Why Brands Need to Think Like Netflix 

In 2025, when Chick-fil-A announced it was launching its own content platform, industry experts didn’t laugh—they took notes. The fast-food giant had recognized what savvy brands have known for years: The future of marketing isn’t just about interrupting content; it’s also about being the content.

This movement started from content creators becoming powerful brands themselves. Consider “Hot Ones,” the viral interview series where celebrities eat increasingly spicy wings while answering personal questions. When thinking about this in the context of creating something for your brand, don’t worry about reinventing the wheel. Just look at formats that have been successful for others and make it your own.  Picasso gets the credit for saying, “Good artists copy; great artists steal.”

“Hot Ones” started as a homegrown YouTube series and has evolved into a hot sauce empire, with signature sauces generating over $20 million in annual revenue. The show’s success isn’t just about entertainment—it’s proof that serial content can create passionate communities that eagerly support related products.

Now more than ever, brands should be looking to create YouTube channels and podcasts with series-style content that audiences look forward to.  There is a very real cost of not doing this. If you don’t have an organic content series strategy, you are most likely shackled to doing paid media to sell products in perpetuity. The problem here is obvious: Increasingly higher costs and tighter margins. And you’re beholden to ad networks like Meta and Google to reach audiences—where you are not the client—you’re the product.  This shift from traditional advertising to story-driven serial content isn’t just a trend—it’s a fundamental reimagining of how brands connect with audiences.

The success of content-first brands offers valuable lessons for traditional companies:

1. Authenticity > Production Value.  These creators often started with minimal resources but maximum authenticity. Their content wasn’t polished, but it was real—a quality that increasingly resonates with modern audiences.

2. Community > Conversion.  Rather than focusing on immediate sales, they built communities around shared interests and values. The products came later as natural extensions of these communities.

3. Iterative Development.  These creators constantly refined their content based on audience feedback, creating a deep understanding of their community’s wants and needs before launching products.

The Two Seismic Shifts You Can’t Ignore.  First: Having a massive follower count means almost nothing anymore; it’s about views, watchtime, CTR, and engagement. The algorithms have evolved and continue to be a moving target. Each piece of content needs to resonate with a specific audience segment, or it simply won’t be shown. If you’re trying to appeal to everyone through one account, you might be basically invisible to everyone.  Second: The playing field has been leveled in ways we’ve never seen before. Creators with a few hundred followers are getting as many views as someone with a million followers if their content is great. Make content worth watching.

The most successful companies have already pivoted to this reality. They’re not just managing a single branded account; they’re operating five or six distinct channels, each with: 1. a laser-focused demographic target,  2. a unique content series or show concept, and 3. different creative approaches and personalities.

Your main account might be at capacity. Or maybe certain audience segments simply aren’t interested in following your primary brand. That doesn’t mean you’re done growing—it means you need to get more strategic and creative.

Ask yourself: What would our specific customer segments actually want to watch? Could we launch a man-on-the-street series on a separate account? Should our podcast have its own dedicated channel? Would our founder connect with audiences through a personal show?

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