KOREA’S FIRST ACFM COLLABORATION REDEFINES BRANDED FILMMAKING

INNOCEAN has unveiled Cinema by Brand in partnership with ACFM, Asia’s leading content business market. The initiative connects filmmakers from 55 countries with global brands, reinventing branded filmmaking through competitive creative proposals. Supported by a new Content Studio, INNOCEAN aims to expand into entertainment, IP, and diverse content business opportunities.

Korea’s first collaboration with ACFM, one of Asia’s most influential content business markets, is set to reshape the relationship between brands and cinema. ACFM, the official market of the Busan International Film Festival, brings together directors, producers and film professionals from 55 countries, offering a global forum for creative exchange.  

Following extensive discussions, INNOCEAN has launched Cinema by Brand, a model designed to extend brand marketing into entertainment while unlocking new content and IP business opportunities. Positioned at the intersection of advertising and cinema, INNOCEAN will coordinate the process, ensuring that both brand growth and the film industry benefit from the collaboration.  

Project proposals will undergo rigorous evaluation by experts from INNOCEAN, participating brands, ACFM and the Producers Guild of Korea. Criteria include originality, artistic merit, fresh interpretation of the brand, production feasibility and budget suitability. This structured approach aims to overcome the limitations of traditional branded films, which often diluted brand identity by relying on a narrow pool of directors or conventional advertising formats.  

By opening the competition to hundreds of directors worldwide, Cinema by Brand introduces diverse creative ideas, multiple production plans and comparative budgets, giving brands unprecedented choice and creative depth. The initiative signals a structural reinvention of branded filmmaking, aligning commercial objectives with cinematic artistry.  

To support this expansion, INNOCEAN has established a dedicated Content Studio staffed by specialists in content and IP. Beyond branded cinema, the studio will drive growth across television, drama, live performance, exhibitions, YouTube and influencer management.  

Jung A Kim, Global CEO of INNOCEAN, emphasised the company’s ambition: “Starting with Cinema by Brand, we will continue to expand our creative capabilities beyond the traditional boundaries of advertising and marketing into film, entertainment, content and IP. In particular, we will build a distinctive business model that connects brands, creators and the film industry, and continue to identify new growth opportunities.”  

This collaboration marks a pivotal moment for Korea’s creative and production ecosystem, positioning it as a hub where brands and filmmakers converge to shape the future of global content creation.