Audi strikes sponsored content deal with Fairfax Media to launch new car in Australia
German car manufacturer Audi will use sponsored content in Fairfax publications as part of a campaign to launch and promote its new car, the A3 e-tron.
The series of articles have been penned by Fairfax content specialists and will appear in the Executive Style section of Business Day and across Fairfax’s digital and print mastheads.
The pieces will focus on sustainability with the content designed to “align with the values of the Audi brand”.
Audi’s media agency, Mediacom, said content marketing is playing an increasingly important part of the mix for marketers as they look to reach audiences.
“In this instance, the ‘Long Read’ articles have enabled Audi to establish a realistic connection between the benefits of the e-tron and a lifestyle promoting sustainability,” MediaCom senior digital executive James Wainwright said. “It’s becoming increasingly important to connect brands to audiences through relevant, in-depth content.”
While part of a wider campaign to launch the A3 e-tron, Wainwright described custom content as “vital” in launching the vehicle into the Australian market.
The content will focus on sustainability in architecture, fashion, automotive and lifestyle and will include articles, videos, galleries, maps and infographics.
It is designed to “maximise audience engagement” with the content “reflecting the interests and passions of Audi drivers”. Fairfax said.
“Our ‘Long Read’ series for Audi is the latest example of how Fairfax Media’s custom content product suite connects engaged, inquisitive readers with advertiser-sponsored premium content,” Fairfax Media custom solutions commercial manager Felix Krueger said.
“Audi’s brand messages for its new A3 e-tron are vividly brought to life through our ‘Long Read’ format with quality journalism, rich photography and video integration across topics that engage and educate. This is a great example of how our ‘Long Read’ articles can be used to deliver brand aligned content to audiences.”
The content will be labelled ‘brought to you in association with Audi’ together with the Audi logo.
As someone who believes Fairfax Media’s journalism is vital for holding powerful interests to account and exposing questionable conduct and corrupt activity (particularly in NSW), I automatically look favourably on brands that advertise or partner with them.
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Nice freudian slip in the last line of this article.
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Next we will be getting sponsored content from political parties. This is a backward step for Fairfax and Audi.
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Don’t understand what’s so new about this? Like most publishers, Fairfax have been doing advertotiral/sponsored content/special features (call it what you will)) in both print and digital for ages. Here’s one running right now on their websites:
I can find at least 3 or four examples of this on fairfax and news websites right now.
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So E-tron, so credible!
I would now include this vehicle in my purchase consideration set.
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