At Pressboard, we’re invested in growing the sponsored content industry, whether that involves connecting advertisers and publishers through our own platform or celebrating the incredible work of our peers. That’s why we write about our favourite sponsored content campaigns every month. So without further ado, here are 10 incredible pieces of sponsored content that publishers and advertisers created together in March, 2020. You can submit your own campaigns to be considered for next month’s roundup here.
The Last Taboo: Guardian Labs + Tena
In the afterglow of the period revolution, this taboo-smashing campaign is shining a light on a common — and still rarely discussed — experience of women 55+: incontinence. This partnership between The Guardian’s custom content team and Tena is educating women about the importance of the pelvic floor. Through a series of informative pieces on regaining control and approaching the topic without embarrassment, this inspiring campaign empowers women to care for their pelvic floor all the time, not just when it comes to childbirth or menopause.
Money Moves: Globe Content Studio + RBC
Finances are top of mind this month, as people are socially isolating themselves and watching their neighbours — and their investments — struggle through pandemic times. Right on time, the Globe Content Studio launched this podcast series in partnership with RBC to answer all the queries a curious investor could have. The series covers investment do’s and don’t’s, ethical investing, and managing risk. There are four episodes to-date for your listening pleasure, all hosted by Canada’s favorite finance guru, Melissa Leong.
The Blindfold Smell Test: Buzzfeed + Old Spice
How well do you know the scent of a loved one? Could you pick your SO out of a line-up, using only your sense of smell? This is the test that Buzzfeed put to a handful of couples, with the added element of Old Spice’s Sea Spray line. This custom video for Old Spice is upbeat and charming, using humor to position the client’s product as more than just your average deodorant.
The Road to Creativity: WP BrandStudio + Subaru
The journey to fresh, quality ingredients just got a whole lot shorter for Detroit chefs, Kiki Louya and Rohani Foulkes. Beautifully produced in partnership with Subaru, this cinematic video shows the two local food enthusiasts and Corktown restaurateurs driving out to the farm to pick up some of delicious local produce. This campaign brings us a short but sweet story about the importance of reliable and affordable access to local foods in a former food desert.
Stomping Grounds: Inside Hook + Neiman Marcus
Inside Hook and Neiman Marcus give us the gift of a personal tour of Matt Bomer’s Los Angeles and Troy Andrews’s (AKA Trombone Shorty) New Orleans. Visit the Warner Brothers Studio, or Nola’s best musical hotspots, with a well-coiffed celeb as your guide. Each stop on the tour merits its own look, with Bomer and Andrews outfitted by luxury brands like Dolce & Gabbana or Stefano Ricci.
In addition to the video tours, Inside Hook writes about the context of each unique haunt and why it’s special to our tour guide. You can also shop Bomer’s and Andrews’s looks from Neiman Marcus without ever leaving the page.
A Certified Biodegradable Alternative to Plastic from Japan: BBC Storyworks + Government of Japan
Japan is introducing a new certified biodegradable alternative to plastic, doing its part to reduce unnecessary waste globally. This short video from BBC Storyworks and the Government of Japan celebrates the science and innovation of our friends from the Pacific Rim. Made from 100% plant oil, these ‘plastic’ bags are positioned as a new solution to managing the world’s plastic pollution problem.
Why More Banks Are Moving Confidently Onto the Cloud: Forbes BrandVoice + IBM
Cybersecurity is ever important in the digital age — especially when it comes to banking. Concerns over privacy have held financial institutions back from embracing cloud-based technology, but now the tides are turning. IBM partnered with Forbes BrandVoice to share a piece of thought leadership from Sarah Diamond, IBM’s Global Managing Director of Banking and Financial Markets. This campaign caught our eye because the brand speaks (or writes) for itself, leveraging its industry knowledge and authority in a unique way. In addition to industry insights, this piece also takes a service-oriented approach to the future of finance.
Masculinities: NOWNESS + The Barbican
NOWNESS created this pastel-hued, aesthetically pleasing video as a complement to “Masculinities: Liberation through Photography,” a new exhibition from the Barbican in London. Taking up the themes of the photo exhibition, this short film by Bunny Kinney explores a full spectrum of masculinities. Tackling stereotypes, the gender binary and homogenic ideas of maleness — this campaign paints a portrait of masculinity now.
The Wish List: Complex + Samsung
Samsung and Complex take us along the experience of a lifetime, curating an experience beyond our wildest dreams — beyond even our favourite celebrities, wildest dreams. Complex brings the Ceraadi sisters to a high fashion photoshoot, with designer pieces usually reserved for the fashion elite. The musical sister duo give the flip phone new life as they capture their haute couture looks with Samsung’s new Galaxy Z folding smartphone.
If I Was an Animal: Vogue + Burberry
The animal kingdom serves as the inspiration for Burberry’s Spring 2020 collection — a harkening back to the Burberry’s roots and the charging horse emblematic of the brand. The animalistic style of the collection is a nod to the Victorian-era parlour game question “If you were an animal, what animal would you be?” Vogue celebrates the collection with a playful, but impactful video, asking artists and tastemakers to answer the titular question.