What is Branded Entertainment?

Branded programming is the skilful symbiosis of brand strategy and programme context to elicit greater brand engagement within a target demographic.

It is not primarily a focus on product placement or overt brand editorial.

It is a means by which a brand can have a deeper relationship with a programme property beyond traditional media activity. It is where a brand creates entertainment that would not have existed without that brand, and where consumers choose to be involved.

Through television programming and cross-platform extensions Brands are reaching consumers by association with the programme’s values – where those values are specifically developed to be consonant with a brand’s values.

The best branded programming uses entertainment as a gateway to consumer dialogue and engagement off-air and on multiple platforms – creating a social currency.

Branded programming will play an important supporting role to traditional brand activity until such time as the cost versus effectiveness ratio of the traditional 30” spot has fallen below acceptable levels.

In order for branded programming to take up the slack potentially left by television advertising (in terms of depth and breadth of engagement), the programme idea must be the central content that holds all of the consumer facing activity together within the branded entertainment strategy.

As a result, while branded events, branded viral teasers, branded video games, branded concerts, branded mobile content, branded music CDs and branded online content are all important elements of a 3600 branded content initiative – we view these elements as necessary extensions from a core television property.