A celebrity in a commercial is nothing new. But increasingly, brands aren’t just putting famous faces in ads to sell products. They’re finding new ways to make entertainment part of the ad itself.

The reason appears to be fairly simple: attention has become harder to buy. Brands are looking for ways to create campaigns that feel less like interruptions and more like something audiences actually want to watch.

Take Gap, which just launched a campaign with scream queen actress Inde Navarrette, recognized for her role in Obsession, and emerging musician Malcolm Todd. Navarrette is a relatively new face on the scene but has quickly expanded her profile across entertainment and fashion, while Todd brings his own music audience to the campaign, titled, “Denim On Your Own.”

“With this campaign, Gap continues to serve as a platform for the next generation of creative voices, championing emerging artists who are shaping culture through music, art, and self-expression,” said the campaign announcement.

The ambassador choices reinforce the idea that it’s no longer just about who appears in an ad, but what the entertainment itself can do for a brand that an ad alone can’t. The campaign features Todd’s rendition of Robyn’s hit “Dancing On My Own,” turning the partnership into a piece of music and entertainment.

Patrón is going a step further, bringing Hollywood’s creative talent directly into the making of the advertising itself. The tequila brand tapped the Oscar-winning director of Frankenstein and Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro to direct and star in its 2026 campaign, “The Perfect Pour.” The campaign puts del Toro’s distinctive visual style at the center of the brand’s storytelling. “Both born in Jalisco. Both obsessed with Mexican craftsmanship. Experience The Perfect Pour,” the campaign reads. 

These campaigns illustrate a broader shift in how brands can think about entertainment. A celebrity can bring an existing fan base, but the more valuable proposition may be the ability to create something people encounter as culture first and advertising second. The result isn’t necessarily that brands are becoming Hollywood studios. It’s that they are increasingly trying to borrow Hollywood’s ability to create attention and cultural relevance, and make it work for the brand.

Erin Behrens is an associate editor at From Day One

(Photo by AscentXmedia/iStock)