The commercial arm of the BBC has started a new content marketing team called BBC StoryWorks which will be funded via Brands wanting to sponsor/advertise documentaries produced by this new team.
They say: …’the new division will be led by Richard Pattinson, a former BBC journalist with over ten years’ experience, who has been appointed SVP of Content. The BBC StoryWorks team, based in Singapore, Sydney, New York and London, will span the globe offering clients content solutions built on compelling narratives that will engage audiences.’
BBC StoryWorks will form part of the wider award-winning BBC Advertising portfolio and will work in partnership with brands that complement the BBC’s content across BBC Worldwide and BBC Global News Ltd’s digital and TV platforms. These include BBC World News, Top Gear, BBC Good Food, BBC World Service, BBC Worldwide channels and BBC.com, the latter of which reaches a global audience of more than 80 million unique browsers per month. Elsewhere, on social media platforms BBC World News’ Facebook page has over 10 million likes and the BBC is the world’s most shared news brand on Twitter.
Carolyn Gibson, EVP, BBC Advertising, added: “BBC StoryWorks has been set up to bring BBC editorial quality and values to the fast-moving world of content. It brings together the boldness and innovative qualities of a creative studio with the agility, responsiveness and timeliness of the news room.
“It taps into the deep creative strength of the BBC, to deliver content for brands that captures audiences’ attention in ways that no other publisher can.”
The new team will offer clients:
• Branded content – commercial content owned by the brand.
• Partnered content – content produced in collaboration with advertisers.
• Sponsored content – content produced by the BBC, with advertiser sponsorship.
• As well as working with partners on events, research and social media to engage with customers more directly.
The Economist also announced a new video production unit which will attract Brand advertising rather than relying on click through revenue on it’s stories.
