Sister Group moves into branded entertainment with Common Interest partnership

Sister Group has moved into branded entertainment through a strategic partnership with London-based Common Interest, taking a minority investment in the company. The agreement was reported by Variety on 23 September 2026. A minority investment means a stake of less than half, enough for a close working relationship without overall control. Branded entertainment, in plain terms, is shows and stories made with advertisers involved from the start, rather than programmes later interrupted by ad breaks.

Common Interest is headed by founder and chief executive Anthony Freedman. It was founded in September 2023 as a holding company, a parent business that owns stakes in other firms. Its early backing brought together investors from film, tech, media and advertising, according to Mediaweek.

The group now includes eight companies: 21st Century Brand, Amplify, Baby Teeth, CultureLab, Knock Three Times, Otherway, Seed and Wonder. The eight names were detailed in the partnership announcement. A structure of that kind lets each company keep its own identity while sharing owners and resources.

One recent credit shows how that work reaches viewers. Baby Teeth created and produced Finding Jamie, a microdrama series for the Jamie Oliver Group in partnership with Life360. Microdramas are very short episodes, often shot vertical for phones and released in quick bursts. The phone is the screen here.

Another part of the build came earlier. Common Interest acquired an initial 51% stake in Amplify, with a commitment to buy the remaining 49% over the next five years, according to LBBOnline. A staggered purchase of that kind spreads the deal over time, rather than buying a company outright on day one. It is a familiar pattern in the agency world, where buyers and sellers often prefer a phased handover.

Freedman’s background is in the creative business. He is the founder of Host and One Green Bean, according to B&T. Those companies gave him long experience of working between agencies and brands before he set up Common Interest.

What makes this stand out is the route to the screen. Instead of pitching a show to a broadcaster and then finding advertisers, the team starts with the brand and builds a story it can live inside. For viewers, that can mean short series that appear on social feeds and brand channels rather than on traditional television.