According to a study recently released by the Custom Publishers Council (CPC), spending on branded content has increased.
The CPC study, "The ContentWise and Custom Publishing Councils' 2009 Spending: A Look at How Corporate America Invests in Branded Content," was recently released by the CPC.
“Due to rising demand, branded content has proliferated in recent years, expanding beyond its traditional roots of print publications and the Internet. The study shows substantial growth in our industry sector,” explained Lori Rosen, Executive Director, CPC. “Perhaps even more importantly, 78% of respondents reported that branded content is more effective than advertising.”
According to the study, branded content was double that of 2008 and the highest amount since the study was first conducted in 2003. The study revealed that per-company spending among companies surveyed totaled $1.8 million, with 51% spent on custom print publications, 27% on Internet media and 22% on categories including video and audio. Branded content accounted for 32% of overall marketing, advertising and communications.
In the AEC industry, we have seen a steady increase in the number of publications and web sites that offer customer publishing opportunities. There's not a week that goes by that I don't get a call about "an opportunity" to be a "featured company," or "salute" a firm with whom we have worked on a project. This trend is bound to continue as advertising revenues continue to decline for print publishers.
The interesting point of the study is the 78% that viewed branded content more effective than advertising. In addition, 54% of the companies surveyed, the primary reason for branded content initiatives was to educate customers. That demonstrates to me the blurring of the line between PR and advertising. .
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