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Brave brands aren’t afraid to be entertaining

Would you rather create an interruption or a sought after disruption?

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Ryan Sheppard & Joel Leeman
October 01, 2024

Welcome to Spark, a newsletter from Vivace Content. We curate the most interesting thinking and ideas from our community on themes ranging from business and finance to culture and creativity. Send tips and feedback to [email protected].  

Hello Spark readers,

This is a very special week for Vivace, three times over:

  1. It’s Ryan’s birthday!

  2. It’s Vivace’s birthday!

  3. Ryan and I are in London this week!

Please join me in wishing my co-founder, collaborator and close friend a very happy birthday – or if you are part of our lovely London community, we’d love to see you in person to celebrate this Thursday evening, October 3rd, at our Vivace happy hour! Reply to this email for further deets.

And speaking of entertaining; this week we have a fantastic follow up to our last feature from Rob Sartain, who called on brands to be “unapologetically bold in a world of bland”, via special contributor Lauren Denowtiz who is here to tell you how you can do just that using the power of entertainment.

I met Lauren through a mutual connection and have loved following her on LinkedIn ever since, given her unique expertise and point of view on this exciting area of brand-lead marketing. I wrote about Barbie being last year’s greatest content play, but B2C brands began have been investing heavily in brand entertainment for years. We think it’s about time B2B got a piece of the action (or drama, comedy, romance…).

Here’s to another year of bravery and boldness at Vivace!

Joel

Bravery through brand entertainment

Guest essay by Lauren Denowitz

Bravery is essential for today’s brands to thrive. The modern consumer is discerning; tuned in to high-quality content from streaming platforms, social media, and traditional media outlets. Brands seeking to capture attention and inspire loyalty need to do more than just show up—they need to be bold, innovative, and fearless in their efforts.

For years, brands relied on traditional advertising to engage consumers, often interrupting rather than entertaining. But the landscape has shifted dramatically. The rise of premium entertainment––TV shows, movies, podcasts, and other long-form digital content––has opened new avenues to connect with audiences in meaningful ways…for those brands who are brave enough to try.

Brave enough to take risks, tell deeper stories, and engage with creative and distribution partners in unconventional ways.

The moment I took a leap

Let me set the scene with a personal connection to bravery. Over the past decade, I’ve had the pleasure of working on traditional marketing campaigns for iconic brands like Philips and Anheuser Busch InBev.

As far as jobs go, I always felt I’d hit the jackpot. The work activated both my creative and strategic sides, I loved the people I worked with, and—dare I say it—found the work fun.

And you know who else loved it? My grandparents, my brothers, and my closest friends. Nothing brought them more joy than seeing my work pop up on their TVs and phones.

But here’s the thing—besides my grandma, most people weren’t exactly thrilled about my ads popping up amidst their Netflix or TikTok binges. Over time, I noticed that people increasingly saw ads as interruptions, not something they sought out for entertainment. As marketers, we were trying to “entertain” instead of “interrupt,” but it wasn’t landing.

That’s when it became clear to me: the future of brand marketing wasn’t just about ads—it was about real storytelling. So, when the opportunity arose to lead AB InBev’s leap into premium entertainment with the creation of draftLine Entertainment, I jumped at it.

This move wasn’t just brave for me personally—leaving behind my network and experience—but also for the organization. We were venturing into uncharted territory, and I quickly realized that bravery wasn’t optional if brands were going to survive, much less thrive, in the world of entertainment.

Here are three ways your brand can bravely step into the world of brand entertainment, and why taking these risks isn’t just recommended—it’s essential.

Brave storytelling

At the heart of entertainment is storytelling. It’s critical to remember when entering the brand entertainment space: you are not just competing with other brands—you’re competing with everything on this earth that has the potential to entertain a human.

If a brand’s content does not deliver the drama, laughs, intrigue, emotional depth, authenticity or excitement of a Super Bowl game, an episode of Stranger Things or a Love Island reunion…it’s not going to work. Superficial storytelling won’t captivate an audience.

Brands need to tell stories that are emotionally engaging, dramatic, and even provocative. Consumers today are drawn to narratives with depth, stories that take a stance on social issues or reveal a more vulnerable side of the brand. But this isn’t without its risks—bold storytelling can invite backlash or controversy. However, brands that are willing to embrace this tension often see the greatest rewards. As the saying goes, “fortune favors the bold,” and in today’s entertainment-driven world, boldness can lead to increased relevance and engagement.

Take Mattel’s recent Barbie movie. It wasn’t just about marketing a doll; it was about confronting some of the problematic ways Barbie has shaped beauty standards over the years. Mattel took a risk by acknowledging its flaws, but in doing so, the brand connected with a broader audience and positioned itself as forward-thinking.

Similarly, Netflix’s docuseries America’s Sweethearts gave viewers an inside look at the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading team. The series quickly became a fan favorite, even among non-sports enthusiasts like me. The storytelling was top-notch—viewers were treated to the highs and lows of the cheerleaders' journey, from their grueling training to the emotional and personal challenges they faced.

The Cowboys took a risk by allowing such transparency, especially around sensitive issues like how their cheerleaders are compensated in comparison to the players. This decision sparked some controversy, but it also humanized the brand. In the end, the gamble paid off. My proof point? Days after the series premiered, all eyes were on the Opening Ceremony at the Paris Olympics where one of the dominant conversations on social media was how these performers didn’t hold a candle to the Cowboys cheerleaders. The Cowboys owned the conversation, without even being a part of this major cultural event. Saliency and brand love were at an all-time high.

Of course, bravery doesn’t mean airing all your dirty laundry. It’s about taking calculated risks—being bold in your storytelling while staying aligned with your brand’s values and purpose. It’s a delicate balance, but if your brand isn't taking some risks, you're unlikely to stand out in today's crowded entertainment landscape.

Brave partnership

Collaboration is another foundational piece of successful brand entertainment. Traditionally, brands have relied on creative agencies to manage their storytelling (read: advertising). But when entering the world of entertainment, brands need to be open to working with new kinds of creative partners, including writers, directors, producers, and other content creators.

These folks have a deep understanding of how to captivate an audience with premium storytelling formats, but they come with their own ways of working, which greatly differ from the typical client-agency dynamic.

For brands, this means relinquishing some control over the process. Collaboration here is a true partnership, with both the brand and the creatives focused on making the content resonate. Imagine telling a Scorsese or Mr. Beast to execute your vision exactly as outlined in a PowerPoint—they’d laugh you out of the room.

This shift from traditional brand control to shared creative collaboration can be uncomfortable, but it’s often where the magic happens. When brands allow creatives to take the lead in storytelling, they open the door to fresh perspectives, diverse storytelling, and greater audience engagement.

Without authentic creative partnerships, a brand risks inauthenticity. Consumers can sense when a brand or creator publishes something that doesn’t align with who they are. And inauthenticity can be an express-train ride to being canceled.

Finally, brands must recognize that most creatives aren’t “like us.” They haven’t risen through the ranks of corporate America, where PowerPoint decks, follow-up emails, and rigid structures reign.

As someone told me recently, marketing and Hollywood are like Portuguese and Spanish—similar from afar, but up close, they hardly overlap. Brands that aren’t willing ––or brave enough––to adapt their work style and communication will struggle to succeed in this space. Duolingo for the win.

Brave new formats and platforms

Successful brand entertainment embraces new formats and platforms: A 30-second TV spot is worlds apart from a 30-episode series, just as a 15-second Spotify ad differs from a full-length podcast. These formats require a completely different approach to storytelling.

For brands, this shift involves risk, but the rewards can be immense. Long-form content allows for deeper, more immersive experiences that hold attention longer.

In terms of distribution, brands must, once again, relinquish control. Unlike the world of owned and operated distribution that brands are accustomed to, streaming giants like Netflix and Disney are the gatekeepers. They get to control if, when and how the content is shared with an audience.

But the trade-off is worth it: Access to massive global audiences without paying for amplification and the potential for profit through content licensing. With brand entertainment, marketing can transform from a cost center to a profit and IP-driving powerhouse.

It is important to acknowledge the chaos distributors face right now as they seek profitable business models––but we’ve seen disruption like this in the entertainment space before, it’s cyclical. And disruption breeds opportunity. The entities––including brands––that stay agile, creative, and work collaboratively with distributors will be the ones to thrive in the future of consumer connection being built as we speak.

Brand entertainment rewards bravery

Brand entertainment is more than just content creation—it’s about stepping out of your comfort zone, embracing new creative and distribution models, and telling stories that truly resonate with your audience.

Whether it’s showcasing your brand’s identity or aligning with broader cultural movements, the brands that thrive will be those willing to take risks and entertain their audiences, rather than just market to them, embracing bravery at every step—from storytelling to collaboration to distribution.

So, the next time your brand embarks on a brand marketing initiative, ask: How can we be braver? How can we push boundaries, tell deeper stories, and leverage new ways to connect with our audience? The answers will determine your brand’s success.

Here’s to creating work to be loved by all – as well as our grandparents.

Lauren Denowitz is a storyteller and marketer with over a decade of experience, including pivotal roles at Philips and ABInBev. She founded and lead ABInBev’s draftLine Entertainment as Global Studio Head, moving their brand storytelling beyond traditional ads by leveraging the power of premium entertainment to shape culture and elevate their diverse brands.

Now, as an independent consultant (“Witz About Her LLC”), she is eager to collaborate with brands and creators, bringing her expertise and passion for driving growth through both traditional marketing and innovative entertainment strategies.

🎟️ Your Brand x Entertainment inspiration

Thinking that your brand might be ready for the red carpet treatment, but not quite sure if it’s Barbie material? Expand your brand entertainment palate with these recommendations from Lauren:

📽️ Film

📺️ TV

🎧️ Podcasts

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Thanks for joining us this week. Anything we missed? Something we should include next week? Send us your shout-outs, strong opinions, and headlines to include in next week’s edition at [email protected]. 

Spark is a production of Vivace Content, where we help our clients navigate what to say and how to say it every single day. Get in touch if you’d like to have a no-hassle consultation about how we can help you too. Have a great week ahead.