This document discusses the role of brand journalism and how it differs from traditional journalism and marketing communications. It notes that brand journalists search for information from multiple sources, conduct interviews, and tell stories about a company or brand while maintaining editorial independence. Their goal is to build trust and provide an insider's perspective on a brand to help attract customers and prospects. The key is for brand journalists to abide by journalism ethics and not act as a mouthpiece for marketing while also addressing issues that could impact the brand.

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3. Journalism Marketing communication
Proactive search for information
Information selected and provided by the
brand
Corroborate information from various
sources
One single source: the brand
Inform the public Seduce an audience
Editorial independence Content in the service of the brand
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5. There’s always something
happening at a company. A
journalist will detect events and
turn them into topics, with the
angle best suited to your
targets.
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6. Be it within the company or
outside, the journalist will
find people with exciting
stories.
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7. Who better than a journalist
excels in interviewing people?
He/she will ask your customers,
employees or just ordinary
people questions relevant to
your field of business.
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8. Customer and prospects do not care
about marketing arguments: they are
thrilled by a good story. Good news!
Telling stories is what a journalist
does best!
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10. Is your reader or the watcher of
your video interested, surprised,
amazed? Bingo! In his mind, the
few minutes spent with your
brand will be associated to a
good experience.
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11. With your content , your
customer or prospect will better
understand the latest trends on
the market and/or your area of
business. He will not miss a
significant evolution or
revolution. He will owe you a big
thank you for that!
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Your prospect will get an “insider view” of
situations faced by a manager, a marketing
representative, a team leader… And all of
this, in your brand’s universe!
When it will be his turn to make a purchasing
decision or ask for expert advice, who do you think
he will turn to?

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15. • Throw the light on your
clients, your team
members, or external
“heroes” (sportsmen,
experts…) in connection to
your brand universe.
• They will be thankful for you to recognize them.
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16. • By publishing documented
and exciting content on a
regular basis, you invigorate
your brand’s legitimacy.
• You build a loyal audience of
qualified prospects, one
piece of content at a time.
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17. • Your content help you bypass your prospects’
reluctance towards “marketing” or “ads”.
• Once trust is gained, you can transform it into sales,
influence, better relationships, etc.
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19. • “As a journalist, I won’t stoop
to that.”
• “I am a real journalist, not a
brand journalist.”
• “My skills can be better
used!”
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20. Just like any journalist, the brand journalist searches
information, combines and compares various sources,
carries out interviews, picks an angle, builds a story…
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21. A brand journalist must abide by journalism ethos.
Otherwise, his/her stories will ring hollow, and it will not
work.
– He must look for the truth and tell it (e.g. : he won’t hide
issues raised by a new technology);
– He must provide a nuanced and subtle view of reality.
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22. • He is paid by a customer (be it a company, an
institution, a government, a non-profit
organization…) .
• This customer expects that the produced content will
help him reach his goals.
• It is unlikely that the journalist will make a harsh
criticism of his customer!
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25. • It does not confuse brand
journalism for advertising;
• It makes for good conditions
(information, contacts, time for
interviews…);
• It accepts that the journalist will
not sweep the dust under the
rug.
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26. • He/she understands his/her role
and its constraints.
• He has the courage to make his job
even if his customer drags their
feet.
• If the customer really does not play
the game, it’s best for the journalist
to move on.
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28. • It requires a high sense of
responsibility of both the journalist
and the brand.
• It nurtures trust between the brand
and its targets.
• This trust will then breed the brand’s
commercial and relational
successes!
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Crédit photo : Alosh Bennett

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