#branded-content

#branded-content

At first glance, "Girl Room" looks like another surprise social media success story. Though the account launched a little over three weeks ago, it organically has over 90,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram with its most watched video hitting over 5 million views. In reality, "Girl Room" is the product of something far more impressive than a social fluke: it's proof that a shortform concept can be a franchise.

Walmart's Dr. Seuss-themed holiday marketing is getting a boost from the Grinch as the effort enters its second phase ahead of Black Friday, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The big-box store previously teased appearances from the infamous green grump, and on Monday announced Walton Goggins will be filling his shoes for the "WhoKnewVille" campaign. Goggins, who makes his on-screen debut as the Grinch in a new social video, previously led spots launching Walmart's larger "Who Knew?" platform focused on changing perceptions of the retailer.

But as media fragmentation has gone into hyperdrive over the past two decades, brands have been forced to diversify the ways in which they gain and hold our attention. It's no longer viable or effective to overly depend on traditional paid media tools. Marketers can create content and experiences that attract and engage audiences rather than interrupt and annoy them-and drive results. Some of the best examples of this is what we call "brand entertainment." Brands of all stripes talk about it, but it is the exceptions that truly invest in making actual entertainment.

No one has ever called LeBron James underrated. But the NBA star wasn't always on top, particularly outside of basketball. He's been questioned and critiqued for his pursuits in philanthropy, education, business, and entertainment. That's part of why he founded the media brand Uninterrupted, with the tagline "More Than an Athlete," answering critics who told him to shut up and dribble whenever his opinions ventured beyond the court.