What does meaningful branded content look like when audiences are surrounded by more content than ever?

In a recent feature for The Drum, Intelligence Editor Sam Anderson spoke with TCO Managing Director Simon Baker about the value of authenticity, the advantages of staying small and why the future of branded content belongs to those with the right to facilitate culture.

Drawing on TCO’s position as both publisher and agency, the conversation explored how two decades of building Huck, Little White Lies and Sandwich Magazine have shaped TCO's approach to working with brands: creating work grounded in genuine communities, creative expertise and cultural credibility.

It also touched on our latest cultural report, The Great Unrotting, and a growing shift away from algorithmic sameness towards intentional curation, real-world experiences and communities built around shared interests.

Simon then joined The Drum Podcast to take the conversation further, asking whether we’re entering a golden age of branded entertainment.

As brands increasingly step into the role of commissioners, the opportunity isn’t simply to make more content. It’s to exercise taste, find stories worth telling and give the right creative people the space to tell them.

In an age of infinite content, what we choose to make matters more than ever.

Read the full article here and tune into the podcast here.