MIPCOM Cannes to Feature New Brand-Funded Content Summit in Partnership with BrandStorytelling

RX France, organizer of MIPCOM Cannes, is teaming up with U.S.-based BrandStorytelling to launch a dedicated two-day summit focused on brand-funded programming. This new initiative will debut at the upcoming MIPCOM Cannes market, taking place on October 13 and 14, 2025.

Founded and directed by Rick Parkhill, BrandStorytelling has hosted ten editions as a part of the Sundance Film Festival. Its latest in January brought together more than 450 executives from brands, platforms and content creation outfits.

The summit aims to create a “one-stop shop” for brands, brand studios, and advertising agencies to connect with over 10,000 international entertainment executives. It seeks to foster new opportunities for funding, co-production, and distribution deals between the traditional content industry and the rapidly growing sector of brand-driven entertainment. BrandStorytelling, founded by Rick Parkhill, brings extensive experience, having hosted ten similar successful editions as part of the Sundance Film Festival.

Lucy Smith, Director of MIPCOM Cannes and MIPJUNIOR, highlighted the evolving landscape: “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 reach over 10,000 entertainment executives from over 100 countries, and in turn creates fresh opportunities for new funding, co-production and distribution deals for producers and platforms there. As the world’s largest content and co-production market, the time is right to create a home for brands at MIPCOM Cannes.”

Rick Parkhill, Founder and Director of BrandStorytelling, added, “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… This two-day international summit will explore new ways to connect, collaborate and celebrate the evolving landscape of brand funded content.”

BrandStorytelling also produces Elevate at Sundance Mountain Resort, which returns July 14-17, 2025. Now in its eighth year, Elevate is the annual summer retreat for brands and their storytelling partners.

MIPCOM CANNES is the world’s biggest and most impactful television and streaming content market, attracting over 10 500 delegates from more than 100 countries last year and whose week-long programme helps define the TV industry year.The collaboration signals MIPCOM’s recognition of the increasing role brands play as content creators and commissioners, and its commitment to facilitating new business models within the global entertainment industry.