Lucrative practice that is struggling to establish itself in Morocco! [INTÉGRAL]

More than a week after the end of the 21st edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM), the moment seems opportune to assess the state of our cinematographic ecosystem. This event, an undisputed showcase of Moroccan creativity, once again highlighted the growing potential of our industry and the government’s desire to promote the sector, as evidenced by the latest report from the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM), which highlights highlight the impressive growth in aid funds allocated to the sector, from 4.95 million dirhams in 2013 to 28.50 million in 2023. However, the great disappointment of production Moroccan films presented during the festival is the almost total absence of advertising and product placement in the films. An unexploitable potential which could nevertheless contribute to the diversification of financing sources and the influence of Moroccan cinema. In the United States, blessed land of the 7th art, spending on product placements could reach $23.5 billion by 2026, according to a report from PQ Media, with a global projection of nearly $41.5 billion. . In American films, but also in France, Spain and Turkey, brand logos are displayed more or less subtly in scenes, and some advertisers go so far as to ask the screenwriters to add specific scenes highlighting promote their products. It’s also about including shots with billboards or brands in the background.

It starts, but slowly

It is true that in Morocco these practices are slowly starting to find their place, especially in Moroccan series and sitcoms, particularly those intended for the Ramadan period, but the shortfall remains enormous. “In fact, product placement has started to appear in series, but in cinema we are not there yet because the stakes are not high enough,” director Nabil Ayouch tells us, specifying that he We must first build a strong internal market and only afterwards can we talk about this type of parallel financing. Words that hold the thread, because, despite the boost in support announced by the CCM, the number of feature films produced in 2023, for example, does not exceed 34 films, which fail to appeal to the Moroccan public. Still, according to CCM data, American films take the lion’s share, with 85 films screened, representing 791,966 admissions (or 46% of the market) for revenues reaching 41 million dirhams (MDH), while Moroccan films occupy 35% of the number of theaters. For advertisers, the medium-term outlook is promising, but for the moment the return on investment would be limited, especially since cinematographic collaboration involves “very strict” specifications, and which require in several cases “the passage through intermediaries”, creating some legal sensitivities.