“I often thought to myself WWLD, which stands for ‘What Would Lucy Do?’ since Lucille Ball has been my biggest source of inspiration for this performance. She was also a trailblazer in the entertainment industry,” Pezzullo said. “I Love Lucy had sponsorship deals with Phillip Morris cigarettes and Westinghouse appliances, and they would regularly feature the characters using those products in scenes in an organic way.”
The approach has led to sponsorships from Diageo, Dragon Hemp Apothecary and Gladwell Clothing. In addition to the larger brands, the production has aligned with local Sag Harbor businesses like SagTown Coffee, The 1818 Collective and Tutto il Giorno, among others.
“We’re grateful to have partners that share the same philosophy of, ‘Let’s create an incredible film and organically integrate these products and brands where they serve the narrative and the comedy,’” Pezzullo said. “This is not branded content. It’s just organic product placement but done in such a way that elevates the film.”
“I am playing myself as this exaggerated version, and I have relationships with brands and a history working in the branded content space. So we’ve actually woven that into the film in a way that’s surprising and really funny, and part of the goal is to make the brands a part of the punchline.”
Scream: The Musical, The Movie is currently in post-production, with film festival premieres planned for its release. For updates, visit Made Out East. Limited edition hoodies from the Made Out East-Gladwell Clothing collaboration are available on Gladwell’s website.
