Los Angeles Times

Targeting consumers who skip commercials, brands turn to sponsored documentaries

SAN FRANCISCO - Harbinder Singh was skeptical about arranged marriages, but when he received a photo of his potential wife-to-be, he was wowed. "The charm, the smile, the personality ... it shines right there," he said.

Arvinder, a young woman in her early 20s in India, was also love-struck by Harbinder's picture. She saw the New Yorker's kind, loving eyes - a smile that seemed to be directed at her.

A thing as simple as looking at an old-fashioned, physical photograph sparked a whirlwind romance and a lifetime of love - all of it captured in a five-minute documentary, "At First Sight," posted online and shown as part of a larger series at the Tribeca Film Festival in April. But it wasn't just a heartwarming tale - it was also a subtle pitch for photo printers, with

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