Twitch Branded Content Policy - All streamers need to know

Let’s start with defining what Twitch are considering Branded Content for the people in the back:
In the most simplistic way – if you exchange something of value with a third party to feature something in your content, it is considered Branded Content.
This list includes:

• Product placements - products you have been paid to keep in sightline during your content.
• Endorsements - featured in content.
• Sponsored gameplay - games you have been paid to play.
• Paid product unboxings - unboxings, e.g., Loot Crate, that you have been paid to unbox.
• Channel sponsorships - any sponsorship that results in you displaying logos, items etc.
• Branded channel panels - any logos that are third party that you are paid to feature.
• Brand logo stream overlays - same as above.

So, what does this mean for you if you look at this literally?

In short, this means paid sponsorships and endorsements from companies cannot be displayed on screen, mentioned, or embedded into overlays, panels and so forth.

However – Twitch have provided a clear list of branded content faux pas, but within the same breath they have also contradicted themselves to the point of confusion to creators.

So, to clear this up a little, let’s expand on the list

• Merch, items, and other products that you are NOT being paid for to promote are fine.
• Affiliate links can be shared – if ASKED. This is not mentioned in their original list so you can assume that affiliate links that are displayed in result to a PAID relationship are considered branded content. The question is, does this extend to discount codes which is not alluded to.
• You can mention a sponsor in passing, but also long as you are not promoting them. This ruling is so vague, where is the concrete line between “mentioning in passing” and “discussing”?
• And finally, what I consider to be the biggest contradiction – You can feature logos, brands, promotions and more, but it is only allowed on your offline screen.

Confused? Yeah, me too. This is likely to be a navigational minefield for streamers and creators, and knowing how trigger-happy Twitch can be with blanket banning channels with little info, creators will likely be airing on the side of caution to ensure staying within the realms of TOS regarding this new policy.
Twitch have provided an FAQ here. This also states that it is likely that ad running will increase on branded content streams.

We’ve gone through the foggy vagueness of the new Twitch Branded Content Policy, now we will go through the “solution” to staying inside the lines of terms of service.