Branded Content
Branded Content is a marketing strategy where brands fund or create entertaining, educational, or informative content to build brand affinity and awareness, rather than directly selling a product. It focuses on storytelling that aligns with brand values, often utilizing partnerships with influencers, creators, or publishers to foster authentic, long-term consumer engagement.
My short-form original branded content has garnered over 300 million views on social digital channels, and over twenty mentions on the YouTube Ads Leaderboard listing the "top ten ads that people choose to watch."
I have been recognized with several awards, most notably for "Dear Kitten" a BuzzFeed branded original in partnership with Purina® Friskies® as the #1 top ad by a YouTube content creator in 2014, winner of the Digiday Best Creative Award in 2014, a 2015 Webby for Best Branded Content, and a nomination for "favorite YouTube ad of the past decade" from Google's YouTube. Dear Kitten went on to be translated into several languages for international distribution, broadcast as a regional Super Bowl Commercial, and launched a franchise universe with multiple installments and spin-off episodes.
Scroll down to see DEAR KITTEN and more branded content featuring dozens of top global brands.
DEAR KITTEN
Director, Videographer, Editor, Writer, Creative Producer
A BuzzFeed Branded original in partnership with Purina® Friskies® DEAR KITTEN released on the BuzzFeedVideo YouTube channel on June 5, 2014 and literally became an overnight viral sensation.
Story: Cat welcomes Kitten into the home, but not without a few ground-rules and wisdom to live by.
DEAR KITTEN was watched organically over 9 million times within the first two days of release. This release was prior to any digital branding regulations including branded signifiers. It was partly due to the organic success of this video that digital branded content now requires these identifiers.
DEAR KITTEN was translated into several languages including Spanish, French and Russian.
The success of DEAR KITTEN launched a franchise universe, including sequels and character spin-offs, became a regional Super Bowl commercial, was mentioned over 400 times in the press, and is one of the most decorated branded content YouTube videos of all-time.
In collaboration with Dee Robertson, Ze Frank and Laurenne Sala, DEAR KITTEN went on to be the #1 Top Ad by a YouTube Content Creator, won a Webby Award, a Digiday Award, and was recognized as Ad Week's Hottest In Native Advertising, and a Favorite YouTube Ad Of The Past Decade.
At the time in the digital branded content landscape, the success of DEAR KITTEN proved the reach and value of "Native Advertising" and helped pave the way for the future of digital marketing and custom branded content as we know it today.
You can watch ALL of the Dear Kitten videos in timeline order HERE.
TOP PRESS
FOR DEAR KITTEN
2026 best branded content nominee at the DRUM AWARDS
PET CONFESSIONS
Editor
Presently nominated for Best Branded Content at The Drum Awards Marketing Americas taking place June, 4 2026. I had the pleasure of editing this piece working with both user-generated content as well as professionally captured content directed by Dee Robertson.
The below is an excerpt from the awards nomination page.
"Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s 2025 'Pet Confessions' campaign, developed by Trusted Media Brands (The Pet Collective and People Are Awesome) in collaboration with Burson.
Rooted in a creator-led video series, “Pet Confessions” explored the concept of pet parent guilt, reassuring owners that while they may feel they’re not doing enough, their pets are simply happy to be by their side.
The campaign stood out by combining heartfelt storytelling, including surprise “love letters” from pets to their owners, and personalized content to create a deeply relatable and actionable experience.
Distributed across social, streaming, and digital platforms, the videos garnered over 1.1MM views and exceeded all performance benchmarks, resonating deeply with pet parents.
'Pet Confessions' successfully transformed a universal emotion, pet parent guilt and the fear that we’re not doing enough for our pets, into a celebration of the unconditional love, setting a new standard for how Hill’s engages its audience."
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My branded content
BuzzFeed Branded Videos - Director
