Editorial content and its advertising-focused declinations, such as advertorials for example, remain a very effective way to promote or build buzz around products.

This is especially true in the luxury industry where editors basically drive market trends. With the exception of a few powerhouses such as Vogue, there is an alternative to publishing that I always found interesting: exclusive branded online content.

We have discussing the concept with some of our clients and it does make a lot of sense. Several brands like Louis Vuitton (LV City Guides), Cartier (Cartier Art Magazine), IWC (Watch Magazine) and others already have their own magazines or books and in some cases even an in-house publishing structure.

But the way we see it is an expansion of classic editorial content creation. The idea is to add a human element to the content’s pure editorial style and place that new format online with a members-only access.

The purpose is to build on exclusivity and relevance so people can experience the brand in a more intimate and personal way. In addition, alternative branded content like event media (pictures, videos, interviews…), product highlights, corporate blogs etc. can be used to expand and diversify content to something closer to a branded lifestyle. Finally, a few select expert members can be invited to participate in the creative process and post media and articles.

The brand can then decide who can actually see all of the content and who can only view parts of it.

The result is an involving, entertaining and sticky way to drive interest to the brand:
- A continuous relationship with clients and prospects
- A classier and more personal way to highlight and promote select products
- An effective way to support exclusivity and aspirational marketing

More importantly, this time the editor is the brand. It can decide which content is created, when, by whom, and why.

This is arguably one of the most effective ways to support the brand and we are confident that the trend is going to pick up – as soon as most luxury marketers can actually start spending time planning ahead.