Branded content is a valuable tool in the marketing plan of any business, allowing brands to tell their own story by sharing their narrative with a targeted audience. Aligning engaging and informative content helps brands build credibility, awareness and forge emotional connections with current and prospective clients.
Content Works is Postmedia’s award-winning, full-service branded content studio. Our team of expert content marketers help differentiate brands from their competitors, highlighting their unique values in our creative content executions. We tap into the expertise of our advertising professionals, digital marketing experts, producers, videographers and writers to craft compelling stories that drive our clients’ business goals and connect with readers.
Every month, we work with advertisers across Canada to create impactful content that combines our expert storytelling with their marketing goals to create content that resonates with readers. Here’s a selection of the best content partnerships we created with brands last month.
For more examples and to learn about working with Postmedia Content Works, visit www.postmediasolutions.com/solutions/content/.
ATB Wealth
The purpose of this article was to help ATB Wealth explain why a financial advisor may ask for information about your family, your financial situation and the goals you have — questions that can feel very personal.
Leveraging insights from an interview with an ATB Wealth expert, this article coached readers who are looking to engage a financial advisor by explaining what the process looks like; explaining why it’s important to build a close relationship with your advisor; reassuring readers about the kinds of questions they’ll likely be asked; and shining a light on why sharing your story will lead to better, more targeted advice. Like finding the right therapist, it’s all about fit.
See the content here: Calgary Herald x ATB Wealth
Colliers
Colliers partnered with Content Works on a multi-faceted campaign to position itself as a thought leader in the commercial real estate industry. It accomplished this by answering a series of timely questions surrounding the Broadway Plan in Vancouver: a visionary approach to a 30-year framework to integrate new housing, commercial and office developments, job spaces and amenities on 500 city blocks around the Broadway Subway.
In response to this announcement, Colliers used three articles, an infographic and a custom video to answer some of the most pressing questions Vancouverites had regarding the project. By positioning Colliers as an industry expert and providing readers with engaging answers to their questions, this series successfully promoted the organization while remaining relevant and interesting for Vancouverites.
See the content here: Vancouver Sun x Colliers
Intact Insurance
Intact Insurance wanted to position itself as a leader in providing comprehensive driving insurance coverage. The goal was to promote its app, which provides users with data on their driving habits to better understand their insurance plans.
Created in partnership with Content Works, this 10-question interactive quiz tested readers’ knowledge on driving and rules of the road. Based on the user’s score, they received information about how they can further improve their driving knowledge. The quiz copy was written in a light-hearted and playful tone, encouraging users to finish the quiz and receive their results. Intact Insurance’s app and insurance pages were linked for more information.
Testing a user’s general knowledge on a topic was an effective way to showcase information and present Intact as an authority on the subject. The project is a prime example of how interactive pages can capture an audience’s attention, and the strategy resonated well with our audience.
See the content here: National Post x Intact Insurance
Pizzeria Napolitaine NO. 900
To showcase their in-house talent when it comes to pizza-making, Pizzeria Napolitaine NO. 900 wanted to highlight its amazing chefs and show how the company invests in its staff, making it a great place to work.
To accomplish this, our article reported on the results of a pizza-making competition held at their Vaudreuil-Dorion restaurant. The writer was sent to the pizzeria where he interviewed the judges and the participants about the contest and the brand, Pizzeria Napolitaine NO. 900. The head pizzaiolo of the franchise won the local competition, and he will be representing Quebec in an international pizza-making competition in Las Vegas.
See the content here: Montreal Gazette x Pizzeria Napolitaine NO. 900
Theatre Calgary – Forgiveness
The aim of this campaign was to bring awareness to the play, Forgiveness, put on by Theatre Calgary, and to entice readers to buy tickets to the show. The play was based on a book by Mark Sakamoto, telling the true story of his Canadian grandparents — from opposite sides of the family — during the Second World War. His paternal grandmother, a Canadian of Japanese descent, interned in a camp in Canada while his maternal grandfather was a prisoner of war in a Japanese war camp.
A Calgarian was also the title character in this play, making his stage debut. We spoke to him about the emotional gravity of the play, and what it meant to him to take on such an important character.
Focusing both on the amazing story and the emotionally gripping performances struck a chord with readers, resulting in significant social sharing and support.
See the content here: Calgary Herald x Theatre Calgary
For more examples and to learn more about working with Postmedia Content Works, click here.
