Comcast's Xfinity brand is launching "Best in Class," a seven-part social media competition series designed to position its broadband service as an essential tool for content creators, particularly targeting younger, cord-cutting audiences who typically ignore traditional advertising. The show, which begins on 5 August across TikTok and Instagram, follows six college student influencers competing in challenges set by ESPN sports personality Katie Feeney, with the format built to resemble genuine entertainment rather than an overt marketing pitch.

The series consists of two-minute weekly episodes filmed at a house in Montclair, New Jersey, with participants competing for a $100,000 brand deal with Xfinity. It was produced with Xfinity's advertising agency Carmichael Lynch and Rock Studios, the content arm of NBCUniversal's ad-sales division, drawing on NBCU's experience producing formats such as "Traitors," "Love Island" and "The Voice." Xfinity executives say the approach reflects a wider advertiser shift towards branded content that mirrors genuine entertainment, following earlier examples such as AT&T's 2013 mobile series "@SummerBreak."