The invisible wall between brands and information sources is much more permeable today than it once was. Young people are happy to get content of all kinds from trusted brands, assuming there's transparency and no apparent conflict of interest. Older demographics' skepticism can be overcome, too, provided the content is good enough. According to Contently Co-Founder Shane Snow, free, high-quality content is the easiest, most direct way of establishing a relationship with potential customers; a loyal audience is a likely consumer.