Brand Integration and Its Influence on Audience Engagement and Shareability of Video Content: An Empirical Study among Indian Youth

Do audiences experience discomfort when viewing branded content online, or do brand integrations enhance a video's identity and appeal?What drives individuals to share such content on their social media timelines?This study investigates these questions through an empirical survey conducted among Indian youth.Findings reveal that users are more likely to share videos that evoke positive emotions or personal resonance.However, overt brand placement-particularly when presented prominently or early in the video-can dampen engagement and reduce sharing intentions.Subtle branding, especially when shown at the end of a video, tends to have a neutral or negligible impact on audience behaviour.Additionally, participants reported a tendency to selectively share branded content via platforms like WhatsApp or Facebook, which allow greater control over audience segmentation.This research contributes to a growing body of literature on branded entertainment and digital engagement by contextualizing global insights within the Indian digital landscape.