Is your brand taking a butter-knife to a gunfight?

Today’s audience skips ads faster than I skip leg day.

But somehow, they’ll spend h-o-u-r-s binging their favorite shows, d-a-y-s gaming.

And even dig into branded content they actually like.

So, what gives?

It’s all about value.

People crave entertainment, inspiration, and [aaila!] even, education.

Anything but being sold to.

“Sell me something, and I’m out.

Make me feel something, and I’m in!”

Sidebar*:

Almost 1 billion people worldwide use ad blockers.

In India alone, 40% of Indian internet users are part of this rebellion.

And over 70% of Gen Z won’t touch an ad with a 10-foot pole.

Older farts like me?
We’re happy to pay extra to make ads go away.

You can throw your entire marketing budget at ads, but with one click…

5-4-3-2-1… Poof! You’re gone.

Reaching people with ads is like trying to catch water with a net.

Even when ads do hit, trust is at an all-time low.

Gone are the days when in case of a controversy,

irrespective of whether you’re a chocolate, cola or noodle brand,

you could simply sign on Mr. Bachchan and win back favor.

Conversations that were NEVER part of living rooms are now on family WhatsApp groups.

Consumers know what Mr. Bachchan charges for an Insta Story.

Or what are Virat’s fees for a reel.

If your Brand’s MarComm strat still revolves around the classic 30 second TV spot,

you’re basically bringing a butter knife to a gunfight.

Grabbing attention and building a connection has always been key,

But now? It’s mission-critical.

And no, I’m not talking about Tom Cruise level stunts

[Though that would be cool!]

In today’s world, content is your new best friend.

The Swiss Army knife of marketing.

The old interruption playbook is as outdated as your dad’s mixtape.

Now, content isn’t just king, it’s the whole royal darbar!

We’ve never seen this much content being created or consumed in the history of humankind.

From memes to multiverse movies.

Good content doesn’t just entertain, it jumps over the firewalls your audience has built.

If you can entertain, inspire, educate… you’ve got a chance to engage.

And if you can engage, you can turn strangers into fans,

And customers into brand advocates.

But you’ll have to meet your audience where they are:

In the worlds of series, songs, short films, games, or

wherever they’re spending their screentime and head/ heart space.

You’ve got to deliver stories in genres & formats that resonate.

That’s why brands like Red Bull aren’t just selling energy drinks;

They’re running a Media house, creating soapbox races and getting people to jump out of spaceships.

Mattel’s not just selling dolls; they’re funding feature films to reinvent Barbie.

Coca-Cola isn’t just about the fizzy drink; it’s backing Coke Studio across markets, cultures and languages.

Even Liquid Death is getting in on action with Ozzy Osborne or

auctioning coffin-shaped freezers as giveaways. Yep, that’s a thing.

Ching’s Desi Chinese is creating mini-movies to create a cuisine block.

And Zomato’s out there roasting itself while celebrating its delivery partners and big spenders.

 So, here are 3 takeaways:

1. Traditional advertising is no longer enough for success – hell, not even for survival
2. Start your Branded Content journey with stories that feed into your brand tonality, values, narratives – not just with Happy Diwali posts
3. Try multiple formats, stories, content styles, genres… but don’t give up too soon. Remember the Branded Content path is a marathon, not a sprint

The brands that will win are the ones creating value-driven content alongside traditional advertising.

So, what’s your story?

Ashiish V Patil is writer-producer-director and proud autism dad. He’s the ex-CEO of MTV India; former Head of Youth Films, Talent Management, Brand Partnerships and Digital Originals at Yash Raj Films and now runs a content hotshop called Isspeshal. Ashiish is also the author of 2 bestsellers including ‘Branded Content Boss’.

*Source: Statista, June 2024 data

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