As consumers, we have become empowered to choose the information we engage with and as a result, the relationship between brands and media has also adjusted to serve our emerging behavior patterns.
There are more opportunities than ever for brands and businesses to self-publish and directly communicate with their customers. Owned content is a powerful vehicle for connecting with your audience, and brands are jumping on the opportunity to establish outlets that create a direct consumer touch point.
Brand journalism is still learning to walk but even in its infancy, there are many lessons to be learned from those blazing the trail. Below are 15 companies whose brand journalism outlets are chock-full of key takeaways, best practices, and innovative approaches.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to brand journalism, so check em’ all out and decide for yourself: Whose channel reigns supreme?
1. GE
Beautifully designed, impeccably curated, and impossibly clickable, GE’s online magazine features stories about innovation, science and technology. Along with viewpoints on important issues regarding GE and the world, GE Reports should be applauded for its uniqueness and its uncanny ability to capture attention.
2. Eloqua
The bottom line about Eloqua’s channel is it’s all about the bottom line. Exploring the role innovation plays in revenue generation, Eloqua looks at demand generation, operational efficiency and marketing analytics. Point blank: It’s all about revenue.
3. Adobe
CMO.com by Adobe delivers marketing insights, expertise, and inspiration for and by marketing leaders. Everything is aimed at helping CMOs and senior marketers lead their brands to success in a digital world. Talk about knowing your audience!
4. Sequoia Capital
Another VC getting into the content marketing game is Sequoia Capital with their outlet, Grove. Grove’s main focus is founders helping founders and allows for entrepreneurs and business owners the opportunity to share knowledge and gain valuable peer advice.
5. Vox Media
Vox Media is one of the fastest-growing online publishers focused on developing high-value digital journalism, storytelling, and brand advertising at scale. Vox.com, the brainchild of former Washington Post writer Ezra Klein, is all about general news and news analysis. If you want to see headline genius at work, this is the place to check out.
6. HSBC
With a focus on helping businesses grow internationally, HSBC is an excellent example of content curation done right. Not only do they produce quality owned media, they are masters at repurposing content from other channels that perfectly dovetails with their overarching voice.
7. Tesla
Hamish McKenzie, former Pando Daily journalist, joined the Tesla team in a PR role and has been manning their blog ever since. This isn’t the most beautiful brand channel we’ve seen, but it’s always good to keep an eye on innovative brands who are bringing media folk in house.
8. Qualcomm
Qualcomm created Spark to tell the stories of the technology ecosystem and to capture creative sparks as they appear. Their channel is dedicated to communicating what they believe the future can look like.
9. Intel
Intel Free Press covers technology and innovation stories that are often overlooked or warrant more context and deeper reporting. They aim to capture and share interesting behind-the-scenes stories that provide insight into what’s going on inside Intel and within the larger tech industry.
10. Microsoft
If you want to know see where Microsoft thinks technology is headed, simply check out Next At Microsoft. Think of it as “director’s cut” where the software giant shows you who they are, what they do, how they work, and what’s coming next.
11-15. Of course, not all brands are opting to launch their own properties. Many are looking to established publishers for content distribution and thought leadership opportunities. One outlet in particular leading the charge is Forbes with their BrandVoice channels. BrandVoice is an integrated, invitation-only content-sharing platform that enables marketers to join the conversation with their own narrative and expertise. Notable brands capitalizing on Forbes BrandVoice channels include:
- PayPal (A World Where People Rule)
- Merill Lynch (A Transforming World)
- Oracle (Simply IT, Drive Innovation)
- UPS (Logistically Thinking)
- Capital One (Achieve More)
