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BEAM

Branded Episodic Active Media

What is it?

BEAM (Branded Episodic Active Media) is a platform for media campaigns designed to grow brand engagement on social and other media platforms. By creating a narrative composed of short video episodes and augmenting this with different kinds of immersive interactions, viewers are pulled into the world they are observing.

How does it work?

How does it work?

Episodes, from two to five minutes each, are released at regular intervals, e.g. one per week. Opportunities for user interaction are provided between episodes — solve a puzzle, look for clues, interact with story characters, research information, make a phone call or send a text message. The result of such interaction is the ability to inject user input into the storyline in a way that affects its outcome, e.g. inserting a resource into the video that the protagonist needs.

Is it effective?

Is it effective?
  • According to a 2025 survey: The top two requests for what users want brands to prioritize in 2026 were Interacting With Audiences(58%) and Original Content Series(57%).
  • Recommendation-based Algorithms: These reward episodic by retaining viewership.
  • Higher engagement rates: One study reported 9 episodes of a series generated 1.14 million views, while 27 one-time posts generated only 432,670 views.
  • Re-engagement rates: Series-based content drives a 71% higher re-engagement rate compared to ad hoc content.
  • Creator consistency: Brands with consistent episodic content schedules experience up to 70% more engagement from consumers.
  • Product discovery: Short-form, episodic video is a major driver of product discovery (60% of consumers), with 85% of people saying a video has convinced them to buy a product or service.

How does the brand get integrated?

The brand can be promoted on multiple levels:

  • Directly into the narrative structure.
  • Through product placement.
  • Through interactive elements.
  • Through the use of actual locations.

How is the narrative content determined?

Narrative Content

You can select and customize one of our available narratives, or we can work with you to craft something entirely original.

What sorts of interactions are possible?

Here are a few of the kinds of user interactions that are possible:

  • Brand purchase codes: When the brand turns up in a video, a purchase code and message can be programmed to pop up below the video.
  • Mini-game environments: Panoramic 3D environments can be created from locations used in the narrative. Clues and assets can be collected from these environments and used in later episodes.
  • Resource drops: Collected resources can be dragged and dropped into the video at key points. A character may ask for a resource, or the user may get an opportunity to choose what resource to add to the scene at a specific moment.
  • Phone & SMS conversations: Users get the opportunity to contact or be contacted by characters in the narrative. This may involve interviewing characters to find needed information, assessing the trustworthiness of a character, or persuading a character to take a course of action.

Interested?

Tell us about your your next campaign. We’ll help you build something that advances your business and highlights your brand.

info@uncannyvalley.design