Native advertising will continue to be effective in the post-Covid-19 “new normal”, Johnny Ng, South China Morning Post’s marketing solutions director, told this month’s #DMWF Asia virtual conference.

Ng, who leads Morning Studio, SCMP’s dedicated branded content arm, also revealed the types of stories that have been told over the past 12 months at the two-day Digital Marketing World Forum event, hosted in Singapore on December 2.

The power of storytelling should never be underestimated, especially in unprecedented times, he said during his online talk, “Inspirational storytelling amid the pandemic: the value of native advertising”.

Ng also said that the online platforms on which such content is published are also vital.

During his talk he shared three key insights that he has learned while working with brands during this year’s continuing outbreak of the coronavirus disease, Covid-19.
 

1. Organisations, especially governments, need to project optimism. Covid-19 has affected all aspects of life – with businesses shut down, lockdowns imposed and lives disrupted. 
2. Governments and governmental organisations  must project optimism not only to residents, but also to those people and businesses that seek to invest – and these public relations messages are best relayed through content. For SCMP, stories highlighting how a city and its people and businesses – and its collective spirit – have embraced innovation to tackle challenges such as Covid-19 have worked spectacularly well. Tourism industry invests in storytelling to communicate recovery during the pandemic. With international flights suspended, many native advertising tourism campaigns have been focused on domestic travel that appeals to local  residents. However, these activities will certainly serve as inspiration for when travel resumes in the future.
3. Innovation cannot be thwarted – and must be celebrated. Last but not least, organisations need  to convey the message that innovation cannot be thwarted, and should continue to be celebrated – especially during challenging times.

The conference also highlighted the latest marketing trends and strategies, including virtual reality, artificial intelligence, influencer marketing, user experience (UX), customer experience (CX), e-commerce, content marketing and data analytics. 

Get in touch with Johnny Ng or contact Morning Studio today to learn how the team can help you tell your unique brand story to your desired audience during times of uncertainty.