UAE publisher 7DAYS has launched DEEP, its in-house content marketing studio that aims to work with advertisers to create content. We caught up with Charlotte Turner, head of content marketing, to understand the purpose and mission of the studio.
Tell us a little bit about DEEP
DEEP is the in-house content marketing team from 7DAYS. The name represents the deep level of engagement we can offer advertisers through content marketing. DEEP is about imagination, conversation, engagement, inspiration and communication.
DEEP offers 7DAYS advertisers the opportunity to work collaboratively with us to produce content and then distribute it via undoubtedly the most interactive audience in the UAE.
What drove 7DAYS to launch a content marketing offering?
Content marketing has become a ‘must have’ on any media schedule with global brands such as Red Bull, Netflix and Coca-Cola leading the way.
A recent study by the Content Marketing Institute showed that 70 percent of consumers trust a brand through reading relevant content and publishing giants such as the New York Times, Fairfax Media and Telegraph Media Group have all launched successful in-house content marketing studios.
Following on from successful campaigns we have already produced for Honda, Spinneys, Grand Hyatt and Kings’ Schools, along with the growing appetite for content in the region and our ever-increasing engagement figures, we knew this was the right time to launch DEEP.
Why should brands work with DEEP beyond – or instead of – the agencies they already work with?
Our audience! We have the audience and brands want to start a conversation with them. A brand or an agency can create the most beautiful piece of content, but if no one sees it, then it is wasted. Often brand content is only really seen by existing customers, but by working with DEEP, brands have access to the extensive, multi-platform 7DAYS portfolio – and arguably the most engaged audience in the UAE.
What kind of content would DEEP create and would this content live only within the 7DAYS portfolio?
DEEP can work with brands to create a wide-ranging portfolio of products including video, print, digital and social media offerings. Any campaign can be designed to suit a brand’s marketing objectives and offers opportunities to reach our social media audience, which cannot be reached with a more traditional marketing approach.
Our audience, coupled with our content creation experience, means that more often than not the content would be published through 7DAYS’ platforms, however, we can also work with clients to create a wide variety of content for their own corporate use.
Who constitutes the DEEP team, and will it work directly with brands or agencies as well?
Our team is made up of highly experienced content writers, designers, and digital and social media experts.
We have strong relationships with all advertising agencies and leading businesses in the UAE. So, depending on the nature of the campaign, we will work alongside an agency, or client or both. We also work closely with PR agencies that are increasingly becoming responsible for commercial content budgets.
