Who’s Paying for Story Now? Inside the Brand-Funded Boom

In 2026, branded entertainment is evolving. As audiences spend more time in ad-light and ad-free environments, brands are moving upstream: building entertainment arms, partnering with storytellers, and funding films, series, docs, podcasts, and “new form” experiences that can’t be reduced to a 30-second spot.

We’ll ground the conversation in a few timely examples of brands building dedicated entertainment arms and partnering with storytellers to co-develop and co-finance film, TV, documentary, and audio projects. We’ll unpack what these collaborations actually unlock beyond money (access to archives, expertise, locations, rights, and cultural heritage) and how creators can approach brands as creative partners in authenticity and reach (not just marketing). Superconnector Studios will join us to share what they’re seeing from the inside: how these deals get structured, what brands are looking for, and where creators can find opportunities in 2026.

What you’ll leave with: an understanding of emerging trends in branded entertainment , who’s funding what, what brands actually want (often access + authenticity, not product placement), common deal shapes, how to pitch value-aligned stories, and how to protect the work so it lands as entertainment first.

Special guests
Juliet Bartz Ordover is a two-time Emmy nominee who has worked across news, documentary, and branded entertainment. As an executive at Superconnector Studios, she helps leading brands such as Chime, Starbucks, and Kimberly-Clark create and partner with premium entertainment in new and innovative ways. Previously, she worked at Axios, where she led investigative journalism projects and produced documentary programming, including Axios on HBO and The Money Game.

Nina Patricof is an associate at Superconnector Studios, where she works on the firm’s sports and entertainment strategy initiatives for Starbucks while also supporting the management consulting practice and helping drive business development efforts across the company. Prior to Superconnector, Nina worked at Endeavor, where she began in unscripted television before joining the company’s in-house marketing agency 160over90. There, she served as Chief of Staff and later oversaw cross-functional initiatives connecting 160over90 with other Endeavor business units, working on projects with partners including UFC, On Location Experiences, and Amazon.

Nina holds a B.A. in Film and Media Studies from Emory University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Sophia Rzankowski is an Executive at Superconnector Studios, one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies” for the past two years, working at the intersection of brands and entertainment. Sophia leads LVMH’s brand entertainment studio, 22 Montaigne Entertainment, a platform dedicated to co-developing and co-producing original film and TV projects across its portfolio of 75+ luxury brands, including Tiffany & Co., Dior, and Louis Vuitton.

Prior to Superconnector Studios, she worked in film development at SK Global, management consulting at Sia Partners, and agency-side marketing at Lafayette American. Sophia studied Business and the Entertainment Industry at the University of Southern California.