Content in Context - Taking an Advertising Approach to Content Marketing

Abstract: The marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content on media platforms controlled by the brands, more commonly referred to as content marketing, is garnering attention among marketing practitioners. This study sets out to empirically examine the concept of content marketing with regards to advertising approach and media context effects. The research is conducted through a quantitative experiment where groups of respondents exposed to content marketing messages on brand websites are compared to groups of respondents exposed to the identical message on a news site. In total, 230 responses were gathered through an online panel. The findings of the study build to the growing research stream on advertising approach by showing that specific advertisement positively affects consumers' voluntary approach to advertising, apart from indicating that the equity of specific advertisement is distinct from brand perceptions. As a consequence, the application area of the advertising-related construct advertising equity is further expanded. Moreover, marketing practitioners are provided with valuable insights where consumer responses to the messages as well as consumer willingness to approach future advertising is positively influenced by distributing the message on a brand website. Consequently, it is concluded that established and well-known Swedish brands should use media channels controlled by the brands as a part of their cross-media campaigns.