Influential online news blog The Huffington Post recently announced an exclusive partnership with advertising network Leo Burnett, which promises to completely transform the relationship between creative agencies and publishers. This is the first such alliance between a digital publisher and a global agency network, effectively meaning a completely new business model has been developed. A model that will see the two companies combining their teams, processes and platforms in a way that will increase brand participation and drive cultural conversions. The partnership will utilise the resources of the two companies to connect brands with The Huffington Post's in-house team of branded content experts, 'HuffPost Partner Studio', which will create content for several of Leo Burnett's clients. It will also give brands the opportunity to create and distribute content and programs with exposure on The Huffington Post, and its parent AOL properties.
The partnership will utilise the resources of the two companies to connect brands with The Huffington Post's in-house team of branded content experts, 'HuffPost Partner Studio'
Rich Stoddart, chief executive officer at Leo Burnett North American, said that “Cross-team collaboration, data sharing and most importantly, creative brand building is at the centre of this industry-first model with the Huffington Post.” He believes that by working together and leveraging both companies strengths, they will be able to infuse their brands “Into cultural conversations, changing the way people engage with clients.” Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group (and one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people), agrees wholeheartedly, and is “Delighted that The Huffington Post will be partnering with Leo Burnett,” in a way she feels will accelerate their mutual goals. She adds that “Leo Burnett's relationships with some of the biggest and most trusted brands makes it one of the world's most connected and cutting-edge agencies,” and believes “Working together is an amazing opportunity to tap into each other's resources, insights and creativity, while preserving HuffPost's complete editorial independence.”
Arianna Huffington – Interview with Deepak Chopra
The select few Leo Burnett clients participating in the program will experience one-of-a-kind in-agency collaboration, with HuffPost's Partner Studio's team of writers, editors and strategists working closely with the agency's Participation team. Leo Burnett will also be the first agency to have exclusive access to the proprietary Huffington Post data engines, which pool real-time data from all of the company's social media platforms and analyses it comprehensively, something that will prove immensely helpful for brands that aspire to “Stay on-trend.” The agency will also have access to the publisher's new social dashboard, which can be used for content planning, creation and dissemination at scale, and in turn, the Huff Post will be privy to Leo Burnett's brand planning and participation practice as well as the agency's innovation tools used to identify the various ways people engage with different product categories.
Leo Burnett will also be the first agency to have exclusive access to the Huff Post data engines, which pull and analyse real-time data from all of the company's social media platforms
Jimmy Maymann, The Huffington Post's chief executive officer, quoted a recent survey, which found that “75% of U.S. marketers intend to increase their content marketing spend, but that 70% found content creation a key challenge.” He feels this partnerships answers that need and that together, they will “Be able to offer brands a unique combination of award-winning creative talent and unparalleled expertise in developing, distributing and amplifying highly shareable brand content." Mark Renshaw, chief innovation officer at Leo Burnett North America, adds that with the new program “Brands have a prime opportunity to drive cultural conversations as opposed to following them,” and to “Lead a new conversation or create a unique point of view and sustain it with culturally evocative content in a space where people participate at will.”
Official Huffington Post Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer, musician and regular Huffington Post reader from Kidderminster in the UK.
