Today, Guardian Labs made an interesting concession in its strategy around creating big-brand sponsored content by openly accepting money from third-party sponsors. This new effort is designed to strengthen the pipeline of both completely new projects, as well as projects that are already in development. To make its products bigger, better and more impactful, Guardian Labs collaborates with third party sponsors. From this point, they take their audience with them and full transparency is a must.
The decision to accept third-party funding is a pretty big strategic departure in how Guardian Labs creates content. This funding will support a variety of projects, allowing creators to explore innovative ideas while ensuring that existing content continues to thrive. By augmenting the Guardian Labs team with external resources, Guardian Labs would be able to create deeper, more colorful content for its audiences.
Transparency Through Labels
In keeping with our commitment to transparency about the sources of funding, Guardian Labs will use four different labels on the branded content. These labels act to educate the public and represent a notable move toward greater transparency and ethical practices in the creation of media content.
The first label, “Supported by,” will apply to projects that have received funding, but not clarify what types of partnerships they have, if any. More contributions to the content of this label, but contributors name is deliberately hidden to keep the attention on the content, not the creator’s.
Additionally, there are two labels explicitly tied to advertising partnerships: “Advertising partner/Exclusive advertising partner” and “Paid content/Paid for by.” These labels will clarify when content is sponsored or created in collaboration with advertisers, allowing viewers to understand the financial backing behind the projects.
Encouraging Advertiser Collaboration
The last of those labels, “Advertiser content/from our advertisers,” is a nod to the fact that some projects are highly collaborative. This label indicates that advertisers have directly influenced or funded the creation of the content. It provides an opportunity for audiences to identify any commercial relationships at play.
By rolling out these labels, Guardian Labs is taking an important step for transparency in branded content. The organization understands that transparency is one of the most important factors in establishing trust with its readers. It aims to establish an atmosphere wherein consumers feel comfortable interacting with sponsored material.
Future Prospects
With Guardian Labs diving into this new venture of funding, it creates opportunities for unique storytelling formats and creative developments. With the promise of new funding, the organization will be able to broaden its topics and formats, increasing engagement for viewers.
With these recent developments, Guardian Labs is committed as ever to creating excellent content that thought leaders and potential clients want to see. Providing for creative audiences through the addition of high standards clear labeling, audiences will be newly empowered to choose the content best suited for their needs.