"Branded entertainment seems to be making a comeback. Call it marketing déjà vu. Over the past few weeks, brands like restaurant chain Cava, retail brand Hot Topic and wedding website Zola have each launched episodic content starring influencers and creators. All signs point to yet another attempt by brands to be part of culture rather than advertise around it. Maybe this time, with the bet on creators, it'll stick."
"In late September, Cava restaurant chain launched "Bowlmates", a weekly dating show hosted by Daniela Mora, a NYC-based stand-up comedian and content creator. Around the same time, wedding site Zola rolled out "Pop the Questions," a seven-episode social video series with influencers like Jaz Smith and Brandon Edelman. Meanwhile, Hot Topic debuted "Mall Rats," a TikTok-first sitcom featuring five creators, including Cameron Perez and Kevin Crow."
Brands have started releasing episodic short-form content on TikTok and Instagram to become part of cultural narratives rather than only drive immediate purchases. Examples include Cava's Bowlmates dating show, Zola's seven-episode Pop the Questions series, and Hot Topic's Mall Rats sitcom, all featuring creators and influencers. The series are distributed on branded channels and creators' feeds, with engagement metrics such as thousands of likes and modest follower counts. The format mirrors creator-driven shows and sketch comedy, and specific financial terms of creator-brand deals have not been disclosed.
Read at Digiday
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