for the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit, May 6-8 in Palm Springs.
Creating relevant and intriguing content is not an easy task, but brands have little choice as they fight for consumers’ short attention spans.
With the Digiday Content Marketing Awards accepting submissions for one more week, we thought we’d review the latest trends in brand content, from the downright funny to the controversial. Check out our round-up below. Then, if you think your own content marketing campaigns are worthy of some recognition, enter the Content Marketing Awards before it’s too late. Submissions close Mar. 14.
Rethinking old platforms
Airlines are invigorating what used to be boring material that passengers tried their hardest to ignore by turning their pre-flight safety videos into pieces of content that aren’t only on-brand but highly entertaining.
Adopting new platforms
While the implementation was sometimes confusing, McDonald’s dove into Snapchat, offering another way for consumers to connect with a restaurant chain giant that has seen mixed results with its social media efforts. Is this really content?
Becoming visual storytellers
Meanwhile, retail and apparel brands have chosen to make their stand on Instagram, taking advantage of user-generated content (either seeded or organic) to project a certain lifestyle and aesthetic.
Subverting social
After discovering a near-perfect match between the demographics of dating-website users and those likely to adopt animals, the ASPCA created OkCupid profiles for pets looking for a long-term relationship, hoping to pair them off with lonely singles.
Mashing up media
Finally, in partnering with Sports Illustrated for the annual swimsuit issue, Barbie managed to both empower through a brand of “lipstick feminism” and offend by embracing the objectification of the “perfect” (i.e., unnatural) female body.
More in Awards
YouTube, CBS Sports and The Walt Disney Company are among the 2026 Digiday Video and TV Award Winners
This year’s winners highlight how brands are reshaping video and TV through storytelling, collaboration and technology. Campaigns leaned into emotional narratives and creator partnerships to build deeper audience connections, while advances in ad tech and other emerging tools enabled more seamless integration with content. Across platforms, social video played a central role in driving engagement […]
Adobe, Nasdaq and Samsung are 2026 Digiday Video and TV Awards finalists
The 2026 Digiday Video and TV Awards finalists reflect a shift toward more immersive, audience-driven storytelling, where participation is as important as reach. Brands, publishers and agencies are embracing entertainment-first formats and designing content that extends beyond single moments, building sustained engagement across platforms. Premium video and original programming are increasingly amplified through omnichannel strategies […]
UBS, New York Times Advertising, Uber Advertising and The Wall Street Journal are Digiday Media Awards Europe finalists
This year, the organizations modernizing European media are pioneering interactive formats that drive engagement and impact, while premium contexts build trust and authority. Digiday Media Awards Europe finalists are also pairing innovation with sustainability, thoughtful design and seamless omnichannel storytelling to enhance user experience across touchpoints. In the Best Use of Interactive Content category, UBS […]