A look at how customer relationship direct marketing programs from 20 years ago bear a resemblance to brand journalism in digital media today. How the content strategies are similar.

1. Brand Journalism
before digital media

2. Brand Journalism 1.0
In the 1980s & 1990s there was no:
• Social Media
• Email
• Internet
Primary publishing & distribution platforms:
• Desktop publishing
• Newsletters
• Direct Mail

3. Brand Journalism 1.0
Marketing goals:
• Build ongoing customer relationships
• Build trust & credibility
• Build brand preference
Communication goals:
• Inform
• Tell customer stories
• Tell brand stories

4. Brand Journalism 1.0
Audience segmentation:
• C-level decision makers
• Chemists & product developers
• Materials buyers
• Customers’ customer

5. Brand Journalism 1.0
Brand content supporting goals:
• Sector-specific economic trends
• Technical applications
• Technical innovations
• Regulatory developments
• Industry news
• Customer success stories

6. Brand Journalism 1.0
The publications
Processing Digest
Technical digest to all segments
of the rubber processing sector
Processing for Profits
Economic brief to executives in
The Quality Standard the rubber processing sector
To all segments of the textile
manufacturing sector

7. Brand Journalism 1.0
Content creation
• Editorial plan – story ideas, priorities set by team
comprised of client, account, writers and editor
• Editorial calendar – schedule of activities to deliver
four quarterly issues for the year
• Research, writing & approvals
• Page layout & graphic content
• Publish/mail
Sound familiar?

8. Brand Journalism 1.0
Same content creation principles
• Inform, engage & entertain readers
• Journalistic, NOT promotional writing style
• Newsroom model for content planning
• Ongoing communication, not a finite campaign
• Bypass trade publications to reach customers directly
• Solve problems, answer questions
• Embedded corporate journalists: tell brand stories
that align with corporate brand footprint

9. Brand Journalism today
New digital
platforms, same
fundamentals