Brought to you by industry-leading brands PRWeek US, Campaign US and MM+M, the Brand Film Awards celebrates and showcases the year's most artistic and powerful storytelling through branded content and films. 

Launched in 2015 as the Brand Film Festival, the Brand Film Awards has ushered in its highly anticipated seventh season with unprecedented expansion. The Awards showcases the year's most effective films produced by and for brands, encompassing feature-length nonfiction documentaries, scripted films, series and more.  

Brand Films are now an intrinsic part of the storytelling toolkit and overall content strategy — they have moved way beyond simply "what brands are doing on social media." This unique awards program uplifts and celebrates this new wave of marketing storytelling and its journey toward consumer entertainment, while rewarding the brands, agencies and craftspeople leading the way in their fields. 

The Awards will be presented at a virtual ceremony on May 25, 2022.

As Mediabrands’ Global Chief Content Officer, Gaul is responsible for networking and consolidating Mediabrands' suite of creative and media capabilities around the world. Gaul’s role includes overseeing the launch of a global content division as well as managing short - and long-form Original, Branded, Performance and Campaign content opportunities across Mediabrands internationally. Gaul is also Global President of TRAVERSE32, Mediabrands’ new development and production studio where he runs development, acquisitions, and distribution of original narrative and unscripted content. 

Previously, Gaul spent 14 years as Founder and Head of Mediabrands’ UM Studios where he pioneered a new model of brand-funded original entertainment. His recent projects under the UM banner include the multi-award-winning IFC Films’ Dear Santa, which Gaul produced for USPS; the 2018 feature, 5B, co-directed by Academy-Award nominee Dan Krauss and Oscar winner Paul Haggis which won the Entertainment Lions Grand Prix and is now part of MOMA’s Permanent Collection, distributed by RYOT/Verizon; and OSO.

Brendan Gaul

Global Chief Content Officer, Mediabrands

EVENT DATES

Standard nomination deadline: February 24, 2022

Extended nomination deadline: March 3, 2022 

Finalists Announcement: March 30, 2022

Virtual event date: May 25, 2022

1. Entries are open to any organization in North America and South America.  All films created by organizations in Europe must be entered into Brand Film Festival London: www.brandfilmfestival.co.uk.

2. The film or series must have been produced or released between January 20, 2021, and March 3, 2022. A film cannot be entered into the 2022 Brand Film Awards if it was entered into the 2021 Brand Film Awards.

3. Please, no commercials. Though it resists easy definition, branded content typically focuses on a story rather than a brand, product or service. Jurors reserve the right to reject any entry they feel does not meet this definition.

4. For films entered into multiple categories, there will be a discounted entry fee. For example, if you submit a film or series into three categories, the fee would be: $475 + $335 + $335 = $1,145. If you are submitting a film or series into multiple categories, please upload the film/s separately each time.

5. All entries must be submitted online at brandfilmawards.secure-platform.com/a.

6. There is a section for you to submit confidential information that only the jurors will see (200 words max). Nothing written in this section of the form will be published.

7. All entries must be submitted and paid for online. You may input your entry information and save as a “draft” to return to at a later date to submit payment. All films must be submitted and paid for by the entry deadline; February 24, 2022. Late entries will be accepted until March 3 with a late fee of $125 applied.  Credit cards accepted include Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Entries not paid for prior to judging will not be considered.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVENT?

Julie Challender

Event Manager

julie.challender@haymarketmedia.com

QUESTIONS ABOUT SPONSORSHIP?

PRWeek US - Craig Roth

VP, Group Publisher

craig.roth@haymarketmedia.com 

Campaign US - Rachel Barash

Senior Manager, Business Development 

rachel.barash@haymarketmedia.com 

MM+M - Doreen Gates

VP/Publisher

doreen.gates@haymarketmedia.com