There are no legal restrictions in the US marketplace. However, it is worth noting that this content is being distributed worldwide and is not viewed as branded-content per se. GE bravely ceded editorial control to the filmmakers. It’s a cross platform short-film program that has a shared ideology with the GE brand, creating significant Brand affinity and an understanding of the GE Brand essence across the entire worldwide consumer audience.

This program includes reaching audiences via 4 platforms; in theaters, online, mobile/tablet and TV. Each of these films received a world premiere screening at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2012. Each film was released online, day-and-date with the festival premiere, at www.focusforwardfilms.com and on www.vimeo.com/focusforwardfilms to audiences around the World. A significant two-pronged promotional campaign is focused on seeding the films online across film industry publications and outlets, and via our worldwide Film Festival partners such as Sundance, Berlin, Tribeca, Los Angeles, International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam etc. The second prong is a consumer campaign focused on seeding the videos inside of social media games. Both have been very successful with sharing and posting rates as high as 10% inside the consumer social media environments.

The program has only just recently launched (January 20, 2012), however the success has been significant. Our first 5 films live only across roughly 20% of our distribution have over 900,000 views online, with over 3.5 million shares/embeds/postings of the films and the online video player. Viewer comments online, and emails/posts have all been incredibly supportive and positively favor both GE and the content itself.