts platform that creates and commissions unexpected stories of creativity from all over the world, across film, music, photography, art and literature. We get an in depth look at how the team collaborated with Riz Ahmed to create the Academy Award-winning short film, The Long Goodbye.

Head of Content and Communications at Amazon’s The Climate Pledge, Hilary Sparrow talks about why documentary film is the ideal format for inspiring real, lasting change in large corporations. Hilary shares the strategy, casting and distribution process behind Amazon’s new documentary series Future Forward about The Climate Pledge and its signatories. View the films at theclimatepledge.com/future

Creator of the brand funded and Emmy-nominated Hulu series Small Business Revolution, Amanda Brinkman discusses what she saw in common and what stood out amongst the 2023 submissions and official selections in her role as juror of the 2023 Brand Storytelling Theater at Sundance.

Founder of Passion Point Collective Marcus Peterzell breaks down the difference between brand funded films and branded entertainment. He shares best practices from successes he’s had distributing, marketing and promoting brand funded films - including projects for HP, 3M, Aflec & Neutrogena.

Global Content Manager for The North Face, Jon Torres breaks down how the outdoor gear and apparel brand’s content studio selects stories to tell through their renowned film program and how they craft award winning films like the studio’s latest Learning To Drown about professional snowboarder Jess Kimura.

Chief Content Officer of Headspace, Morgan Selzer discusses why the innovative mental health care company is creating lean in and lean back content and how they meet their audience where they are through partnerships with the likes of Netflix and Sesame Street. Morgan also reveals how Headspace also occasionally “hides the vegetables” and is able to educate and entertain simultaneously. View the Headspace collaboration with Sesame Street visit headspace.com/sesame-street, to view the Netflix shows, search Headspace right in the Netflix app. To get a sense of the general content they’re releasing via owned channels, visit headspace.com/articles

Dr. Stephen Marshall from East Tennessee State University, Marc Battaglia of Story & Strategy and Rick Parkhill from Brand Storytelling give an inside look at a first-in-class Brand Film Certification Program. Marc Battaglia also discusses what he observed in the state of brand filmmaking by serving as juror in the first ever Brand Storytelling Theater (film festival) and screening dozens of entries.

Director of Marketing & Communications from the National Forest Foundation Colleen Coleman chats with Jesse about the power of what’s possible when brands and nonprofits partner together, citing recent partnerships between the NFF and brands like Ford Bronco and Black Forest Gummies.