Harnessing publishers’ commercial know-how and storytelling prowess, content partnerships in news brands make strong connections with readers and make a real difference to those all-important KPIs
Authenticity = connection
Authenticity is key to connecting with your audience. Multiplatform news brands know their readers like the back of their hand, making them perfectly placed to help advertisers create engaging campaigns.
Compared to other forms of news brand advertising, 65% of survey respondents found content partnerships tell them more about a brand, while 55% found them to be more useful and engaging.
Transparency reinforces trusted environments
News brands are a highly regulated medium, reinforcing the trust readers have in their chosen titles. This trust is conferred onto advertisers through a halo effect, which sees a 50% uplift in brand trust compared to advertisers who don’t use news brands in a campaign
Transparency is a fundamental part of what makes content partnerships trusted. Even though it appears in the publisher’s editorial style, 90% of respondents said it is clear that collaborations like these are sponsored by a brand.
Effectiveness of several fronts
Readers might find content partnerships engaging and trustworthy, but the proof of the effectiveness pudding is in the eating. Fortunately for advertisers, our study shows such collaborations can really make a difference. For example, 54% would consider a brand after seeing sponsored content in a news brand.
Our case studies also uncover a range of effectiveness strengths. A video campaign from Bobbi Brown was particularly engaging among women under 35, with seven in 10 enjoying the content. 64% reported feeling positively towards Boots Pharmacy after a content partnership, up 23% on an already impactful print average.
