Brand Implications
Snapchat released a campaign during the awards highlighting accessibility changes for its deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. A direct response to the night’s prime winner – CODA. Those with diverse-abilities have always had to adapt to the world around them, but society is shifting to be more inclusive to the needs of more communities. Brands can be at the forefront of this significant movement by shifting marketing dollars to a product placement strategy that aligns with important and impactful content. A Sundance breakout and Apple TV+ original, CODA is Hollywood’s latest example of diverse perspectives creating a legacy to define a generation.
BEN Takeaways
Diversity Wins The Day Generating Higher Ratings
The 94th Academy Awards proved a celebration of diverse winners despite the lack of diverse nominees. Three women hosted for the first time after four years with no female host. The hosting lineup proved a draw with viewership increasing 56% from last year’s historic low.
Inspiring Moments and Important Oscar Firsts
• Will Packer, esteemed Hollywood director, was the first black man to produce the show. The show’s vibrance and youthful tone helmed by Packer should not be overlooked…
• Ariana DeBose became the first openly queer women of color to take home any acting statue for her performance as Anita in 20th Century’s West Side Story.
• Riz Ahmed became the first person of Asian descent, and the first Muslim to win in the live action short category with The Long Goodbye.
• Megan Thee Stallion became the first female rapper to perform on the Oscar stage with her remixed edition of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from the nominated Disney film Encanto.
Give A Round of Silent Applause
Cinema’s biggest night was full of silent applause as CODA seized the golden statuettes for Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and the grand prize – Best Motion Picture. Troy Kotsur made history as the first deaf actor to win Best Supporting Actor and shared his riveting speech utilizing ASL. A proud night for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community!
Remembering Cinema
Filled with cast reunions and nostalgic movie reels, five notable anniversaries signified cinema’s timeless legacy. The IP featured throughout the night included 60 years of James Bond, the 30th anniversary of White Men Can’t Jump, the 15th anniversary of Juno, the 50th anniversary of The Godfather, and 28 years since the iconic dance scene in Pulp Fiction!
While the two studios winning the most awards were theatrical juggernauts, streamers still dominated the night. AppleTV+ became the first streamer to win Best Picture for CODA. Also of note, Warner Brothers (Dune, The Eyes of Tammy Faye) and Disney (West Side Story, Cruella, Encanto) both distributed the winning films on their streaming platforms in addition to in theaters (HBO Max & Disney+ respectively).
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