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How studios collaborate with well-known brands
Collaborations with "star" brands are a way to accelerate recognition, open new markets and raise the conversion of the first sessions. But brand partnerships are not only a beautiful logo, but a set of legal, creative and operational obligations. Below is a practical map of the path: from first contact to post-release analytics.
1) Why do studios need to partner with brands
1. Acceleration of attraction: ready trust of the audience, above the CTR of cards and conversion to the first session.
2. Differentiation: Window dressing, exclusive shelves and editorial selections.
3. Opening markets: the brand helps with PR/influencers and local media.
4. IP portfolio: the basis for subsequent collabs (series, crossovers).
5. Affiliate promotions: joint tournaments, missions, jackpots and offline activations.
2) Where to look for partners and how to "qualify" IP
Search routes: licensing agents, brand partnerships departments in film studios/media holdings, content fairs/expos, direct outreach via LinkedIn/industrial PR.
IP scoring (5 criteria):1. CA/region overlap.
2. Relevance (new season/premiere/anniversary).
3. Recognizable iconography (2-3 "anchors" without likeness actors).
4. Readiness of the copyright holder for digital collabs (SLA approvals, materials).
5. Economics: MG size/royalties and co-marketing commitments.
3) Collaboration formats
1. Full IP license - visual, titles, characters, logos, sometimes music. More expensive, but maximum lift.
2. Partial license ("based") - setting/motifs, but without likeness/logos. Cheaper and faster approvals.
3. Co-branding - joint collections, seasonal events, brand activations in the game.
4. Publisher-model - a brand as a publisher/marketing partner, a studio makes a product.
5. Time-exclusive - an early window for a specific platform/operator, exchange for feature-sharing/promo.
4) How the deal works
Territories/term: globally or clusters (EMEA/NA/APAC), 12-36 months, extension option.
Exclusivity: full/genre/platform; affects MG.
Finance:- MG (minimum guarantee) - fix, paid in advance/stages.
- Royalty -% with Net Revenue/NetWin/turnover.
- Co-marketing - minimal media, PR activity, trailers.
- Approvals: timing of rounds (usually 10-20 days) , "quiet agreement" (if not answered).
- Materials: brand book, fonts, color palettes, references, photo bank, glossary.
5) Legal and compliance (without pitfalls)
Likeness: separate rights to the faces/voices of the actors.
Music: rights to composition (publishing) and master recording - different licenses.
Trademarks: checking conflicts in markets; local equivalents.
Age/regulatory requirements: warnings, age-labels, UI-texts in the help.
E&O insurance: covering the risks of errors and omissions.
Sunset-plan: what the product looks like after the end of the term (replacement of assets).
6) Creative adaptation: how to "translate" a brand into a game
First motives, then frames: conflict/setting → mechanics, meta and feature.
Iconography: 2-3 anchors (mask/artifact/location) + copyright art in the spirit of IP.
UX is primary: the canon should not break convenience; controversial decisions - via A/B.
Sound: short signatures instead of full OST; if possible - "composition, not master."
Localization: IP glossary, pre-approved terms, LQA with the participation of the copyright holder.
7) Process approvals (live and not grieve)
Pre-approved package: lay out palettes/fonts/" corners" of characters that can be published without each agreement.
Windows for edits: slot 2 rounds; the third is only on critical issues.
Collisions: Record disagreements in one-pager: "was/became/effect on UX/legal reference."
Deadlines: "silence = agreed" in N days - write in the contract.
Single point of communication: one PM on both sides to avoid "polyphony."
8) Economics: How to count payback
Income: uplift CTR/CR, ARPPU/Retention gain, PR equivalent
Costs: MG + royalties + production (art/code/sound/video) + LQA/certs + media + lawyers + E & O.
Simplified:[
ROI =\frac {\Delta\text {Revenue} - (\text {MG} +\text {Royalty} +\text {Production} +\text {Media} +\text {LQA/Jur})} {\text {MG} +\text {Production} +\text {Media}}
]Success benchmarks: ROI ≥ 1.5 × per license period or LTV-uplift ≥ 8-12% in target segments.
9) Marketing and GTM (three waves)
1. Teaser (-6... - 2 weeks): counters, AR masks, influencers, fan communities, sketches of the art process.
2. Release (day X): main shelves/benners, trailer 15-30 s, early VIP access, joint posts with brand/ambassadors.
3. Post-release (2-8 weeks): events "in the spirit of IP," challenges, limit skins/collections, "second wave" for major updates.
10) KPI: what to measure
Top-of-funnel: CTR cards, brand lift, organic mentions/UGC.
Middle: CR in first session, "first 10 minutes," mechanic grip depth.
Bottom: ARPPU, Retention D1/D7/D30, contribution to NetWin/GGR, share of own content in promo.
Process:% of assets that have passed approvals the first time, SLA compliance, RTP/frequency deviations (for regulated markets).
11) Risks and anti-noise
1. Protracted approvals → contract SLA + pre-approved package.
2. Overspending on art/video → shot list "one day," reuse of assets.
3. Legal surprises → early clearance of music/faces, "no-go list."
4. The canon breaks UX → A/B, fallback variants of copyright and icons "in the spirit."
5. The premiere window has shifted → an evergreen plan: "inspired by" versions and in-game events without key characters.
12) Checklists
Before the talks
- CA/Geo match and brand tones.
- Preliminary budget: MG, production, co-marketing, serts/LQA, lawyers.
- Sample package: moodboard, mechanics, screen sketches.
- PR plan (influencers/media/streamers), readiness for joint activities.
Contract
- Territories/term/exclusivity and media rights.
- MG/royalties, reporting periods, audit.
- Approval SLA, number of rounds, "silence = agreed."
- Package, localization rights, music: publishing vs master.
- Sunset-plan, E&O, liability of the parties.
Production
- Pre-approved palettes/fonts/character angles.
- Localization/glossaries, LQA plan.
- Wave certification by market, market builds matrix.
- Promo-kit: trailer, banners, key art, screenshots.
13) 30-60-90: Launch Roadmap
0-30 days (start)
Scoring IP, term sheet (territory/term/exclusivity, MG/royalty, co-marketing).
Creative one-pager: motifs, iconography, UX frames; moodboard.
Resource Plan: Team, LQA, Serts, Media, Lawyers; approvals calendar.
31-60 days (production and approvals)
Vertical Slice (rhythm, win-bands, first 10 minutes), key screens and key art.
Launch of locales/LQA, preparation of references, market builds matrix.
Media: teasers, influencers, trailer (rough), PR partnerships.
61-90 days (release and optimization)
Test roll-out to part of the audience, A/B creatives/STA.
Big release: main shelves, tournament/missions, cross-promo with brand.
Post-analysis: lift/ROI/retention, "second wave" of content, decision to renew.
14) Mini-FAQ
Do I always need a full license? No - often "based on" gives 70-80% of the effect for 40-60% of the cost and time.
How not to drown in edits? Hard SLA + pre-approved packages + one-pager for each controversial edit.
What's with the music? If the budget is limited, license the composition and overwrite the master with the composer.
Do niche brands work? Yes, if CA matches: lower coverage, higher conversion and loyalty.
Cooperation with well-known brands is a powerful growth lever, if you approach it as a process, and not a "one-time action": choose an IP for the audience and window, talk to the lawyer and approvals in advance, translate the ENT into convenient mechanics and plan three waves of promo. Then the brand gives not only a surge of PR, but also a steady uplift in LTV, which pays off MG/royalties and opens the door to the next collabs.