Brand partnerships and talent

Mason Mount played three Combat Gaming events before I asked him anything, and he became the first ambassador. Same with brands. Duracell went on a football shirt that only existed inside FIFA, a hundred year old format put somewhere new. The lesson I give creators now: brands pay when they understand exactly how to work with you. Own a format and they keep sponsoring it. And keep your own evidence, because my name is in none of the coverage.

How do I use it?

1. Build or run something talent wants to be part of: an event series, a team or a format the creator owns.
2. Invite the talent to take part before any commercial ask.
3. Make the ambassador ask after they have enjoyed the thing.
4. Work out exactly how a brand can work with the talent before you pitch either side.
5. Look for a familiar commercial format and move it into a space nobody has used.
6. Run the four lanes of a talent event yourself: booking, format, live production and the publisher or partner relationships.
7. Write the brand brief as a script table: Hook, then Setup, Tension and Payoff per segment, then the CTA.
8. Check exclusivity contracts and brand naming with the talent’s agency before the brief goes out.
9. Keep your own record of who did what, because the coverage will quote someone else.