There’s a phrase that gets passed around a lot in brand and marketing circles these days. You’ve probably heard it.
“Every brand is a media company.”
It sounds smart and maybe partly true. But like most sweeping statements you see on the internet, it’s only half the story.
Because while it’s never been easier to publish, post, and produce, the truth is, most brands are doing it badly. It might be beautiful. But beauty alone won’t land. The tone’s off and the formats feel forced. The thinking is shallow in execution. And somewhere along the line, we forgot that just creating content isn’t the win.
Creating content that connects is.
Let’s rewind for a second. Before ‘content engines’ were the buzzword of the moment and before brands were setting up sub-stacks and building internal ‘editorial desks,’ the best ones were already doing this. Not because they read a thread about media diversification. But because they understood how people actually consume content. They knew attention isn’t just about the algorithm and more about emotion.
And more than anything else they knew their audience deserved something worth returning to.
Editorial-Led Thinking
Scroll through your feed and you’ll see it. Carousel breakdowns. Founder diaries. Launch recaps. Weekly newsletters that read like magazine columns. Some of it works. A lot of it doesn’t. The intent is right and for that you have to respect where it’s coming from.
Brands want to move beyond product because they need to if they want to remain relevant. They want to own a narrative, not just a SKU list. Right?
But intention without clarity is a fast road to noise. We’ve entered an era where marketing is content and content is media. But creating media shouldn’t be filling your channels with updates.
Our Place do a great job of this. The cookware brand didn’t go viral because they made pans. They built a story around home and heritage. Their content isn’t just showing product, it’s showing people. Values. Ritual. Familiarity.
They design their media like they designed their tools: for use. For relevance. For meaning.
Then there’s Norda. A vibe of a Canadian running brand that doesn’t scream for attention. Their visual storytelling is quiet, crisp, elemental, it kind of feels like a lifestyle piece in a mountain journal. You don’t just scroll past their content. And it doesn’t require a press office.
Good Media Brands Think in Seasons, Not Sales
Media brands know when to pause and plan. They publish to express a perspective. Compare that to your average brand feed. Endless product shots. “Which colour do you prefer?” polls. A repost here. A trending sound there. It's content volume, not value. Where is the entertainment here? And it’s exactly why audiences switch off. Real media brands build a strategic cadence. They respect silence as well as drama.
A brand that does this well is Aries Arise. Their editorial presence is pretty messy and human, but it’s alive. They treat content like chapters. Each drop feels different but cohesive.
You’re watching the world they’re building. And then the vanish.
What Most Brands Miss
Here’s the catch, editorial-style content only works if you know who you are. (Hello have you seen what we do?) If your tone isn’t dialled in, your references feel shallow, or your visual identity is mismatched, it doesn’t matter how often you post, people will scroll past.
You need a brand story that can sustain content. Not just a tagline. A whole worldview. You need the systems to support consistency. Templates. Toolkits. Shared principles. A taste filter.
Most of this can, and should, come from the founder.
And above all, you need someone who actually cares about it. This isn’t a junior social media exec’s side project. It needs ownership and time.
Brand Is the Broadcast
What used to live on billboards and in-store displays now lives in your story highlights and post archives. And your feed isn’t just a feed anymore, it’s a living editorial record. Like it or not. If you’re not thinking like a media brand, you’re already behind.
Because the smart ones create their own coverage. They’re designing for the saved folder. Writing like people read.
Treating layout, motion, and type like magazine covers, not just ads. Sound familiar? If you’ve been with us from the start you’ll know we’re all about this at OAH.
Whether you’re selling ceramics or starting a streetwear label, media is now your first impression. Your brand’s voice is your broadcast.
And the best brands use it wisely.
Closing Shot
We’re not saying every brand needs a newsroom. But every brand does need a narrative for their shows.
People want to follow stories. And the ones who treat media like marketing will be ignored. But the ones who treat their media like a brand will be remembered.
Make every post a featured editorial. Not just by style but design.
Shot of the good stuff
