Lately, more and more publishers are rediscovering the importance of branding. In an industry where audiences have endless choices and young readers are especially hard to reach, a strong brand does more than stand out. It creates trust, loyalty, and a sense of connection.
Take The Economist—a brand that’s managed to stay relevant and grow by staying true to its core values while embracing new formats and platforms. Here’s why branding like this matters more than ever for news publishers, from building loyal communities to bringing in fresh talent.
Why branding matters more than ever
Source: Tom McCave’s presentation at the Digital Growth Summit 2024
The media landscape is transforming rapidly, with younger audiences driving much of this change. Tom McCave, VP of Performance Marketing at The Economist, highlighted several key trends during his recent presentation at Twipe’s Digital Growth Summit:
Shift to digital and mobile: An astounding 80% of young consumers access news primarily through smartphones, signaling a move away from traditional media
Eroding trust: Trust among young news consumers has dropped significantly, from 70% two decades ago to just 40% today. Many now turn to influencers over traditional news outlets.
Solutions-based journalism: Around 45% of younger audiences prefer positive, actionable stories over the traditionally negative news tone.
These trends underscore the importance of branding for connecting with contemporary audiences. As McCave emphasized, branding allows media companies to maintain relevance and trust amid shifting consumption patterns and declining trust.
Why branding is a long-term investment with high returns
Investing in branding isn’t just about costs—it’s a strategy for sustainable growth and a hedge against future market fluctuations. Here’s why branding is essential:
1. Branding builds loyal communities
Branding provides a powerful means for people to connect with a news outlet. A well-defined brand that aligns with audience expectations and values can cultivate loyalty, transforming regular audience members into brand advocates. As Tom McCave highlighted, adapting to younger audiences’ preferences for diverse formats like video and short articles has been essential for fostering loyalty in an ever-evolving landscape. For instance, The Economist has introduced new formats—like podcasts and Espresso, a quick-read app—to resonate with audiences who prefer dynamic, digital-first content.
We also particularly liked this quote from one of our panelists at the Digital Growth Summit:
Brand reputation is what will separate us from AI in the future.
Amid the rise of AI-generated misinformation and eroding trust in news outlets, branding helps publishers maintain trust and transparency, qualities that audiences truly value. As McCave’s approach shows, consistent brand engagement across formats sustains audience loyalty and keeps a brand relevant, no matter the shifts in consumption habits.
Source: Tom McCave’s presentation at the Digital Growth Summit 2024
2. Branding brings in new audiences
Brand investment is also a powerful way to introduce new audiences to your news offerings. McCave shared that The Economist has been proactively expanding its reach to younger audiences through initiatives like offering Espresso—a daily news briefing app—for free to students globally. By making content more accessible to younger readers, The Economist aims to secure the loyalty of today’s students as the paying subscribers of tomorrow.
While it may seem counterintuitive for a quality news outlet to give content away for free, McCave explained that “we believe this sideways step will help secure our audience for tomorrow.” This bold strategy reflects how media companies can use brand-led, audience-friendly approaches to ensure long-term relevance, particularly among digital-native generations.
Never underestimate the power of brand equity. It makes your brand distinct and recognizable… consistent branding gives you a competitive advantage.
3. Branding reduces acquisition costs
Although branding efforts require upfront investment, they can ultimately drive down customer acquisition costs. As McCave explained, “cutting back on brand investment leads to problems down the road. Declining awareness equals smaller audiences, which then raises subscriber acquisition costs and stalls growth.” The Economist has seen its brand awareness metrics increase through branding efforts, though McCave acknowledged that immediate sales gains might not always be visible. Nevertheless, the consistent investment in branding has laid a foundation for sustainable growth, highlighting that brand-building is a long game—one that pays off over one, two, or even three years, rather than just next quarter.
4. Branding attracts talent
Lastly, strong brands foster positive company culture and attract talented individuals aligned with the organization’s mission. As McCave pointed out, branding drives customer engagement and “improves employee engagement, brings teams together, attracts talent, and ultimately pushes the business forward.” By investing in brand advertising—such as through U.S. television ads—The Economist has bolstered brand pride, making itself more appealing to prospective employees.
A company’s brand reputation impacts external perception and internal motivation. By building brand equity, media companies can create a culture where employees feel part of a respected, forward-thinking organization. This culture attracts top talent and drives business success.
Conclusion
For publishers, a strong brand is more than just a logo or a tagline—it’s a way to connect with people on a deeper level. Branding can turn casual readers into loyal followers, attract fresh talent, and keep audiences coming back, even as their habits change.
Investing in that brand identity isn’t just smart; it’s essential for anyone who wants to build something that lasts in a fast-moving industry. A well-crafted brand becomes the foundation that supports growth, trust, and long-term success.
