Branded content has grown up. At the seventh edition of India Web Fest, the context was dissected with clarity and realism by a panel of seasoned players who live at the intersection of media, creativity, and commerce.
Parul Menghani (BeSporti & Good Ants Media) moderated the conversation, which brought together Aakash Mishra (Donear Group), Prachi Narayan (Havas Play India), Nitin Burman (Balaji Telefilms), Nishant Dobhal (The Viral Fever), and Sanjeev Mulchandani (TV9 News Network). Together, they offered a cross-section of how branded content is being built, consumed, and monetised in India’s fast-changing digital economy.
Short-form Grabs, Long-form Grounds
The panel laid out what many in the industry have been seeing on the ground: a significant shift of advertising budgets from traditional formats to branded content—particularly short-form, mobile-first content designed for digital platforms.
Short-form content is effective in increasing reach and engagement quickly, and is tailored to the realities of consumer behaviour — fast scrolling, short attention, and rapid conversion cycles. However, short-form content certainly has its limitations. Foster-brand building requires long-form content, which continues to be indispensable. Unlike short-form content, a long-form offers the opportunity to tell refined and detailed stories, foster deeper emotional connections, and create culturally iconic content. The consensus was that both formats are valuable, just for different outcomes.
Idea Over Format
The session repeatedly highlighted the increasing understanding that creativity should not be constrained by format. Persuasive content is rooted in a compelling idea. And where the idea is strong, the format becomes flexible; be it a 30-second reel, a 3-part mini-series, or any other format.
In contrast, leading with a format—because it’s trending, cheap, or fits neatly into a media plan—often results in content that feels forced and forgettable. The shift is towards strategies that are idea-first and format-fluid.
ROI Still Lags Behind Reality
Measuring the success of branded content remains a challenge. Unlike traditional advertising, which is built around impressions and conversions, branded content operates on a more complex mix of metrics. Digital platforms offer granular data—views, engagement, watch time—but they don’t always capture the long-term impact of storytelling on brand affinity or cultural relevance.
There’s a growing push within the industry to develop better frameworks that combine quantitative performance with qualitative indicators like sentiment, brand recall, and perception lift. But there’s no standard model yet, and the gap between effort and measurable outcome continues to frustrate both marketers and creators.
Trust As A Strategic Advantage
The panel didn’t shy away from addressing the role of where branded content appears. For categories like finance, healthcare, and auto, credibility matters as much as creativity. In these verticals, platforms with editorial heritage—particularly news organisations—offer an advantage. Their established trust with audiences allows for more serious, informative branded storytelling that wouldn’t land the same way on purely entertainment-driven platforms.
This trust factor gives news media a continued role in the branded content space, particularly for longer-form, high-consideration campaigns.
IP Is No Longer An Afterthought
As the branded content ecosystem matures, so do the conversations around intellectual property. Ownership of IP—once an afterthought in brand-funded content—is now a central consideration for both creators and brands.
Co-creation models, first-refusal clauses, and detailed content agreements are becoming more common as both sides navigate this evolving balance.
AI In The Room—But Not At The Head Of The Table
Artificial intelligence came up as an unavoidable force—but not a dominant one. There was agreement that AI is already streamlining processes like content generation, scheduling, and sentiment analysis. However, creativity, authenticity, and human judgment remain central to the success of branded content.
The industry is experimenting with AI, yes—but not handing over the reins. It’s being used as a tool to support, not replace, the core creative process.
The Power Has Shifted
Beneath all these trends is a larger truth: audiences are in charge. Audiences decide what resonates, what gets shared, and what will be ignored. This shift in power has driven brands, creators, and platforms ever closer together, now focusing on pertinence and authenticity.
Traditional boundaries are fading away, brands are acting like media companies, creators are acting like businesses, and platforms are acting like data and distribution services. In this disorderly, ever-changing middle, the branded content that pays off is the branded content that pays homage to the intelligence and time of the sender.
