NFL’s Samantha Friedman on content marketing trends ahead of The Drum Awards Festival

Her career journey, spanning M&C Saatchi to Red Bull and Peloton, has provided Friedman with direct experience in the evolution of the field. She has observed the transition from the early days of influencer marketing on a video-free Instagram to the current era, where crafting robust cross-platform content strategies is crucial for brand success.

Now, in her latest capacity as jury president of the content category for The Drum’s 2024 Awards Festival, she offers a unique perspective on where content marketing is headed and how brands can stay afloat in this increasingly vital sector.

Modern storytelling & game-changing content

Friedman’s career trajectory has given her an insider’s perspective on the content marketing revolution. At M&C Saatchi, where she worked with owned and earned media, Friedman recognized the burgeoning potential of social media for brand storytelling.

Her experience at Red Bull further honed this insight as she observed the brand’s masterful integration of products into brand storytelling. “In my opinion,” she says, “there’s no brand like Red Bull that understands branded content. They kind of drew the blueprint for everyone else to follow.”

This expertise translated into her role at Peloton, where she focused on emotional storytelling and influencer partnerships within the fitness space. This experience informs her current strategies at the NFL, where she utilizes her diverse experiences to craft social strategies that engage younger, diverse audiences across platforms.

Friedman, who always dreamed of working in sports, reflects, “The pathway to becoming an NFL fan today is very different from how I personally became a fan. I was born into it. Now, there are so many different points of discovery, and a lot of that is through content.”

Recent NFL initiatives reflect these new discovery points, shifting traditional sports advertising to a social content-first approach. The NFL’s YouTube Creator Programs, for example, allowed creators to license exclusive NFL footage to enhance their own content while introducing new audiences to the league.

The Roblox Super Bowl concert, meanwhile, marked a pioneering step in how traditional sports brands like the NFL are engaging with younger, digitally native audiences with a virtual concert featuring Saweetie.

“We really see Roblox as the next generation of social platforms, probably where YouTube was about 10 years ago,” she adds. “It is amazing for community and connection, and how anyone under 18 spends their time after school.”

Similarly, the TikTok Tailgate was crafted for TikTok’s dynamic content style, combining live performances with interactive, social-first elements in order to connect with younger audiences.

The expanding horizons of content marketing

According to Friedman, the definition of content marketing has significantly broadened over time. What was once confined to traditional advertising, like linear TV, now encompasses a multitude of formats across evolving social platforms.

This shift demands a deep understanding of audience engagement across various formats, from long-form content to brief social posts and immersive experiences.

A significant change in recent years is the rise of the creator economy, which has blurred the lines between traditional advertising and organic content. Not only is “the barrier to entry even smaller” for creators today, with the proliferation of short-form video across social channels, but creators have presented new opportunities for brands to connect with their audiences in authentic ways, she says.

Although social platforms continue to evolve, Friedman emphasizes that the fundamentals of successful content – what she coins “the sophistication of storytelling” – remain constant.

“No matter how much technology becomes available, the basic roots of what makes content successful is always going to be there: a really strong, emotional narrative that connects with the audience,” she states.

Awards entries & pioneering content

As content marketing continues to mature, Friedman stresses the importance of a strong, platform-specific content strategy. This ensures that content remains relevant and engaging, even as brands experiment with new formats and platforms.

“Content trends are changing so quickly. If you have a sound content strategy, you can apply it to any new trend that comes,” she explains. “If you’re staying true to your brand voice and what you’re known for in the content space, you can jump into the right trends and the right moments. Once you have that strategy, it’s also easier to know which viral moment to pass on.”

As Friedman prepares to lead the content jury for The Drum Awards Festival, she is eager to explore the year’s most creative and innovative work spanning 30+ categories, from auto and sports to fitness and food.

She says she’s particularly excited to dive into brands that “aren’t scared to take risks, push the content industry forward and do something that’s never been done before.”

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