A great example of native advertising: PostNord
As I’ve written previously, sponsored content comes in many shapes and sizes. And not all sponsored content is created equal. Here at The Local we strive to offer our clients native advertising that makes their brand message or story feel like it is a natural part of the content we produce, like this recent example from thelocal.ch.
But native advertising can also promote a brand in more subtle ways that can sometimes be more effective at reaching and engaging readers like this article sponsored by PostNord (the state-own logistics company) that was published in the Swedish media trade publication Dagens Media.
Why does this article stand out?
1. Provocative headline: the article starts with a bold and controversial claim: ‘The customer is the new CEO’ — something that might pique the interest of any general reader, and especially the marketing and media professionals that read Dagens Media. It’s tantalizing and feels natural in the channel in which it appear
2. Substantive discussion on a relevant topic: the article then discusses Generation Y and their demand that ‘they decide — and you ought to listen’. The text includes quotes from a ‘trend guru’ and a customer relations consultant that help frame a discussion about how companies cater to Generation Y and what they need to do to appeal to their needs.
3. Acknowledging sensitive issues: The article frames what can be a controversial topic — the collection of personal data — as undramatic and and something that customers accept as it helps companies “personalize the customer experience”.
4. Minimal client branding: Other than the ‘Sponsored by PostNord’ label at the top of the article, the word PostNord doesn’t appear anywhere else in the text (not even in the links that take readers to PostNord’s own channels)
Quite simply, the article is relevant and interesting without pushing a particular offer or call to action on the reader. Rather than asking the reader to buy something, PostNord’s article instead offers readers insights on a relevant topic — while at the same time framing the issue so that readers can start to see how the logistics services offered by PostNord might be a part of keeping finicky Gen-Yers happy.
The article is reminiscent of The Local’s article series for Connect Sweden, a lobbying group promoting increased international air connectivity at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport. The articles featured views on Sweden’s place in the world from high-profile figures like chef Marcus Samuelsson, statistics guru Hans Rosling, and Emy Blixt, founder of the Swedish Hasbeens shoe brand, where connectivity became a part of their own stories and their own reflections about Sweden.
