Show-stopping branded content: BuzzInContent's top picks from 2024

New Delhi: From heartwarming stories to podcasts and OTT series, BuzzInContent’s annual list of top branded content campaigns is here to celebrate the best in storytelling! 

Whether brands made us laugh, cry, or hit the share button, these campaigns proved that content isn’t just king—it’s the entire kingdom. 

So, who cracked the code on creativity this year? Let’s dive in!

But first, a little backstory! Every year, BuzzInContent curates this list from the stories it covers, making it the ultimate roundup of India's branded content scene. As the only news platform in the country dedicated to branded content, this list isn’t just a ranking—it’s a mirror of industry standards, creativity, and emerging trends. Also, this list is not in any particular order. 

Here’s BuzzInContent’s list of the top 15 branded content pieces in 2024.

1. Naukri.com’s ‘Hardly Working by Naukri’ 

Naukri.com and Disney+ Hotstar launched ‘Hardly Working by Naukri,’ a standup show that aimed to explore the lighter side of office culture. The series featured a lineup of India’s comedians, including Prashasti Singh, Anirban Dasgupta, Shreeja Chaturvedi, Nishant Suri, and Kumar Varun. 

The show delved into moments from common workplace situations and coworkers to meetings and office politics.

The show promo:

2. The Laughing Cow Cheese content hub

Mindshare conceptualised a content hub in 2024 and partnered with Britannia, The Laughing Cow Cheese, and Times Network to launch ‘Cheeseitup.in’, a content destination, aimed to enhance cheese awareness in India and provide culinary inspiration.  

‘Cheeseitup.in’ aims to provide a range of information on various types of cheese, recipes, health benefits, DIY videos, blogs, and more. Users can save and download recipes that are tailored to their preferences and specially curated by food influencers and chefs across India. 

Take a look at the Laughing Cow content hub here:

https://cheeseitup.timesfoodie.com/

3. House of Gemini | First-ever AI-led mystery room

Google India created "House of Gemini," an entertainment concept where AI takes the lead in a mystery room adventure. Hosted by comedian Tanmay Bhat, the show featured a group of prominent Indian content creators including Mythpat, Payal Gaming, TechBurner, Gurleen Pannu, Slayy Point's Abhyudaya and Gautami, RJ Abhinav, and Suhani Shah. Locked in a puzzle-filled house, they used Google's AI model, Gemini, to solve challenges, dodge lasers, and escape, showcasing the AI's real-time interaction capabilities in an engaging format.

4. PokerBaazi brought poker reality show on OTT

JioCinema in partnership with PokerBaazi, released a 6-part Poker-focused reality TV series, Poker Masterclass. The 5-day learning experience was shot in a game show format. 

The series showcased players competing against each other in various poker games and activities. Four poker masters led a team where they imparted knowledge to Poker players to help upskill as well as socialise with the Indian Poker community. In the series, Abhishek Goindi was seen leading the Shark Squad, Kanishka Samant led the Anti-Tilters, Vinod Megalmani captained the Pocket Rockets, and Shravan Chhabria spearheaded the Crushers.

The show promo:

5. Mahindra's 'Sab Cultures' debuts on Disney+ Hotstar

The Mahindra Group and IPG Mediabrands released Sab Cultures, a six-part docu-series on Disney+ Hotstar, exploring culture beyond mainstream entertainment. The series highlighted Mahindra’s six festivals: Mahindra Blues, Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards, Mahindra Kabira Festival, Mahindra Independence Rock, Mahindra Sanatkada, and Mahindra Percussion Festival. Each episode dived into the origins, essence, and cultural impact of these festivals on the communities they serve. 

6. Asian Paints’ 'Pragati Ke Rang' series 

Asian Paints unveiled a video series titled 'Pragati Ke Rang,' spotlighting regional Indian creators who showcased how real transformation starts within local communities, driven by the dedication and efforts of the people who live there. 

The series aimed to give back to these communities, which form the foundation of our nation. The series integrated its Neo Bharat range of products. 

7. Krafton India’s 24-minute film “DoomTroopers” for BGMI

KRAFTON India launched a campaign, “DoomTroopers” for BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI), aimed at celebrating the spirit of camaraderie and togetherness among gamers across India last Diwali.

Produced by Films Rajendraa, "DoomTroopers" campaign narrated the story of a squad’s journey, seeking to reflect the camaraderie that many BGMI players experience. 

Set against the backdrop of Diwali, the campaign aimed to highlight how these in-game relationships transcend the screen, fostering real-world connections and support.

8. boAt and Warner Music India launch 'Maati,' celebrating Indian folklore

boAt partnered with Warner Music India to present ‘Maati,’ a musical experience celebrating India’s rich folklore. 

The project, which featured eight tracks in eight languages, showcased a lineup of artists including Vishal Dadlani, Mohit Chauhan, Mikey McCleary, Sushant Divgikar aka Rani KoHEnur, Madhubanti Bagchi, Ash King, Nikhita Gandhi, and more. 

‘Maati’ presented the versatility of Indian folk music through eight languages—Rajasthani, Telugu, Assamese, Punjabi, Tamil, Gujarati, Bengali, and Garhwali Pahadi. 

9. DS Group’s #SaluteTheFarmHER

The DS Group launched a film honouring Indian female farmers as part of its #SaluteTheFarmHER initiative, which began on International Women's Day. The campaign addressed the underrepresentation of women in agriculture, despite their crucial contributions. The film highlighted the fact that 80% of rural women actively participated in farming.

The video opened with scenes of farming activities, initially showing equipment operating seemingly independently, subtly indicating the absence of visible female farmers. It then presented statistics on women's involvement in agriculture, gradually revealing the women working the land. This visual narrative aimed to recognize their vital role.

The film, scripted by Grapes and produced by The Titus Upputuru Company, sought to raise awareness and resonate globally. It underscored the significant contribution of women farmers, who are often overlooked, and aimed to bring their presence and hard work into the spotlight.

Watch the campaign here:

10. Castrol Power1’s India's Ultimate MotoStar

Castrol Power1, supported by Castrol India, partnered with MTV for "India's Ultimate MotoStar," a nationwide search for motorsport talent. The initiative aimed to promote aspiring racers and garnered a significant response, with nearly 9,000 registrations before closing.

Participants underwent multi-phase selections, starting with regional auditions in Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai in March 2024. The top 18 contestants selected from these auditions then participated in a training program led by Rajini Krishnan at the Kari Motorway in Coimbatore.

Winners received the opportunity to further develop their racing skills at the Castrol Honda LCR MotoGP team facility in Europe. The program provided a platform for biking enthusiasts to pursue their motorsport dreams.

11. L'Oréal Professionnel’s The Indian Hairdressing Awards

L'Oréal Professionnel launched the Indian Hairdressing Awards as a reality series streamed exclusively on JioCinema. The 2023 competition, themed "Meta-morphosis," received over 100,000 entries. Eighty-nine regional finalists, chosen from thousands of participants, competed in technical skills challenges, judged by international hair artists and media representatives.

The top 12 hairstylists then competed in a mega-augmented L'Oréal Professionnel salon. A judging panel, including filmmaker Karan Johar, L'Oréal Professionnel global colour ambassador Min Kim, and Bollywood celebrities, evaluated their artistry and technique. The finalists faced three challenges involving hair colour, haircuts, and styling, demonstrating self-expression and creating bold looks.

Scores from both judges and consumers determined the winners. The final competition was held before a live audience and streamed on JioCinema. Winners received a trip to Paris and training at Le Visionnaire, the L'Oréal academy.

Here’s the promo of the show

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A post shared by JioCinema (@officialjiocinema)

12. ACKtually Speaking with Maddy

Acko launched "ACKtually Speaking with Maddy," a podcast series hosted by brand ambassador R Madhavan. The series addressed common financial challenges and unanswered questions, featuring candid conversations with guests and experts across various industries. It explored socially relevant topics with financial implications, such as illness, death, and parenting. The podcast aimed to be thought-provoking while providing actionable insights.

The first episode examined the disconnect between how life insurance is sold and its actual purpose. Madhavan and guest Varun Dua challenged the perception of insurance as a tax-saving investment, positioning it instead as a tool for future security. The episode addressed the social stigma surrounding death and the difficulties families face when a loved one passes away without a will.

Watch the trailer, here:

13. P&G Whisper’s #KeepGirlsInSchool (KGIS)

Procter & Gamble's Whisper brand, as part of its fifth #KeepGirlsInSchool (KGIS) movement, aimed to raise awareness about the early onset of menstruation. Whisper released a film featuring 8-year-old girls who, unfamiliar with menstruation, imagined various scenarios to explain a friend's unexpected bleeding.

The film sought to normalise this natural biological change by educating young girls about early periods. A jingle in the film reiterated the message, "periods ka matlab healthy hai aap (periods means you are healthy)," reinforcing the connection between menstruation and health. The campaign aimed to destigmatize menstruation and provide young girls with accurate information about their bodies.

 Watch the film here:

14. Gail’s Waah Kya Energy Hai

Gail (India) launched "Waah Kya Energy Hai," a series highlighting the accessibility and benefits of clean fuel options like Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Piped Natural Gas (PNG). The four-part mini-series told the story of a middle-class Indian family navigating challenges through smarter fuel choices, including domestic PNG (D-PNG), commercial PNG (C-PNG), CNG, and industrial PNG.

Actors Srikant Verma, Divya Jagdale, Luv Vispute, and Ahmed Khan starred in the short films. Gail Chairman and Managing Director Sandeep Kumar Gupta stated that "Waah Kya Energy Hai" was strategically designed to promote natural gas as a smarter, safer, affordable, and environmentally conscious choice.

The series aimed to persuade consumers by showcasing the advantages of natural gas over other fuels, emphasising the positive impacts on health and the environment. Gail intended the films to encourage a widespread shift towards cleaner and more sustainable fuel alternatives, Gupta noted.

Watch the teaser here:

15. Maruti Suzuki WagonR’s Bada Sheher Choti Family

Pocket Aces, through its FilterCopy studio, launched "Bada Sheher Choti Family," a three-episode mini-series in collaboration with Maruti Suzuki WagonR. Each 8-10 minute episode portrayed a middle-class family's life-changing journey. Starring Nakuul Mehta and Erica Fernandes, the series followed Shruti, Kartik, and their daughter Navya as they moved from Indore to Mumbai.

The narrative explored their experiences adapting to a new city, their search for belonging, and the importance of family love. The family's car became a symbol of comfort and reliability as they navigated Mumbai. Each episode drew parallels between their life and the car's features, such as spacious seating, auto gear shift, and smartphone navigation.

The collaboration between FilterCopy and Maruti Suzuki combined storytelling with brand integration, emphasizing family and resilience. The series highlighted the challenges and triumphs of adapting to a new environment while showcasing the role of the car in the family's life.

Watch the first episode of the series, here: