On Thursday April 9, the Branded Content Event 2026 at MediaPlaza will once again focus on the future of brands, media and content. In a marketing landscape where reach is increasingly fleeting and differentiation is under pressure, marketers are searching for new growth models. One of the sessions that makes that search tangible is led by Philip Kok, CEO Northern Europe at Assist Digital.

Kok brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing, sales and leadership. He began his career in FMCG at Nutricia and The Coca-Cola Company, where he witnessed firsthand how A-brands are built  and how they can lose their power under the pressure of retail dominance, promotions and margin erosion. Today, he helps organisations translate Customer Experience into structural growth, combining strategic sharpness with creative thinking.

Undermining the system

That experience forms the foundation of his session, The A-Brand Reclaim Loop, in which he dissects the system many A-brands are trapped in. Private labels are growing, retailers increasingly dictate the rules, and promotions structurally undermine brand value. In response, many brands intensify campaigns and discounts a move that, according to Kok, only deepens the problem. His alternative is a clear four-step model in which Customer Experience becomes the foundation for premium growth, illustrated by the internationally awarded Hertog Jan case.

Real innovation: branded content beyond campaigns

When asked what he sees as the defining challenge for marketers in 2026, Kok is unequivocal:
“The biggest challenge is the loss of differentiation of A-brands. Retail power is growing too fast, AI is accelerating content production, and everything starts to look the same. The real challenge is not to create more content, but to create more meaning. A-brands must stop optimising within the standard system and reclaim ownership of their relationships, their data, and the A-brand experience that follows from it.”

AI, he argues, plays an important but limited role.
“AI is an accelerator, not a substitute. It makes production faster and scalable. But it does not create tension, culture or genuine relevance it often creates sameness. Without a clear brand vision, AI produces mediocrity at scale. The combination of strong brand meaning and smart AI makes the difference.”

From reach to real brand value

According to Kok, true innovation in branded content today does not lie in formats or reach.
“Not in more views or new formats. The real innovation is recognising that branded content is no longer a campaign, but part of your integrated CX system. If content does not contribute to brand equity, data ownership and direct customer relationships, you are not building anything. You remain dependent on reach that you do not own.”

That is the essence of the A-Brand Reclaim model: using content to strengthen brand value, defend pricing power and reclaim ownership of the consumer relationship.

Why is the Branded Content Event 2026 so relevant right now?
“Because many brands feel that the current model is no longer sustainable,” says Kok. “In my session, I show how A-brands can reclaim their strength and act like true A-brands again. Not through more campaigns, but through Customer Experience as a growth model. With concrete proof from practice on how to rebuild brand equity, pricing power and relationships through a clear four-step framework. Directly applicable for any ambitious A-brand ready to innovate.”

With his sharp analysis of today’s brand landscape and a practical alternative for growth, Kok directly addresses the central question of the Branded Content Event: how to build sustainable brand value in an era where content is abundant, but real meaning is scarce.