Parade Media is building a formal bridge between two worlds that usually meet only in marketing campaigns. The Sydney-based unscripted producer has launched Parade Studios, a new division that will develop creator-led entertainment for longform television, streaming services and social platforms at the same time.
A slate built for two screens
The initial lineup shows the strategy: food, travel and renovation formats fronted by creators with established communities, packaged with broadcast, streaming and brand partners from the start.
- Diana Chan’s Malaysia, a 6×30’ culinary journey with the MasterChef Australia winner, is set with AFN and SBS Food, plus commercial partners Malaysian Palm Oil Council and Orchard Brand Soy Sauce.
- Feast By Fire with Jess Pryles, a 10×30’ exploration of American barbecue, has Outdoor Channel US and SBS Food attached.
- A House to Call Home, a 5×60’ renovation series for Nine Network, and further culinary formats Fired Up: Pizza Without Borders (10×30’) and Everyday Made Delicious (10×30’), fronted by Kathryn Smith of Mumma Makes It, round out the slate.
Parade’s argument is that the talent is already a distribution channel. By bringing creators, production talent, brands and its global distribution network into one unit, the company wants digital personalities to graduate into premium longform entertainment without leaving the platforms that built them.
Why this matters for media buyers
For entertainment marketers and planners, Parade Studios is a signal that creator-led commissions are moving from one-off experiments toward a repeatable pipeline. Broadcasters and streamers are not simply renting an audience; they are co-developing shows around talent whose reach can be counted before the first episode is ordered.
Founder and CEO Matthew Ashcroft frames it as a format problem, not a casting gimmick. “This isn’t about simply putting an Instagram creator on television,” he said. The task is to build formats that work as half-hour or hour-long shows while also producing native shortform for YouTube and every major social platform.
What to watch next
The commercial test is whether these series deliver both broadcast ratings and social engagement without diluting either. Buyers should watch how brand partners are integrated early, because the food and travel formats already show a sponsorship layer that goes beyond standard product placement.
Source: C21media
