Back
HomePaper 5 Vol. 4 No. 2

Branding and Advertainment: Examining the Role of Entertainment Media in Marketing Communication

July 2026, Vol. 4, No. 2, Issue 

Author(s)

Dr. Sugandha Gumber (Amity University, Noida, India)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical basis for advertainment, including its multiple perspectives and its efficacy as a tool for marketing communication. Furthermore, it evaluates how effective advertainment is in stimulating brand recall and recognition. A study using self-administered questionnaires was conducted to accomplish the goal. The responses obtained from consumers were gathered using the non-probability convenience sampling method. The study reveals that the majority of consumers believe advertainment leave a lasting impression on their minds compared to traditional advertisements. According to findings, advertainment has emerged as a technique that influences the audience’s intention to buy a product by making it more credible and appealing to them. Additionally, it enhances brand recall value and makes it easier for a brand to establish itself in the market. Consumers develop a favorable mindset as a result, and their purchasing decisions are influenced.

Keywords

Advertising, Advertainment, Branded entertainment, Communication, Marketing

DOI :

Copyright & Licence

Authors publishing in JAARD retain copyright in their work and grant the journal the right of first publication. Published articles are made available under the Creative Commons licence specified by the journal. Current licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Dates

Published: 31st July 2026
Received: 4th May 2026
Accepted: 11th June 2026

Pages : 77-85

Citation

Gumber, S. (2026). Branding and advertainment: Examining the role of entertainment media in marketing communication. International Journal of Arts, Architecture & Design, 4(2), 77–85. https://doi.org/10.62030/2026Julypaper5

References

Ameri, M., Honka, E., & Xie, Y. (2024). Watching intensity and media franchise engagement. Quantitative Marketing and Economics, 22(3), 291–356. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11129-024-09283-2
Babin, Laurie A., & Sheri Thompson Carder (1996) Viewers Recognition of Brands Placed Within a Film. International Journal of Advertising, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 140–151. DOI:10.1080/02650487.1996.11104643.
Buckley, O., Ashman, R., & Haenlein, M. (2025). Leveraging livestreaming to enrich influencer marketing. California Management Review, 67(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/00081256241300730
D’Astous, Alain, & Chartier Francis (2000) A Study of Factors Affecting Consumer Evaluations and Memory of Product Placements in Movies. Journal of Current Issues & Research in
Advertising, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 31–40. DOI:10.1080/10641734.2000.10505106.
Farzinnejad, F., Khezrian, H., Kasiri, M., & Baghaei, N. (2024). Enhancing consumer user experience, education and brand awareness through musical advergames. arXiv Preprint arXiv:2406.12598.
Fernández-Gómez, E., Neira Placer, P., & Feijoo Fernández, B. (2024). New mobile advertising formats targeting young audiences: An analysis of advertainment and influencers’ role in perception and understanding. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1488. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04003-3
Grzyb, Tomasz, et al. (2018) Is Product Placement Really Worse Than Traditional Commercials? Cognitive Load and Recalling of Advertised Brands. Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 9.
DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01519
Gupta, Pola B., & Lord, Kenneth R. (1998) Product Placement in Movies: The Effect of Prominence and Mode on Audience Recall. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 47–59. DOI:10.1080/10641734.1998.10505076.
Hackley, Christopher, & Rungpaka Tiwsakul (2006) Entertainment Marketing and Experiential Consumption. Journal of Marketing Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 63–75. DOI:
10.1080/13527260500358608.
Kilbourne, Jean (1999) Deadly Persuasion: Why Women and Girls Must Fight the Addictive Power of Advertising. New York, NY: The Free Press. (p. 74).
Kretchmer, Susan B (2004) Advertainment: The Evolution of Product Placement as a Mass Media Marketing Strategy. Journal of Promotion Management, vol. 10, no. 1-2, pp. 37–54.
DOI:10.1300/j057v10n01_04.
Kumanyika, Chenjerai (2011) Advertainment and the Construction of Decision-making Power in MTV’s Making the Band. Popular Music and Society, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 475–491.
DOI:10.1080/03007766.2011.602528.
Lee, Mira, & Ronald J. Faber (2007) Effects of Product Placement in On-Line Games on Brand Memory: A Perspective of the Limited-Capacity Model of Attention. Journal of Advertising, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 75–90. DOI:10.2753/joa0091-3367360406.
Lehu, Jean-Marc (2007) Branded Entertainment: Product Placement and Brand Strategy in the Entertainment Business (9780749449407) (KEN-0093/08). Kogan Page.
Mantha, Shailaja, et al (2018) A Study on Effectiveness of Product Placement in Diverse Media. Industrial Engineering Journal, vol. 11, no. 7. DOI:10.26488/iej.11.7.1136.
Musso, Patrizia (1999) Advertainment. La Comunicazione Pubblicitaria Alle Soglie Del Duemila. Comunicazioni Sociali, no 2, XXI, Vita e Pensiero, pp. 246–256.
Nelson, Michelle R, & Narayan Devanathan (2006) Brand Placements Bollywood Style. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 211–221. DOI:10.1002/cb.173.
Panda, Tapan (2004) Effectiveness of Product Placements in Indian Films and Its Effects on Brand Memory and Attitude with Special Reference to Hindi Films. The ICFAI Journal of Marketing Management, Jan. 2004.
Rich, Motoko. In Books for Young, Two Views on Product Placement. The New York Times, 19 Feb. 2008, Retrieved November 15, 2020, from www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/books/19cathy.html?searchResultPosition=1.
Rogel, C., & Marcos Molano, M. (2024). Audiovisual branded content: The key to aspirational brand communication. Comunicación: Revista Internacional de Comunicación Audiovisual, Publicidad y Estudios Culturales, 22(1), 125–142. https://doi.org/10.12795/Comunicacion.2024.v22.i01.07
Russell, Cristel Antonia (2007) Advertainment: Fusing Advertising and Entertainment. Michigan: Yaffe Center.
Smith, Alan D (2007) Exploring Advergaming and Its Online Advertising Implications. International Journal of Business Information Systems, vol. 2, no. 3, p. 298. DOI:10.1504/ijbis.2007.011981
Zaleska, Monika (2014) A Short History of Branded Books and Product Placement in Literature MobyLives. Melville House Books. Retrieved November 10, 2019, from www.mhpbooks.com/a-short-history-of-branded-books-and-product-placement-in-literature/