Why your brand integration feels forced and how to fix it

We’ve all been there. You’re engrossed in a gripping thriller, on the edge of your seat as the protagonist uncovers a crucial clue. Suddenly, she pauses, turns to her friend, and says, “Wow, this new SuperSoda is so refreshing!” The illusion shatters. The story grinds to a halt. You’ve just been served a piping hot slice of cringey product placement.

In an entertainment landscape saturated with content, brand integrations have become a financial cornerstone for films and streaming shows. The global branded content market is projected to be worth over $400 billion by 2025. Yet, for an industry this valuable, it has a startlingly high failure rate. More often than not, brand partnerships feel less like a seamless part of the world and more like an awkward, uninvited guest at a dinner party.

The problem isn't the presence of brands—after all, our real lives are filled with them. The problem is the execution. When a brand’s appearance is so jarring it yanks the viewer out of the narrative, it fails not only the audience but the brand itself. So, why does this keep happening? Is it just a matter of bad timing, or does the issue run deeper? The consensus among industry leaders is clear: the issue is structural. It’s about moving brands from being a last-minute ‘insert’ to an integral part of the story’s DNA from day one.

The anatomy of an awkward cameo

The cardinal sin of branded content is the blatant disconnect between the story's emotional journey and the brand's commercial goals. When these two forces are at odds, the result is almost always a forced, inorganic placement that screams "advertisement."

"Most integrations fail because there is a fundamental disconnect between the narrative’s emotional arc and the brand’s business agenda," says Amita Srivastava, Vice President – West at Carat India. "Filmmakers are building characters and stories. Brands want visibility and recall. When these objectives are not aligned early, the result is often forced, even if well-intended." This clash is what leads to those clunky dialogue moments or a product shot that lingers just a second too long, sticking out like an ad break in the middle of a scene.

Mukesh Vij, Founder of Hashtag Orange, concurs, highlighting that the failure often stems from a "strategic or creative misalignment. The brand wants one thing, the story demands another, and no one’s really sitting down early to bridge the gap. This is the reason the brand stands out instead of blending in." This clash is what leads to those clunky dialogue moments or a product shot that lingers just a second too long.

Dhananjay Sahasrabuddhe, Vice President – Brand Communications at Ethinos, agrees, arguing that the brand's function is often treated as "ornamental rather than functional." He paints a vivid picture: "Consider a scenario where a food delivery app appears out of nowhere while a conversation is underway. We are abruptly pulled out of the story as the scene freezes and the logo remains. That is a banner ad within the video; it is not storytelling."

The antidote lies in shifting the focus from screen time to story relevance. The question should never be "How long is the logo visible?" but "How does this brand serve the character or the world?"

An example of getting this right is the integration of Pepsi in Netflix’s The Archies. As Srivastava points out, the brand succeeded because it was "aesthetic and era-appropriate, woven into the mood board and visual storytelling from the outset—not bolted on later." Pepsi wasn't just a product; it was a piece of the 1960s world, adding a layer of authenticity. Similarly, Sahasrabuddhe highlights the use of Tinder in Season 2 of Kota Factory. "It wasn’t about promoting the app," he explains. "It centred on demonstrating the new opportunities and agency that Tinder offers to young people in rural towns. At that point, the brand emphasises texture rather than tension."

In both cases, the brand belonged. It served a purpose beyond mere visibility. As Srivastava succinctly puts it, "If the brand doesn’t serve the character, it will never serve the audience."

From retrofit to blueprint

The root of most clumsy integrations is a simple matter of timing. Deals are often struck when the script is locked, or worse, when production is already underway. At this stage, the brand can only be shoehorned in, resulting in the disjointed moments that viewers despise. The solution, therefore, is a radical shift in workflow: collaboration must begin before a single line of script is finalised.

"Branded content fails when it’s retrofitted instead of being part of the storytelling blueprint," states Tanya Swetta, CEO & Co-Founder of id8 media solutions. She champions a proactive approach. "At id8, we leverage AI from the outset; using it to decode audience behaviour, align brand values with narrative arcs, and identify integration windows early in the process. This ensures content that’s both strategic and seamless."

This requires a fundamental change in approach. According to Vij, "It starts with shifting the mindset from ‘how do we insert the brand here?’ to ‘how can the brand be part of the story from day one?’"

This is the call for a new industry model. "The biggest shift we need is from post-production retrofitting to pre-production co-creation," insists Srivastava. "Agencies and producers should come together before the script is locked. The model should not be ‘Here’s a script – can we fit your brand in?’ but ‘Let’s co-develop something where the brand is part of the world.’"

Sahasrabuddhe advocates for getting agencies into the writers' room. "We must begin to see the brand not as an afterthought, but as an equal partner in the creative process," he says. He suggests a collaborative sprint where brand briefs are enriched with "actual consumer experiences, chat transcripts, memes, and trends." This provides fertile ground for creatives to build narratives that are not just brand-adjacent but brand-infused. Consider FilterCopy's sketches, which often build entire narratives from a core brand insight, or Dove's powerful short-form content about teenage self-esteem—the story is the star, and the brand is the wind in its sails.

TVF’s Tripling featured Tata Tiago as a focal point of the story. Another TVF series Yeh Meri Family featured a segment where the lead character likes Bournvita but hates milk—making it fit perfectly during the time and the setting, evoking nostalgia. These examples suggest a way in which the product did not seem out of place in the setting of the show.  

When a brand is present from inception, its role can be far more meaningful. Srivastava cites More Than That with Gia Peppers, developed for P&G by Dentsu Creative US, as a prime example of a series where the brand acted "not as a sponsor, but as a purpose-aligned voice." This is the holy grail: content so integrated that, as Sahasrabuddhe puts it, the disclaimer “‘This is a paid partnership’ is required to be sure it is one."

Informing creativity without stifling it

In a world awash with data, there's a temptation to let algorithms and dashboards dictate creative choices. While data is a powerful tool, an over-reliance on it can lead to formulaic, soulless content. The key is to walk the tightrope between data-driven insights and human creativity.

"Data should inform, not dictate," warns Srivastava. "It can guide you toward audience affinities, content preferences, or contextual relevance – helping you avoid tone-deaf placements." But she cautions against letting it overwrite instinct. "Imagine telling Queen or Piku through dashboards—it would rob those films of their quirks and warmth." The magic of storytelling lies in its human nuance, something a spreadsheet can't capture.

Sahasrabuddhe echoes this sentiment, framing data as "the prompt, not the script." He offers an example: "You shouldn't use Gen Z-friendly hashtags like 'quiet luxury' and 'mid-twenties burnout' just because your Reels data suggests that. That's the signal to place your tale in a Gurgaon coworking space, where your direct-to-consumer coffee brand can thrive without interruptions from ads." The data provides the context; the creator provides the story. He continues, "What if... A hair care company finds out that its customers love to watch breakup videos, so it decides to create a web short in which a woman gets a haircut after a breakup while your product is subtly present." This involves using data to identify cultural resonance, rather than merely chasing trends.    

Post-production, too, has a role, albeit a more limited one. It’s not the stage for character-driven moments, but it can be highly effective for world-building. Srivastava points to Dentsu South Africa’s work for Santam Insurance in Kings of Jo’burg, where Digital Brand Integration (DBI) was used to place billboards and murals into the fictional world, enhancing realism without interrupting the plot. Likewise, Sahasrabuddhe mentions how a Blinkit box can be "discreetly put in a hectic bachelor kitchen scenario," making the world feel lived-in. Post-production works when it adds texture, not when it tries to steal the show.

Vij adds that while it's trickier for scripted content, it can work with foresight. "If there’s been some planning ahead, like subtle product cues, placement in props or set design, then the post-production can enhance what’s already there," he notes. "For example, a character in a movie might use a specific brand of headphones or laptop, and the brand is subtly visible without disrupting the scene." 

Ultimately, the future of branded content in 2025 and beyond will be defined by its ability to earn, not demand, attention. According to the experts, the gold standard will be narrative-first, purpose-aligned, and platform-intelligent. It will feel like something you’d share even if the brand weren’t tagged.

As Tanya Swetta concludes, the path forward is clear. "The future isn’t just about placing brands in stories, it’s about building stories where brands belong." Only then can the multi-billion-dollar industry of branded content finally deliver on its promise, creating value for brands, generating revenue for creators, and, most importantly, unforgettable stories for the audience.