The winds of change are in the air, but the Sundance Film Festival is once again taking place in Park City and Salt Lake City, UT, bringing together the movers and shakers of the filmmaking ecosystem, and a selection of sponsors, for 11 days of storytelling and community engagement.
While Sundance 2025 (Jan. 23 to Feb. 2) could mark the end of an era—after a four-decade run in Utah, the Sundance Institute is considering relocating the event after the 2026 edition—the festival’s mainstays are going strong. Acura has returned as presenting sponsor and official vehicle of the event for the 15th consecutive year, Chase’s upscale lounge experience is back, and Vox’s media studio, Vulture Spot, is alive and well.
At the same time, some of those longtime partners have been progressively elevating their Sundance presence by expanding their physical footprints (look no further than Adobe House), signifying brands’ continued investment in the festival, which is going strong, if not growing.
So, for a rundown of the landscape as it stands, and the brand action on the ground, join us for a jaunt through the mountains.
ADOBE
Adobe’s signature red square logo adorns a new space this year in Park City as the brand marks its 14th year as a sponsor of Sundance and its second with a physical space. This year, Adobe, which is presenting sponsor and the official editing platform of the festival, took over 608 Main Street to create Adobe House, which from Jan. 24-27 offered three levels of activations, content and special events. Read the full case study here. (Agencies: Amplify; Groundwork Events)
ACURA
As presenting sponsor of the fest, Acura’s presence at Sundance 2025 is multifaceted. The centerpiece was the Acura House of Energy, a space offering day-to-night programming that from Jan. 24-27 celebrated the thrill of driving while underscoring the automaker’s commitment to uplifting independent artists and underserved voices in film. (Also supporting the mission is a series of festival partnerships with organizations like GLAAD, Gold House and Women in Film.)
Across a charming, winter wonderland-like atmosphere, the Energy House experience included a range of touchpoints. Among highlights was Acura’s partnership with stop-motion artists the Ambriz Brothers, who crafted whimsical creations designed to bring the brand and its innovation in engineering to life in a replica movie-set environment.
There was also a live broadcast of The IMDb Studio; music performances; a front-and-center display of the all-new Acura ADX; indoor snow machines; the annual Sundance ASCAP Music Café experience; and panels, premiere parties and cocktail hours attended by filmmaking elite.
“So many of Sundance’s creative community are coming back year after year, so it’s important to us to constantly bring new excitement and energy to the festival, whether that be through our programming partnerships, special performances or the Acura House of Energy space itself,” says Hundy Liu, marketing manager at Acura. (Agency: George P. Johnson)
Photo credit: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Acura
AUDIBLE
Between a picturesque backdrop, a glowing fireplace and plenty of stories to share, Audible’s indoor-outdoor Listening Lodge on Main Street was a cozy escape and a fitting way to showcase its standing as the official audio entertainment partner of Sundance 2025. From Jan. 24-26, the space once again played host to “Variety x Audible Cocktails & Conversations” panel events featuring A-list actors and creators that broached topics like how actors adapt their creative processes to connect with modern audiences across a range of mediums, and how audio storytelling has vast potential in the entertainment realm.
Outside of formal programming, festivalgoers could head to the outdoor terrace where an illuminated installation that read, “There’s More to Imagine When You Listen” awaited. There, they could listen to Audible podcasts and audiobooks spanning a number of genres, relax by the fireplace, and enjoy complimentary hot and cold beverages and snacks, including s’mores. And the heated, geodesic-themed yurt planted on-site once again proved to be an engaging touchpoint. (Agency: Civic)
Photos: Courtesy of Audible
CHASE
After a 10-year stint at 573 Main St., Chase overhauled its strategy for Sundance 2025, and relocated to Le Depot, a venue further down the road, where it erected a glass chalet and attached it to the building double the size of its footprint.
From Jan. 24-28, cardmembers and a plus-one could drop into the Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge for complimentary f&b, daily programming, live music and the opportunity to see to some of the film industry’s biggest players in the flesh. They could also make a stop at the on-site “Tack Shed,” which offered hot beverages, branded swag and the opportunity to customize a premium Western hat with all kinds of accessories.
Sapphire Reserve customers could also snag tickets to an exclusive cardmember premiere party at the lounge featuring a live dj, gourmet bites and an open bar.
Beyond the lounge, Chase partnered with Denver-based restaurant Tavernetta for a five-day culinary pop-up hosted at Courchevel Bistro. The reservation-only experience included a taste of “la dolce vita,” offering upscale Italian dishes and a lengthy wine list. (Agencies: Intersport, lead agency; Frasca Hospitality Group, restaurant pop-up; FleishmanHillard, p.r.)
Also spotted in Park City: a small mobile unit parked downtown that housed a Chase Ink activation. Each day, the brand highlighted a small business and their wares, and gave away one of their items for free.
Photo credit: Jack Dempsey for Chase
DROPBOX
Fun fact: 68 percent of the films at Sundance 2025 used Dropbox in their production process. And the brand cemented its firm standing in the film industry with its first-ever brand house at the festival, Dropbox at 501 Main. The three-day experience spanned panels on the future of filmmaking, product demos and events, all aimed at celebrating the creative journey and exploring how collaborative tools enhance that process.
“Sundance Film Festival is a unique opportunity for Dropbox to connect with a passionate community of independent filmmakers, teams and creators. Films require an enormous effort from ideation to completion, and Dropbox is celebrating these achievements through our brand activations at the festival,” Willa Peng, head of brand marketing at Dropbox, told EM in an email. (Agency: Intersport)
SHUTTERSTOCK
The exclusive Shutterstock Chalet experience returned to Sundance once again, and served as a VIP space where high-profile attendees could partake in professional photo shoots with Hollywood photographer Jay L. Clendenin, and attend curated happy hours and other events.
The brand also co-hosted an invite-only Awardist Party with Entertainment Weekly. And, new this year, was the addition of GIPHY, whose team was on-site at the chalet crafting personalized GIFs of talent and filmmakers in a dedicated booth.
TAO GROUP HOSPITALITY
Tao Group Hospitality’s annual Sundance soiree took place Jan. 24-25 this year, as the organization again activated its celeb-studded TAO Park City experience alongside a lineup of brand partners. On top of a headlining set by Lil Jon and a surprise performance by Jennifer Lopez, attendees could indulge in sensory-forward sponsor experiences.
Skincare brand Ole Henriksen was on-site with a wintery activation dubbed the “Skin Rescue Hut,” framed by an après ski-themed mirror installation. There, attendees had the chance to sample the brand’s best-selling products, like its Après Skin Rescue Crème. Plus, a “Pout-Patrol” (a play on the kids show, “PAW Patrol”) team was on hand interacting with attendees, distributing Ole Henriksen’s viral Pout Preserve product and “Après Skin Club” totes filled with a skincare regimen to “rescue” their hide after a frigid night out in Park City. (Skincare activations are having a moment. Read more here.)
Meanwhile, evian had its own icy environment for attendees to engage with. A key attraction was a 360-degree “igloo” photo op that created visual effects depicting “The Fountain of Youth” evian bottle designed by Pharrel Williams. The experience further transported participants into the brand’s world via a dedicated content room where they could snap photos and, of course, keep hydrated throughout the night.
And then there was Casamigos, the exclusive tequila partner of TAO Park City. The brand arrived armed with a ski lodge-style environment, cocktails made with a number of its varietals, a ski-lift photo moment, and a giant ice luge.
Photos: Courtesy of TAO Park City
UTA
For a second year, the United Talent Agency (UTA) set up shop on Main St. at Kaneo, where it’s annual UTA House experience is being brought to life. Kicking off during the first weekend, on Jan. 26, the organization hosted the annual UTA Filmmakers Brunch, presented by Casamigos and hosted by UTA Independent Film Group. The event brought together artists and filmmakers with creators, brand leaders and entertainment execs.
Later in the week, L’Oreal Paris and Women In Film presented a session at UTA House that explored distribution models for women-led storytelling, and Simply Beverages and Antigravity Academy presented “The Simple Art of Storytelling,” a panel featuring discussions between diverse filmmakers. The panel was accompanied by an upstairs lounge where brand executives, filmmakers and industry insiders could gather for more casual conversations.
Other event highlights at UTA House, thus far, have included a live recording of an upcoming “The Ankler” podcast episode, and a panel presented by Google on how brands are showing up in pop culture and entertainment to connect with Gen Z. (Agency: Mirrored Media)
VULTURE
Vulture Spot is a media studio activated by Vox Media-owned Vulture that has popped up on Main Street for several years now. For Sundance 2025, from Jan. 24-27, the brand invited select members of the filmmaking community to stop by for “conversations over hot coffee,” a nod to presenting sponsor Starbucks, which operated a coffee shop right on-site. Invite-only guests participated in video interviews and photo shoots in addition to interacting with sponsors like Casamigos, which was serving up multi-person tequila flights on a branded ski. Yes, a ski.
Photo credit: Getty Images for Vulture
Featured photo credit: Breanna Downs
