Effective branded content in the years ahead will be defined by how well we combine AI-powered efficiency with human-led judgement. We can’t ignore the elephant in the room: AI will have a substantial impact on branded content... how we organise selling and creating our campaigns, how we produce and distribute them, how we monetise, and how we streamline workflows. And honestly, I don’t think we fully understand the scale of that impact yet.
Does that mean that branded content industry will seize to exist? I truly don’t believe so. Because the essence of great storytelling is a superpower that cannot be prompted and making premium branded content still requires skilled people, real effort, quality control, and the ability to move other human beings. AI can help us generate, iterate, and optimise, but the work that earns trust and creates lasting value comes from human insight, empathy, taste, and responsibility. Someone still has to make the call on what’s true, what’s respectful, what’s relevant, and what’s worth putting into the world.
That’s also why community and live events will matter more than ever. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, the human layer becomes the differentiator: meeting face-to-face, exchanging knowledge, building relationships, and feeling the energy in the room. The future of effective branded content won’t be defined by who can produce the most. Instead, it will be defined by who can create meaning, connection, and trust at scale, without losing the human touch.
Key Insights
Can you be creative without writing 'Creative Director' in your title or sitting with “creative tasks” every day? Can you lead without a large organisation behind you? Can you build success without chasing it for yourself, and instead by focusing on lifting an entire industry and enabling others to win? I believe you can.
I see myself as a creator, an enabler and a facilitator more than a traditional leader, thought leader, or specialist. My career has never been about becoming the deepest expert in one narrow lane. It has been about understanding people through listening, connecting dots and creating the conditions where the best conversations can happen.
There’s real magic when people meet. Most progress in branded content starts with trust, shared language, and honest exchange - and that matters even more now, as AI accelerates everything. AI can support the workflow, but it can’t replace human intuition, chemistry, and the “felt sense” of what resonates. If we want the industry to keep moving forward, we need to boost the human layer, not just focus on optimising outputs and perfecting promoting.
Signature Work Achievements
I started my career in branded content in a small café in Nørrebro, Copenhagen. This is where I met Jesper Laursen who offered me more than a job - he sold me a shared vision that I instantly bought into. It was a vision that entailed building a global “one-stop shop” for media companies and agencies wanting to succeed with native advertising and branded content. Essentially, it meant enabling a platform and a place to bring the industry together around knowledge, not noise, so we can all get better - faster. I was hooked, and the rest is history.For the past decade, I’ve worked on turning that vision into scalable programs and platforms with global reach.A cornerstone has been building the Native Advertising Awards, now the Branded Content Awards—developing categories, the program model, courses, and the jury framework—and growing it into one of the most respected award programs dedicated to branded content. The awards now include 44 categories with submissions from all over the world.
To create a physical meeting point for the industry, I was originally responsible for events and conferences such as Branded Content Days and Native Advertising Days. I'm still involved in shaping the events, including the programs, and facilitating the experience, so branded content professionals have a place to meet, connect, and exchange knowledge face-to-face.I also launched the “Significant Women in Branded Content” list to increase visibility for female talent globally—because representation doesn’t just happen, we have to build it. Published annually around International Women’s Day, the list features 100 profiles from around the world, spanning roles across brands, publishers, agencies, and platforms. The goal is to celebrate excellence, expand networks, and give the industry a concrete reference point for who to follow, learn from, hire, and collaborate with.And to keep the knowledge flowing year-round, I launched the Branded Content that Works podcast as a practical learning platform for the industry. The show features experienced branded content leaders and hands-on practitioners from across brands, publishers, agencies, and platforms, sharing real-world approaches to pitching, selling, crafting, distributing, and measuring work that performs. The aim is simple: turn great expertise into accessible insights people can actually use—whether they’re building a new branded content capability or sharpening what already works.
Career Lessons
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Take smart risks - progress rarely comes from playing it safe.Keep a long-game mindset. I live by a simple mantra: we win in the end - if we stay consistent and don’t quit when it gets uncomfortable.Create momentum through kindness. Empathy isn’t soft, it’s strategic.
Meet people where they are - whether you sell, create, or lead, real influence starts with listening and understanding context.
Build trust before you build tactics - the best work happens when people feel seen, safe, and respected.And most importantly, remember what’s worth it. One day you’ll ask yourself, “Was it worth it?” Prioritise the people, the energy, and the meaning. It may be “just a job,” for now, but you invest your life—so bring heart, truth, and yourself to the work.
