fictionalbranding

Fictional branding is the practice of creating brands that exist within fictional contexts or as speculative constructs used in media and marketing. These brands may appear in novels, films, video games, TV series, or promotional campaigns and are designed to feel authentic without existing in the real market.

In fiction, fictional branding serves worldbuilding and narrative purposes: they provide in-universe consumer culture, create stakes around product success, and offer recognizable signifiers for characters and settings. In marketing, they function as research tools or creative exercises for testing branding approaches, packaging concepts, and visual identities before applying them to real products.

Key elements include a brand name, visual identity (logos, color schemes), product narratives, packaging design, and a documented place in the in-world economy. Successful fictional brands align with the tone and setting and often cross media boundaries to appear in games, shows, or tie-in materials.

Common examples cited in discussions of fictional branding include Nuka-Cola from Fallout, Aperture Science from Portal, and Duff Beer from The Simpsons. These examples illustrate how branding can convey technology levels, cultural attitudes, and corporate power within a story.

Projects involving fictional branding raise legal and ethical questions about trademarks, licensing, and potential consumer confusion if used outside their fictional context. Clear separation from real products and proper rights management help prevent misrepresentation.

See also worldbuilding, transmedia storytelling, product placement, branding theory, fictional economies.