LONDON — High quality and plenty of integrity are important for brands and publishers working together on commercial editorial, says the executive who launched The Guardian’s branded content division this spring.
“The most critical thing is to ensure that the caliber of the content, if it is branded, is of such a high standard that viewers and readers are very much engaged with it, (that) it is in tune with the quality of The Guardian as a whole,” Guardian Labs managing director Anna Watkins tells Beet.TV.
Guardian Labs is finding ways to help brands like Unilever and EE tell stories to that may also function as regular editorial. “If there is a happy meeting in the middle, we clearly label that content as sponsored content,” Watkins adds.
We spoke with her as part of our series titled “The Road to Cannes,” a preview of the Festival and an overview on the state and future of digital media by a range of thought leaders. The series will be published over the next four weeks. The series is sponsored by Videology.
