Why Branded Entertainment Is the Future of Marketing And the End of Traditional Ads

In 2025, content marketing through Meta and Google Ads isn’t just broken, it’s being actively rejected. Consumers are skipping, blocking, and scrolling faster than ever. They're fatigued by the obviousness of a hard sell. Consumers now switch off to any content that even smells like an ad. The more traditional playbook of TV spots and paid placements is also outdated in a new world where the digital marketing trends of 2025 have set the playing field of the future. As a result, branded entertainment has become a dominant force.

We’re not in the era of advertising anymore. We’re in the era of entertainment. And I don’t mean short-form social, hashtag dances, or trying to ride the latest trend. That’s not storytelling (as much as a social media manager will tell you it is). That’s scrambling - playing for only the immediate future. What audiences want is genuine, narrative-driven content that has true entertainment value. They want to be immersed, not interrupted. This is where branded entertainment, the new digital marketing trends of 2025 comes in, not as a gimmick, but as a strategic evolution. In this new age, the most powerful brands wont be advertising. They’ll think, and operate, like broadcasters.

Branded Entertainment's Meaning in 2025

Branded entertainment isn’t a new concept in principle, but what it means in 2025 is has changed a lot. This isn’t product placement in someone else’s story/movie. And it’s certainly not chasing viral influencer collaborations just to squeeze your logo in the frame. That form of content marketing belonged to a time when brands still needed to borrow relevance from another channels audience.

Today, the most forward-thinking brands are taking ownership of the entire narrative. They are playing on a significant shift where consumers are demanding more professional, studio-level content that actuall entertains. They’re building stories where the brand is the show, not just an irrelevant placement in it. Whether it’s an animated series, a feature-length film, or a branded reality show. Branded entertainment is no longer about product placement or sponsorship. It’s about becoming the most relevant IP - something that is now achievable.

The consumers shift isn’t about rejecting social media or short-form content altogether, branded entertainment falls under a different activity. It’s about recognising that attention spans haven’t shrunk, they’ve just gotten smarter. People will happily watch a 20-minute episode, or binge an entire series so long as it's good. Consumers are no longer bothered that their favourite series is not on a TV network. In May 2025, for the first time ever streamers such as YouTube & Netflix overtook broadcast for viewership on CTV. A milestone that provides both brands and legacy media an insight into the future of video entertainment and content marketing.

F1 Movie - Branded Entertainment of the Highest Level

The Apple F1 Movie wasn’t a film just about racing, it is a full-scale entertainment property where the brand itself, "Formula 1", wasn’t a backdrop. It was the storyline, with its logo stamped to the movie title. The setting. The world. Every frame was built around the actual F1 identity. Some of the sports key figures; Sir Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc getting cameo spots, Liberty Media Gave illusive access because they'd be the main beneficiary. They were always set to be the winning partner from the movies success (which reportedly grossed $293 million at the global box office after 10 days). 

Yes, the Apple F1 Movie was produced on a massive budget. Yes, legacy media conglomerates were involved. But the movie marks a shift that organisations right at the very top of entertainment have understood. As any business evolution, it starts at the top and the effect filters down into smaller brand markets, for smaller players. For decades, brands paid for placements in someone else’s story. But this was Liberty Media producing culture on their own terms and content marketing their trademark in a way consumers gravitate to in 2025. Sponsoring the story wasn't progressive enough, they had to become the central presence and core purpose of the IP to achieve the success they have. With the success of Drive to Survive and Formula 1 viewership over recent years, the F1 film was a sure home run from the start.

As well, the impact goes far beyond ticket sales. It elevates the brand and deepens fandom. It opens up new audiences that might never have tuned in on race day, but now want to live in the F1 world. This is branded entertainment in its most sophisticated form: immersive, blockbuster, creatively controlled, and fully aligned with "Formula 1" messaging. What Liberty Media pulled off here isn’t just smart marketing thanks to big budgets. It’s a blueprint & marketing lesson for every brand that wants to stop chasing attention and start owning it. Continue reading to understand how brands can utilise this playbook without a legacy media partner and distribution strategy reliant on pitching gatekeepers.

Why the Old Marketing Models Are Dying as the Digital Marketing Trends of 2025 Evolve

Audiences today are content-literate, even kids. They’ve been subject to every trick in the book, every day. They can tell when they're being pitched to in paid advertising or through an influencer, audiences see right through it. They've grown up with skip buttons, mute options, and algorithms that sell their attention for media buyers money. If your brand doesn’t entertain, they’ll move on without a second thought. They may not even come across your efforts if the competition have already taken action with branded entertainment.

But here’s the upside: audiences are hungry for stories. Entertaining ones. Not just polished short edits, but creatively branded and emotionally resonant. When a brand can deliver that, something shifts. You're no longer directly marketing, you're building genuine culture. Check our case case study of Cry Babies. A doll brand that use branded entertainment on YouTubeKids to drive 1.3 million sales in one year. Cry Babies has over 7 billion views across localised channels with a combine 10 million followers.

In this landscape, the winners aren’t the loudest brands, or biggest spenders. They’re the ones giving the most entertainment value.

The 2030 Outlook: A New Industry

Digital marketing trends 2025: We’re heading toward a future where the line between brand and studio becomes very vague. to the point Eventually, it'll be merged into one meaning. By 2030, my prediction is the most culturally relevant brands won’t be running ads during someone else’s content. They’ll be creating the content. Consumer brands will operate as mini-media companies. And it won’t be a novelty, it’ll stick long term as the streaming movement continues to break mainstream barriers.

This shift will put some serious pressure on legacy media and related industries. Big networks, slow-moving studios, and agencies will struggle to keep up with agile IP builders who know how to move fast, stay relevant, and speak to their audience without gatekeepers. It's an exciting time for those on the branded entertainment side. We're entering an era where agility is necessary for brands of all sizes.

The brands getting ahead are the ones already investing in concept development around their brand. They are building like broadcasters, using YouTube-first distribution. They'll own the narratives, the platforms, the communities. Not just attention, but trust. This is more than a theory. We're already seeing the start of it - and those who build for it now won’t just survive the transition. They’ll lead it.

Magix, A Partner for the Future

The Magix mission is simple. We help brands turn great products into great entertainment through branded video production. Our visionary team of creative talent work with bold consumer brands to create entertainment-first strategies. We build from the ground up, turning products into stories, messaging into narratives, and audiences into loyal fanbases.

We don’t do campaigns, instead we do branded entertainment marketing: an evergreen eco-system that yields greater reach than traditional marketing, and drives product demand. From branded video production to digital marketing services, we transition brands from social sponsors to effective broadcasters.

• Developing story arcs that can scale across platforms.
• Designing narratives that hook audiences in week after week.
• Producing content that’s optimised for both the algorithm and emotional impact.
• Distributing in ways that build momentum, not just reach.
• Bespoke packaging varied based on client needs.

Whether it’s an animated series for a toy brand or a reality show for a consumer product. We bring the creative, technical, and strategic layers together in one partnership, always with your brand and products central to the narrative, not tacked on after or in the background. In a world where brands are bidding to be seen, the ones who will win are the ones worth watching. Speak with us today!