Tinashe

Product placement in “Needs” music video

Partnered with Tinashe ahead of her next major cultural breakout, bringing immi into her “Needs” music video. The partnership delivered 20 seconds of product visibility and 11M cumulative tracked content views, with continued use across social, email, and Expo West.

Tracked content views11M

Product screen time20 sec

ReleaseAug 2023

My role

I identified the opportunity, sourced an introduction through a personal connection, and coordinated the partnership with Tinashe’s management and the immi team.

The challenge

We wanted to expand immi’s cultural presence beyond food-brand collaborations. The right partnership needed a natural product connection and an association we could build on as the artist’s audience grew.

As Tinashe’s team developed a grocery-store music video for “Needs,” I saw an opening to connect immi with an established artist entering a promising new chapter.

My approach

Act on momentum and product fit

I saw an opportunity to partner with Tinashe before her next mainstream breakout. A personal introduction opened the conversation; her connection to ramen and the grocery-store setting made immi a natural fit.

Set direction, then trust the creative

We planned for five seconds of visibility. I shared shot priorities and coordinated with management while leaving the director creative freedom. The final video delivered 20 seconds.

Extend the placement

We reused the partnership across social, email, and our Expo West sizzle video, bringing it into conversations with creators and retail buyers.

Read more: partner selection & activation

Evaluate fit alongside attention

Before Tinashe, I explored a placement in Ice Spice’s “Deli” video through a management connection. The bidding exceeded our budget, and the opportunity did not move forward.

That experience sharpened my criteria: cultural visibility mattered, alongside product affinity, creative fit, and an investment that made sense for an emerging brand.

Act on momentum and a natural connection

I believed Tinashe could reach a wider audience and saw value in establishing a relationship before her next mainstream moment. A friend introduced me to her management while the video’s creative was taking shape.

We learned that ramen was a comfort food for her while touring and during busy periods. That affinity, combined with the grocery-store setting, gave immi a believable role and both teams a shared interest in the partnership.

Give direction, then extend the work

We initially planned for five seconds of visibility. I shared the shots we hoped to capture while giving the director creative freedom to integrate immi. The final video included 20 seconds.

I coordinated the placement with both teams, then helped extend the partnership through Instagram mentions, follow-up content, team social channels, and email. Clips also appeared in our Expo West sizzle video, bringing the collaboration to retail buyers, creators, and industry partners.

Outcome

20 seconds of product visibility, versus five initially planned
11M cumulative tracked content views, including 8M music-video views and 2.8M follow-up Reel views
Additional use across social, email, and Expo West

The following year, “Nasty” expanded Tinashe’s mainstream recognition. In conversations with creators and industry contacts, I found more people recognized her, giving immi an increasingly familiar cultural association.

Views are cumulative, not unique reach or attributed sales. The value of that growing association was qualitative rather than separately measured.

What I learned

Shared enthusiasm strengthens the creative. Tinashe’s connection to ramen gave both teams a natural foundation and a reason to be invested.

Early partnerships can gain relevance over time. Her subsequent breakout reinforced my decision to act while the opportunity was taking shape.

More lessons from the partnership

Plan beyond the release.

Building social, email, and trade-show uses into the partnership extended its value beyond the music video.

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Music video