Food Brand Mondelēz Doubles Down On Branded Video Content

Thanks to the branded content it sponsors for Oreo, Sour Patch Kids, and several more of its properties, Mondelez is an active player in the online video space. Now, the food conglomerate is looking to take its digital efforts even further. The Wall Street Journal has the scoop on Fearless, Mondelez’s “media monetization model” based around branded content.

Through Fearless, Mondelez is positioning itself to resemble companies like Red Bull and Pepsi, which both devote much of their respective resources to the production and funding of original videos. In Mondelez’s case, its plan is to work with respected digital studios to promote its brands. One project in its pipeline, for example, is a collaboration with BuzzFeed that will result in a new lifestyle destination built from the Tasty mold. Other Fearless initiatives include a live event that will air on Fox and a suite of mobile games.

“Consumers are consuming more media in more places than ever before and it’s more difficult than ever to reach them,” Mondelez global head of content Laura Henderson told WSJ. “The audience is in the driver’s seat choosing when, how and where to watch content. They can skip ads, block ads and avoid ads in their entirety. Advertising is no longer an assumed part of the content consumption equation. It’s wreaking havoc on the economics of the industry.”

Mondelez has been known by its current moniker since 2012, when it changed its name from Kraft Foods. In addition to Fearless, the food company has also spent a nine-digit budget online thanks to a huge 2014 upfront deal with YouTube..