ACCT strengthens marketing focus

On the bare face of it, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television’s reception one evening last month existed for one obvious purpose: to let the Academy thank its corporate sponsors.

At first glance, it was a simple enough gesture: gathering representatives of the dozen companies which provide financing to the acct to allow it, in turn, to run skills development programs and to offer services to boost the profile of Canadian film and tv productions. But beyond the obvious perks – the hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and a thank-you toast from Academy chair Ann Medina – a subtext spun itself out.

The subtext revolves around a growing recognition that marketing is the industry’s pivot point. Several of the corporate sponsors say it’s obvious the corporate sponsorship program allows the acct to offer such services as the National Story Editor Training Program, the Academy Screening Room Program and to expand the Genie nomination screenings to smaller Canadian cities, but it also helps acquaint the sponsors with other goods and service providers in the industry and helps explain the Academy to its members.

Paul Bronfman, president of Comweb Corporation (a founding corporate member along with Telesat Canada, Film House, Kodak Canada, Rogers Communications and YTV Canada), says programs like the one for story editors demonstrate to members that the Academy does more than just run the Genie and Gemini awards. He adds that discussing ways to market the Academy’s image will be a priority at the next corporate members meeting.

A chance to help

Kevin Shea, who leaves his post as president of ytv at the end of this month, says the program allows private businesses ‘a chance…to help (the Academy) with their marketing. By creating this club (of sponsors), there’s a forum for feedback directly from the sponsors.’ The flip side is, of course, a business opportunity. ‘When you look at the value to us at ytv,’ says Shea, ‘of course we would get involved.’

An imperative

Moving to bolster government funding with private dollars is often described as an imperative. The corporate sponsorship program taps into that and encourages companies to follow the old saw of ‘giving back’ to the community. Fuji Photo Film Canada agrees. Says David Cheng, one of Fuji’s general managers: ‘Certainly we can’t rely one hundred percent on the government. We make money from the movie business,’ he continues. ‘It’s important that we support organizations involved in supporting the movie business.’

Growth also flows from networking. Stan Ford, vice-president of post-production sales at Film House and Paul Bush, director of sales at Telesat Canada, both say involvement with clients at industy-run events is a natural sales boost. Bush notes that Academy events allow his company to show support for customers such as the CTV Television Network and ytv and to talk to their suppliers, program producers, about technological advances in distribution.

ctv’s vice-president of corporate communications, Gail Morrell, says the network joined the corporate sponsorship program as a means to offer broader support to the industry and to show producers ctv is committed to the industry’s overall health.

Other members of the sponsorship program are KPMG Peat Marwick Thorne, Imax Corporation, Famous Players and Cinespace Studios.