From Short-Form Entertainment to Lasting Connections
Title: Shifting Gears: Brands as Producers Rather Than Advertisers
In the realm of advertising, many brands and executives still view platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Meta, and Snap as a venue for brief campaigns or collaborations with creators. However, audiences consume content in a vastly different manner now. Short-form video, accounting for 80% of all mobile data consumption, has shifted expectations—audiences now expect entertainment, not mere advertisements.
Brands must evolve from advertisers to content producers, investing in narratives and formats that offer enduring value. The new era of content creation opens up opportunities for brands, enabling them to form lasting connections with their audiences.

The Power of Branded Content
Embracing the role of content producer shifts brands from mere advertisers. Two pioneers paving the way are retail giant Target and luxury jeweler Alexis Bittar. Both showcase the potential of serialized content, transforming marketing campaigns into enduring franchises that deliver ongoing value.

Target's 'Teammates of Target'
Universal appeal fueled the success of the viral YouTube series 'Husbands of Target'. Leveraging this success, Target and creative studio Portal A extended the concept into the branded series 'Teammates of Target'. Featuring NFL players Matthew Stafford, Garrett Wilson, and WNBA stars Kelsey Plum and A'ja Wilson, the TikTok and Instagram distributed show raked in 45 million views, demonstrating the scalability of refining and expanding on existing concepts.

Alexis Bittar's 'The Bittarverse'
Luxury jewelry brand Alexis Bittar launched 'The Bittarverse', a TikTok soap opera-style series set on New York's Upper East Side. The show was powered by wit, guest appearances from Susan Sarandon and Coco Rocha, and featured the brand's collection, catapulting eCommerce sales up by 41% each year.

Moving Beyond Creativity: Scale and Efficiency
Turning branded content into a sustainable business requires more than just creativity. Mastering the process of production, testing, and scaling is essential. Media companies like NowThis and ATTN have demonstrated the potential of applying these methods for brands.

NowThis: Data-Driven Storytelling
Founded in 2012, NowThis, with its 89 million followers, 7 billion annual views, and monthly reach of 168 million, delivers an unparalleled advantage: the ability to test content at an unmatched pace. Head of CEO Sharon Mussalli’s data-driven approach to efficiency and growth, coupled with her background from MIT, set her apart in the media industry.

At NowThis, the emphasis on character development and audience feedback transformed the interview-style series 'Are You Okay?' into a sustainable character-driven show, scaling the views per episode from 250,000–300,000 to 4–6 million each time.
ATTN: From Views to Value

ATTN, a creative studio and publisher with a renowned commitment to information, inspiration, and community engagement, ensures that its branded content goes beyond mere clicks. Partnering with global leaders and brands, ATTN provides content that impacts conversations, behaviors, and fosters lasting connections.
Innovating Brands through Social Storytelling
Webby and Shorty award-winning campaign 'Truth, Dare, or Dollar', launched by Cash App, tapped into the zeitgeist of Gen Z, propelling over 23,300 hours of active gameplay and a boost in app engagement. The success of ATTN validates the role that social storytelling plays in delivering business impact for brands.
Incorporating purchasing options, lead generation, and customer loyalty through episodic content drives significant benefits for marketers. Delivering content with impact translated into more than just views—it fostered lasting connections.
With social platforms presenting the chance to move beyond short-term advertising and embrace long-term, authentic connections through original programming, the future for brands lies in embracing the role of content producer with a keen eye on impact and long-term value.
- To effectively engage with their audiences, brands now need to transition from mere advertisers to content producers, implementing a branded content strategy that incorporates short-form video marketing and social storytelling.
- The success of campaigns like Target's 'Teammates of Target' and Alexis Bittar's 'The Bittarverse' demonstrate the power of refining and scaling branded content strategies, showing significant increases in views, eCommerce sales, and audience engagement.
- To make branded content a sustainable business, it's essential to integrate data-driven storytelling, efficient production processes, and a focus on impact and value, as demonstrated by media companies such as NowThis and ATTN.