What is branded entertainment?

Branded entertainment is another way of connecting with consumers online.

Also called “branded content” or “advertainment,” according to Wikipedia, “branded entertainment” is the combination of an audio-visual program (TV, radio, podcasts, videocasts, etc.) and a brand. Initiated by the brand or the broadcaster, a branded entertainment program allows brands to promote their image and brand attributes to their target audience by creating positive links between the brand and the viewers. It is a reflection of the advertiser’s brand personality. It is not product placement or a product advertisement—it is a piece of entertainment.

One extreme example of branded entertainment was the Hottest Mom In America reality show/contest sponsored by Medicis Pharmaceutical the maker of Restylane.

PQ Media recently reported findings from a study that reveals spending on branded entertainment marketing reached $22.3 billion in 2007, an all-time high. This form of marketing has almost doubled in the last five years, and the projected growth from 2007 to 2012 is 12.8% CAGR, exceeding $40 billion.

Patrick Quinn, President & CEO of PQ Media, said "... there are strong secular trends driving investment from traditional advertising media to alternative marketing strategies... Americans are spending more time outside their homes, online at work, communicating via wireless devices and multitasking with various media, which has created a generation of elusive consumers for brand marketers to reach... (leading) to increased investment in alternative marketing tactics."

As more of our clients move to branded entertainment, by placing such content in a branded widget that can be passed along virally and measured—clients will maximize their investment in this new marketing approach.