Ad Agency Innocean Enters Film Industry with Launch of Cinema by Brand

Partnering with ACFM to Bridge Brands and Global Filmmakers
From Planning and Production to Global OTT Release

Building on the Success of "Night Fishing"
Pursuing Annual Discovery of Content IP

Innocean is officially launching its global content business that combines brands with films.

On July 28, Innocean announced that it will expand its content and IP business by partnering with the Asia Contents & Film Market (ACFM), Asia’s largest content market, which takes place during the Busan International Film Festival this October, to introduce "Cinema by Brand." This project connects brands with global filmmakers and supports the entire process from film planning and production to release. Starting this year, it will operate annually.

Filmmakers from Korea and abroad are invited to propose projects centered around participating brands, with the final selections made through a review. The selected projects will undergo a production process of at least six months and are expected to be released as early as the summer of 2027 in theaters or on global OTT platforms. Innocean plans to grow this into a sustainable content business model by establishing an integrated process that covers everything from brand selection and creator matching to production and distribution.

This new business initiative was developed based on the successful experience of producing the short film "Night Fishing" with Hyundai Motor Company last year. "Night Fishing" was the first branded content in Korea to be screened commercially in theaters, and it won the Cannes Lions Grand Prix and the Best Editing Award at the Fantasia International Film Festival. It is regarded as a case that blurred the boundaries between advertising and cinema.

For further expansion, Innocean has also established a dedicated content organization called "Content Studio." This new division will be responsible for a wide range of content and IP businesses—including broadcasting, film, performances, exhibitions, and YouTube—and will focus on strengthening new business initiatives that connect brands with entertainment.

Innocean CEO Kim Jeonga said, "We aim to continuously expand growth opportunities centered on content and IP by building a new business structure that connects brands, creators, and the film industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.