BuzzInContent reveals top 10 remarkable branded content masterpieces of 2023
Brands that have made it to the list are Ikea, Meta, Netflix, Krafton, Mountain Dew, Britannia Marie Gold, Thums Up, Google, Budweiser Beats and Zomato
BuzzInContent unveils its much-anticipated "Top Branded Content of the Year" list for 2023.
In a landscape where content is king, brands have continued to captivate audiences through compelling narratives, striking visuals, and memorable campaigns.
This curated list by BuzzInContent illustrates that India has already set global gold standards in the arena of branded content. Join us on a journey through the best of the best, where each piece of branded content is a testament to the power of storytelling and the art of capturing audience attention.
Given the kind of campaigns that made it to the list, there is no doubt that the entertainment factor has been the brands’ top priority. Not just fictional content, but real authentic conversations also gained popularity among consumers.
A special shout out to the minds behind these campaigns, be it TVF, Disney+ Hotstar, Monk Entertainment, Supari Studios or OML along with the brands’ in-house creative teams.
Placed below are BuzzInContent’s favourites from 2023 in alphabetical order:
1. Britannia Marie Gold My Startup TV show IP
Britannia Marie Gold’s My Start-Up initiative, launched in 2019, was developed with the belief that every homemaker is looking to be something more – to craft an identity that goes beyond being a wife, a mother and a daughter-in-law.
In its latest season 4, the brand conceptualised India’s first TV show for only women entrepreneurs. ‘My Startup Show’ is an IP that aims to encourage women to become entrepreneurs, create jobs, and achieve financial independence This initiative was a 24-episode TV show on Star Jalsha and Hotstar, where women pitched their inspiring stories of overcoming challenges to the respected jury panel and got the opportunity to win grants of Rs 10 lakh per homepreneur. The show was amplified through a 360-degree campaign.
Trailer of the show:
2. Budweiser Beats shared inspiring stories of content creators
Budweiser Beats energy drink’s branded content threw light on the creative process and the relentless grind endured by young artists to create a simple 30-second Reel, craft an engaging teaser, or produce a song that resonates with the audience.
It collaborated with Srushti Tawade, a rapper-writer and Niharika NM, a global creator with impeccable comic timing to bring this concept to life. In the videos, both revealed the daily challenges and creative blocks they encountered while making their viral videos. In a candid behind-the-scenes journey, the viewer sees what goes on backstage - unveiling the reality behind, and the toil of content creation.
Watch the behind-the-scenes action ft. Niharika NM and Srushti Tawade here:
3. Ikea’s collaboration with TVF’s ‘Humorously Yours’
Integrating brands into non-fictional content might be a breeze, but the same cannot be said for fictional content – it's a challenging feat. It only takes a few missteps to turn fictional branded content into what resembles an extended advertisement. However, in the case of Ikea, TVF achieved a seamless integration of the brand in one of the episodes of 'Humorously Yours' Season 3, all while preserving the authenticity of the content. The series unfolds the tumultuous yet comical life of stand-up comedian Vipul Goyal and was streamed on Zee5. In a narrative twist, Goyal and his wife embark on a visit to an Ikea showroom in Navi Mumbai to furnish their home. The episode beautifully captures the couple's day at Ikea, not just as shoppers but also as participants in everything else the Ikea store has to offer – from food to fun and comfort. The brand integrates so seamlessly into the storyline that even Zee5 opted to use footage from the Ikea episode for the promo.
The trailer of the show:
4. Krafton’s docu-series ‘India Ki Heartbeat’
Produced by Supari Studios and led by director Khushboo Ranka, Krafton’s docu-series follows the stories of casual and professional gamers alike, uncovering the stories that shaped gaming in India. BGMI has been one of the most widely played games in the country, amassing 16 million daily users at its peak. With ‘India Ki Heartbeat’, Krafton and Supari Studios explore the reach, accessibility, and popularity of the game across the country. The docu-series takes a deep dive into the lives of casual gamers, professional gamers, aspiring pro players and content streamers, as well as individuals who have carved a niche for themselves in the community as organisers and founders of esports tournaments.
To bring forth the raw, authentic stories of players from across India, the crew travelled to several remote locations and interviewed over 50 players navigating challenges like poor connectivity, language barriers and harsh shooting conditions. Wanting the stories to resonate with fans, they purposefully steered away from popular esports players and instead offered a glimpse into the lives and minds of passionate gamers from around the country. The beauty of the series is not just in the concept, but in how the stories are being told.
The series trailer:
5. Netflix’s ‘Kaafi Candid’ series with Zakir Khan
Netflix India has successfully produced six episodes of the Kaafi Candid content series. Structured as interviews, the series showcases content creator, poet, and actor Zakir Khan engaging in candid conversations with actors whose films and series are released on the OTT platform. Notable figures like Karishma Tanna, Sidharth Malhotra, Rajkummar Rao, Tabu, and others have been featured. This approach not only serves as a clever promotional strategy for the content but also ensures authentic and organic conversations. The series' charm lies in the consistent flow of content, featuring protagonists from Netflix originals since its inception. The most recent video uploaded a month ago, skillfully repurposed content from the previous five interviews, focusing on celebrities being refreshingly honest about their lives.
Here’s one of the episodes:
6. Meta’s collaboration with TVF for ‘SK Sir ki class’
TVF created a 3-episode series titled 'SK Sir Ki Class' for Meta. ‘SK Sir’ is a prominent character in TVF’s famous series ‘Aspirants’. TVF used the character to create a whole new series for Meta. The series seamlessly weaves the benefits of the metaverse into its storyline. Centered around the character Ashish, portrayed by actor Gagan Arora, the narrative follows the journey of a struggling coder navigating career choices. While TVF has previously explored the realm of UPSC exams, this series takes a deeper dive as Ashish is compelled by his parents to join IAS coaching. As the plot unfolds, viewers gain a nuanced understanding and comprehensive insight into the workings and advantages of the metaverse. In fact, in the end, the Aspirant’s famous ‘chai tapri’ is recreated in the Metaverse in the series where SK, Abhilash and Guri reunite.
The trailer:
7. Mountain Dew’s partnership with Ranveer Allahbadia’s ‘The Ranveer Show’
Branded content on podcasts is still a rare phenomenon in India. While brands have started experimenting with the medium, betting high on its potential was Mountain Dew, which partnered with the podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia. As part of this association, Allahbadia’s show ‘The Ranveer Show’ is being called Mountain Dew Darr Ke Aage Jeet Hai stories with a special segment called ‘Darr se Jeet Tak’.
The partnership is for 16 shows, which was kicked off with cricketer Yuvraj Singh as the guest. The series will also feature a star-studded lineup of figures, each contributing their unique and diverse tales of courage in the face of fear. Boxer Mary Kom, musical sensation Krsna, chef Vikas Khanna, and cricketer Kapil Dev. Until last week, the show had amassed 50 million+ views on YouTube alone. The show is a hit branded content piece as it brings out the brand’s proposition of overcoming fear in each element of the conversation that Allahbadia has with the guest.
Thums Up and Biryani are both favourites in India, and the brand paired them together in an ad campaign that featured Shah Rukh Khan and Vijay Deverkonda. To amplify the proposition, Thums Up launched “Thums Up Toofani Biryani Hunt” in association with Disney+ Hotstar. This exclusive content series featured Celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar and Telugu Anchor Ravi. The show celebrated the iconic combination of Biryani and Thums Up. Shot in the heartland of Biryanis, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, the series brought six episodes on six iconic Biryani restaurants.
The show trailer:
9. Google India celebrated India’s favourite snack ‘Pani puri’
OML Entertainment teamed with Google India for their Pani Puri Google Doodle to commemorate the widely consumed street snack dish in India: Pani Puri.
The idea was to celebrate the essence of Pani Puri with a select few artists who added their cultural flavour to this admired all-season snack. As the Doodle was a game, the job at hand was to build a competitive spirit among the chosen influencers and their fans by pushing them to play the Doodle game and share their high scores - all while promoting their individual brands.
To do so, the influencers were selected across content genres eg. Mythpat from gaming, Viraj and Vineeth from comedy, Abhijeet from the digital art space etc. and across different regions in India to represent all and any type of Pani Puri (Puchka, Gol Gappa, Gup Chup etc.) and make it as inclusive yet diverse as possible. The influencers were asked to celebrate Pani Puri (Puchka, Gol Gappa, Gup Chup etc.), to represent their local culture in a unique way that encouraged their followers to show support by playing the Pani Puri Doodle Game to garner the highest score.
Three examples of influencers creating videos celebrating Pani Puri’s relevance in their local culture:
Zomato introduced a unique game show where actor Sanya Malhotra chats with a special foodie in each episode. This foodie face-off is divided into two parts. In the first half, celebrities and influencers share about their lives and answer interesting questions they pick from a fish bowl.
In the next section, they go head-to-head in some fun and engaging games (like 'speed-o-meter', 'Guess the dish?', etc). Points are awarded after each round to decide the winner. The show lasts for 10 minutes, making it a quick and enjoyable experience.
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