It takes a village to make an Oscars ceremony happen. That’s not only true of the hundreds of behind-the-scenes crew members who keep the mammoth show on its feet—it’s also the case for the brands that sponsor Hollywood’s premiere awards event each year.
Audiences at home saw those companies’ presence during the commercial breaks, which were filled with spots for brands like Prudential, Poise, and SkinnyPop. Ahead of the Oscars, Disney reported that it had once again sold out its ad inventory as advertisers continue to pursue being associated with live events.
However, those of us fortunate enough to attend the 97th Oscars in person got to see the different ways that prominent advertisers showed up at the big show—with some earning accolades on our rating scale as well. And remember, despite what our ratings may say, everyone who’s not a nominee is still a winner when they’re at the Academy Awards.
Here’s ADWEEK’s curated guide to some of the brand stations that were set up at the Dolby Theatre:
Rolex
First things first: No, Leonardo DiCaprio was not King of the Red Carpet on Oscar night. The watch company’s newest brand ambassador skipped this year’s awards, perhaps to do some Hawaii location scouting with Martin Scorsese, Dwayne Johnson, and Emily Blunt for their upcoming big-screen collab. (Let’s make that a 50-part AppleTV+ reality series, please.) But Rolex kept the evening running on time with closely watched clocks conveniently positioned on the red carpet and on every level of the four-floor Dolby Theatre.
Overall Rating: Much as our hearts missed seeing Leo, this presentation was elegant and refined… just like Rolex.
Don Julio
Unlike his predecessor, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien apparently didn’t need a mid-show tequila shot to keep his hosting quips sharp. Still, Diageo’s Don Julio was well-represented at the Oscar bar, forming a key ingredient in The Clear Winner signature cocktail, which we can confirm was as refreshing as it sounds. Other spirit companies on the drink list were Clarendelle, Lallier, and Dassai Sake.
Overall Rating: The bars were busy and buzzing throughout the show, and guests and glasses of Clear Winners were more plentiful in the celebrity-filled orchestra lobby than Oscar statues.
Dolby
Nestled inside the orchestra level of the Dolby Theatre is the Dolby Lounge, a VIP station where heavy-hitters can mix and mingle while keeping an eye on the action courtesy of a 120-inch Vizio TV. That’s also where ADWEEK had a quick chat with Netflix head Ted Sarandos, saw Emma Stone and Margaret Qualley exchange hugs, and watched Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater fly away from the Oscars at the end of a long night.
Overall Rating: Blue lighting and white couches lend the room a space-age decor. And the star-spotting was out of this world.
Elmhurst 1925/Quickshot Coffee
It was a relatively chilly night in Los Angeles, so Quickshot Coffee teamed up with plant-based milk company Elmhurst 1925 to keep attendees warm as they waited for their limos, town cars, and Ubers. Multiple hot drinks were available by the Dolby Theatre exit, including oat milk-powered Spiced Chai Lattes and Vanilla Matcha Lattes.
Overall Rating: A hot chocolate would have been a nice treat on the way out the door, but we’re never churlish about a warm cup of chai.
Shappy Pretzel/Open Water
Look, even on a good night like this one, the Oscars are a long show. Therefore, carbo-loading isn’t just recommended—it’s encouraged. Continuing a tradition started by Kimmel, O’Brien left snacks under every seat in the house along with a note apologizing for the lack of another kind of gummy. The box included a soft pretzel from Shappy, a bottle of Open Water (which was also available at lobby tables throughout the Dolby), and boxes of candy ranging from Sour Patch Kids to Sno-Caps.
Overall Rating: You had us at soft pretzels.
