Orbit does the brandvertainmatising thing.

It’s less about them though, and more about DumbDumb, a “sponsor-driven advertising and production company” that will integrate brands in “tasteful, nonpandering ways.” While social media takes a lot of flack, this glorified form of product placement is flying under the radar. Run by Will Arnett and Jason Bateman of Arrested Development fame, this seems like another way to cut out the ad agency as middleman. Even though Orbit agency Energy BBDO supposedly helped out with creative in this case. To what degree, nobody is saying.

On a related note, Jason’s sister Justine had started FM78, a creative/digital company to do just this sort of thing. She’d previously guested on Illeana Douglas’ brandvertainmatisment vehicle for Ikea too. (Existing webisodes repackaged and then relocated to an Ikea property). In general, all these seem to be are typical :30 spots stretched out to 5-min shorts with an ad idea* in it—dirty situations and how Orbit cleans them up—and of course, a requisite product shot. Does it mean the end of agencies involvement here moving ahead? Not sure, but I have a hard time seeing why celebs who start ventures like this would want to cede creative control. Especially to ad agencies when they likely have access to the same great talent on their own.