Scroll. Skip. Mute. Block. Brands aren’t just competing for attention - they’re fighting for survival in the feed. So when a brand shows up in someone’s feed, inbox, or timeline, it better have a reason to be there. Not just a message. A story. A point of view. A pulse.
And there’s proof it works: branded content drives 59 % higher brand recall than display ads, making people remember you long after the scroll ends.
At Don’t Panic, we’ve built branded content that’s made people laugh, cry, protest, donate, and press replay. We’ve also seen what doesn’t work: formulaic, forgettable content that tries to ride a trend or sell a tagline without saying anything real. So when we talk about brand content strategy, we’re not talking about filler for a content calendar. We’re talking about how a brand moves people - from feeling, to thinking, to doing.
We’ve bottled what works, ditched what doesn’t, and turned it into this guide. You’re welcome. (And if you skim to the examples, we won’t judge.) This guide brings together the strategy principles we apply daily, the creative signals we watch closely, and the questions we ask our clients (and ourselves) to help branded content matter in 2025.
What Is a Branded Content Strategy?
A branded content strategy is a plan for telling your brand’s story in a way that’s built to earn attention - not just impressions. It goes beyond campaign slogans or performance metrics and into the realm of culture, behaviour, and shared experience.
It’s different from traditional advertising because the audience isn’t told - they’re invited. The best branded content feels less like an interruption, and more like something you’d choose to watch, share, or send to a friend. It doesn't shout for attention - it rewards it.
“The best content stems from a clearly defined brand personality and values. It’s not about jumping on the latest tone trend (hello, 'cool uncle' or 'girlie' voice), but finding a voice that’s yours – grounded, distinct, and aligned with what you stand for.”
That’s the starting point. From there, a strong brand content strategy builds around:
- Who you’re speaking to (and what matters to them)
- What format your message takes (film, social, experiential, etc.)
- Where it shows up (and why it belongs there)
- How it connects emotionally and culturally — not just logically
And ultimately, how it earns not just views, but trust.
Curious how earned media fits into your brand strategy? Here’s how to secure and measure meaningful earned media.
The Core Pillars of a Great Brand Content Strategy
Branded content isn’t about one great idea. It’s about building a system that consistently shows up in the right place, with the right story, for the right people. Here’s what we believe every standout brand content strategy needs:
1. Talk to Their Feeds, Not Your Funnel
You can’t earn attention if you don’t know whose attention you’re trying to earn. The strongest strategies start not with a product or campaign goal, but with a deep understanding of your audience: what they value, what they scroll past, and what makes them stop.
This means going beyond basic demographics. What are their pain points? Their motivations? Their memes of the moment? Use search data, social discourse, and content performance data (yes, even Google Analytics) to understand what they need — not just what you want to tell them.
Tip: Build audience personas rooted in emotional drivers, not just business segments. Think: “the over-scroller who wants to feel seen” vs. “urban Gen Z female, 22–26.”
Not sure where to start? Learn how to define your audience and create content they actually want.
2. Say Something That Actually Means Something
A strong branded content strategy ladders up to a clear brand truth - not a one-off campaign line. It’s the difference between a clever ad and a story that earns trust over time.
“Great branded content reflects a bigger picture. While audiences may connect with different aspects – values, product, employee stories – those narratives should all ladder up to a cohesive brand idea. Avoid fragmentation; aim for dimension.”
Nike doesn’t only tell you to “Just Do It.” It builds worlds where everyone is an athlete - over years, through voices, formats, and lived stories.
The numbers agree: emotional campaigns generate 1.7× more "brand effects" than rational, message-only work, according to 30 years of IPA case studies analysed by Binet & Field.
Your brand voice should be recognisable and consistent, but flexible enough to adapt to the cultural moment without losing its core.
Struggling to find your tone? Discover how to craft brand messaging that sticks.
3. Design for Attention, Not Just Reach
We’re not just competing with other brands. We’re competing with creators, TikToks, memes, live streams, WhatsApp chats, and Netflix thumbnails.
If your content doesn’t hook quickly, it won’t get seen at all - especially on mobile.
“The scroll is unforgiving. Opening seconds matter more than ever. Lead with the insight, the tension, the unexpected - not the logo.”
That’s why we apply something called “attention architecture” to every idea. Whether it’s a 10-second social teaser or a two-minute brand film, we ask:
- What’s the emotional entry point?
- Does the opening image or line provoke interest?
- Would you keep watching?
And it pays: branded content averages an 81% aided recall rate and lifts brand awareness by 10 percentage points, outperforming many traditional placements.
4. Don’t Just Hack the Feed – Be Worth Watching
You can optimise for reach without being robotic. In fact, the best branded content strategies prioritise cultural relevance over pure virality. It’s not about chasing trends for clout; it’s about showing up where your brand belongs in the conversation.
That could mean referencing an issue your audience cares about, participating in a timely moment, or even knowing when not to speak.
Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer shows that when people feel economically or socially vulnerable, they flock to brands that prove societal value. Trustworthy brands enjoy 4x greater loyalty and advocacy scores.
At Don’t Panic, we look for the intersection of brand truth, cultural timing, and creative bravery. That’s where the good stuff happens.
Tip: Align your content to real-world issues (genuinely), and audiences will carry it further than any algorithm.
Want your work to spread? Get practical tips for creating content people actually share.
5. Let the Audience Play a Role
Today’s audiences don’t just want to consume content - they want to shape it, share it, remix it, react to it.
Smart branded content strategies don’t talk at people - they co-create with them through user-generated stories, social call-outs, interactive formats, or community.
“We don’t just tell stories – we engineer participation.”
LEGO's Ideas platform illustrates the power of community involvement. By allowing fans to submit and vote on new set designs, LEGO has transformed customers into collaborators, with several fan-created sets becoming official products.
A brand’s story is more powerful when people see themselves in it. Or better yet, when they help write it.
Image Source: Harvard.edu
Branded Content in Action: Real Campaigns, Real Impact
A branded content strategy is only as good as the work it creates. Here are moments where Don’t Panic turned strategy into storytelling - and storytelling into results.
YouTube – “This Is My YouTube”
The brief:YouTube asked us to help them to reconnect with brand and media decision-makers who had begun to overlook its value. It wasn’t a lack of features - it was a lack of emotional relevance.
The idea:YouTube wanted people to remember it’s more than just cat fails and conspiracy theorists, so we made a content series inspired by Desert Island Discs, inviting creative leaders to walk us through their YouTube watch histories and how the platform had shaped their thinking.
The format:Live events with documentary-style content. Stories over stats. Cultural insight over product walkthrough.
The results:
- 50% average view rate
- 37% video completion rate
- 7.21% lift in positive sentiment
- Reinforced YouTube’s role in creative discovery, without ever needing a hard sell
Why it worked: We didn’t talk at them. We let real voices show the platform’s value. It was human, surprising, and emotionally sticky.
Greenpeace × LEGO – “Everything Is Not Awesome”
The brief:
Greenpeace wanted us to convince LEGO to drop its decades-long Shell partnership and spotlight Arctic drilling.
The idea:
Hijack LEGO’s own brick world: a haunting stop-motion film of an oil-soaked Arctic slowly sinking, set to a melancholy version of “Everything Is Awesome”.
The format:
Social-first viral video amplified by news outlets and activist influencers.
The results:
- 8 M+ organic views in 48 hrs (after an initial YouTube takedown, the internet kept re-uploading)
- Global press coverage; 1 M petition signatures
- LEGO announced it would end the Shell deal within months
Why it worked: We borrowed the visual language of childhood innocence to deliver a gut-punch, proving emotional storytelling can spark real-world change.
Want to move people to action, not just awareness? Explore this article on how emotional storytelling drives deeper brand connection.
Red Bull – A Brand World Without a Product Push
This one wasn't our campaign but this is one we love.
The strategy:Red Bull’s content output is massive - but always anchored in its core belief: “Red Bull gives you wings.”
The execution:From mini-docs on extreme athletes to livestreamed stunts and short films, Red Bull doesn’t market energy drinks. It markets energy, full stop.
You might spot the can, but that’s never the headline. The story is the brand.
The takeaway:They don’t sell product through messaging. They build a brand world people want to be part of - and content is the front door.
If you're curious to see more of our work, check out our case studies here.
Best Practices for Branded Content in 2025
If the last few years taught us anything, it’s that attention is fragile, and audiences are more discerning than ever. A successful strategy today isn’t about flooding every channel. It’s about showing up deliberately, with stories that are built for how people think, feel, and consume in 2025.
Here’s what we’ve found makes the difference:
1. Audience First, Always
Every killer idea starts with listening, not shouting. This should go without saying - and yet, many brands still lead with what they want to talk about, not what people care about. Start with search intent, social listening, and human insight. Build content that speaks to their world before asking them to step into yours.
IPA research found that 71 % of UK Gen Zs feel “constantly bombarded” by content, yet they’re 2× more likely to stick with brands that “get” their humour and pain points. Ofcom’s 2023 news study echoes the trust gap: only 34 % of 18-34s trust mainstream news, but 52% say they trust “brands that speak my language”.
What this means for you: start every brief with a culture scan and a pain-point map; if the content doesn’t solve, celebrate or shortcut something for your audience, scrap it.
"Your audience isn’t waiting for your next post. You have to earn their time, every time."
2. Atomise Big Ideas Into Smaller Moments
Your hero film might be beautiful. But how does it break down for Stories, TikTok, LinkedIn, and a landing page? Content atomisation is how you stretch a big message across formats and platforms, without diluting it.
Use your brand story to create:
- Short vertical edits
- Social soundbites
- Email content
- Behind-the-scenes breakdowns
- Community activations
Think pillars and clusters - not campaigns in isolation.
Ready to grow your audience? Try these 7 proven content marketing tips to boost your reach.
3. Design for Platform, Not Just Message
A strong brand message means nothing if the format doesn’t fit. Ask: How will this look in-feed, muted, cropped, and surrounded by chaos?
- YouTube: Long-form, story-led, rich in emotion
- TikTok/IG Reels: Fast, punchy, native language
- LinkedIn: Thought leadership, B2B storytelling
- Twitter/X: Bold lines, culture-driven reactions
Branded content should feel native, not repurposed.
4. Measure What Matters
You can’t optimise what you don’t measure - but don’t confuse views with value.
Look at:
- Engagement time
- Shareability
- Search engine performance
- Earned media pickup
- Sentiment shift
- Conversion by stage in buyer’s journey
Use Google Analytics, social insights, and SEO data to refine. But also… trust your gut. If you wouldn't share it, your audience probably won’t either.
5. Be Brave Enough to Be Different
This is the hardest, and most important, part.
“In a sea of sameness, the content that wins is the content that dares. Taking risks – visually, tonally, narratively – builds memorability.”
There’s a clear backlash against traditional ads and gimmicky marketing – and a hunger for more genuine content.
In a recent reddit thread, a top rated commenter posted:
“Endless ads, fake influencers, and empty ‘brand purpose’ slogans. It’s all just noise, and consumers are tuning out...People crave real connections, genuine stories, and true values. They want to know that brands actually stand for something meaningful.”
Users argue that brands win attention by being honest, human, and listener-focused.
Don’t Panic doesn’t exist to make wallpaper. We make work that provokes, delights, moves. Your brand content strategy should do the same - not by being loud for the sake of it, but by being true, bold, and culturally tuned-in.
Where Branded Content Is Heading Next
Branded content isn’t static - it’s evolving with culture, platforms, and technology. What worked three years ago might feel formulaic now. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned at Don’t Panic, it’s this: when you follow where your audience is going - emotionally, digitally, and culturally - your content stays relevant.
Here’s where we believe branded content is moving next:
1. From Brand Voice to Brand Characters
People don’t connect with corporate logos - they connect with personalities. More brands are shifting from abstract tone-of-voice guidelines to character-driven storytelling: mascots, personas, and narrators who lead the brand's content universe.
Think:
- Duolingo’s unhinged owl
- Ryanair’s chaotic pilot
- The return of “spokes-creatures” with attitude
"These characters don’t just sell - they invite participation, loyalty, and memes. They're media properties in themselves."
Why double-down on mascots? Because audiences quietly love them. A 2023 Ipsos/Born Licensing survey found 43 % of UK consumers prefer fictional characters in ads - nearly double the appeal of celebrities. Characters are nostalgia engines: they’re fun, controversy-proof and instantly recognisable, which is why Domino’s cheeky “Mac Scott” pasta-mascot hoovered up 10k TikTok followers in a single day.
Image Source: Dominos Instagram
2. From Mass Messaging to Adaptive Storytelling (AI-Enhanced)
AI isn’t just generating content - it’s enabling more personalised, dynamic storytelling. Think adaptive scripts, modular videos, even tailored user journeys based on viewer data.
The smartest brands will use AI to enhance creative, not replace it - layering in personalisation without losing voice or vision.
Take G42's 2024 campaign, "The Choice," featuring Lewis Hamilton. This film delves into the ethical dimensions of AI, blending Hamilton's narrative with AI-generated visuals. It's a masterclass in using technology to deepen storytelling, not just decorate it.
Why it matters: Deloitte's 2024 UK survey reveals that 71% of business leaders believe GenAI will substantially transform their organisations within three years. Yet, only 34% feel their organisations possess a high level of expertise in the technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpEqFPK6DvU
3. From Content By Brands to Content Through Communities
The smartest branded content strategies don’t just talk to audiences - they co-create with them.
“UGC and co-creation are more than tactics - they’re signals of trust, authenticity, and cultural relevance.”
And it’s not just us saying that. Marketers across a popular Reddit thread in 2025 have echoed a major shift in brand storytelling. There’s growing fatigue with the once-ubiquitous “authentic founder’s story.” What used to feel raw and personal now reads as formula. Instead, the storytelling that's cutting through is grounded in community - in real people, real use cases, and stories that reflect the audience back to themselves.
As one contributor put it, “Brands have begun moving into community-led storytelling - focusing more on ‘here’s how real people use and love our product.’” The point wasn’t to abandon story - it was to let others help tell it. Especially when those stories show purpose in action, not just words.
Expect more:
- Community-submitted stories
- Co-branded campaigns with creators
- Open calls for content formats and themes
In our work, we see it all the time: the content the resonates the most doesn’t come from brand guidelines, it comes from creators, fans, customers, even critics. Because when people see themselves in your story - or better yet, get to shape it - they don’t just watch. They engage. They advocate. They share.
