BrandStorytelling partners with MIPCOM Cannes 2025

MIPCOM Cannes (13–16 October 2025) and BrandStorytelling have announced a first-of-its-kind partnership to bring the flagship brand-funded programming summit to the world’s largest B2B market for television and streaming content, held annually each October in Cannes, France.

Founded and led by producer, publisher, and media entrepreneur Rick Parkhill, BrandStorytelling has evolved over the past decade into the leading annual event supporting the growth and development of brand-funded programming in the U.S. and internationally.

The latest of its 10 editions—sanctioned as an official event of the Sundance Film Festival—took place this January, gathering more than 450 practitioners from global brands (Ancestry, L’Oréal Paris, PepsiCo), platforms and producers (WBD, Meta, YouTube), and creators (Sean Evans, Rhett & Link) in Park City, Utah. The event showcased best-in-class case studies and strategies in storytelling that drive brand affinity and business growth.

The jointly programmed two-day summit at the Palais des Festivals, scheduled for Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 October, will bring together brands, content creators, and television professionals to nurture, produce, and fund new brand-led storytelling through showcases, networking, and deal-making opportunities. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks and months.

Lucy Smith, director of MIPCOM Cannes and MIPJunior noted the reach of the deal: “Brands are moving beyond traditional advertising by stepping up as storytellers, both producing and commissioning their own series across all genres. This partnership immediately delivers a one-stop shop for brands, brand studios, and agencies to connect with more than 10,000 entertainment executives from over 100 countries. In turn, it creates fresh opportunities for new funding, co-production, and distribution deals for producers and platforms. As the world’s largest content and co-production market, the time is right to create a home for brands at MIPCOM Cannes," expressed.

Meanwhile, Rick Parkhill referred to the importance of the summit: “Brands are increasingly behind some of the biggest stories on our screens internationally. MIPCOM Cannes is the unmissable global television market, which makes it the ideal partner and business platform for brands to further integrate into the global content ecosystem alongside the biggest studios and TV companies in the world. This two-day international summit will explore new ways to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the evolving landscape of brand-funded content," stated.

BrandStorytelling also produces Elevate at Sundance Mountain Resort, returning July 14–17, 2025. Now in its eighth year, Elevate is the annual summer retreat for brands and their storytelling partners. Strictly limited to just 125 participants, the 3-day gathering includes workshops, screenings, keynotes, and abundant opportunities for networking, collaboration, and deal-making.