Ashlee Difuntorum recently published an article entitled “Spider-Man: Brand New Day Slings Record Brand Deals. The Brands On Screen Tell The Real Story” in Forbes. In the article, Ashlee explores how Spider-Man: Brand New Day reflects a significant shift in entertainment marketing, as brands increasingly seek to become part of the story itself rather than simply advertise around it.
“The film’s promotional partner campaign generated $309 million in worldwide media value across 165 brands,” Ashlee writes. “Several of those brands paid to be inside the film.” She explains that while the film shattered box office records, its marketing success may be an even greater indication of how studios and brands are redefining commercial partnerships.
Ashlee further examines why recognizable brands historically avoided appearing on screen. Trademark law protects distinctive brand identifiers, such as names, logos, and symbols, and unauthorized use of those marks can create the false impression of a commercial relationship. To avoid potential legal disputes, studios have traditionally concealed product labels or relied on generic packaging.
“The law hasn’t changed,” Ashlee explains. “What changed is what brands want.”
As audiences increasingly move away from traditional television and toward streaming platforms and social media, advertisers have followed. While influencer marketing has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, Ashlee notes that theatrical blockbusters offer something influencers cannot: a captive audience with no skip button.
She explains this evolution through several deliberate on-screen integrations in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Samsung devices are incorporated directly into the storyline, while brands including Little Caesars, Liquid I.V., ASUS ROG, BMW, and Tom Holland’s own non-alcoholic beer brand, Bero, all make intentional appearances throughout the film.
“The clarity of a brand on screen is the tell,” Ashlee writes. “When you can read a label, see a logo or identify a product, someone made a deliberate decision to put it there.”
Ashlee concludes that while product placement is nothing new, Spider-Man: Brand New Day represents a turning point because of its unprecedented scale. “The industry isn’t treating this as an experiment anymore,” she explains. “The skip button killed the ad break. The blockbuster filled the void.”
