In the modern world, content creation, podcasts, and video production have emerged as powerful tools for businesses to connect with their audiences. Increasingly, companies are recognising the immense potential in developing their own media ecosystems to meet the growing demand for high-quality, engaging content.
In recent years, the media and advertising industries have seen a significant shift towards in-house production – a trend that is not only changing the way media organisations and advertisers collaborate but is also shaping the way content reaches and engages audiences.
This reinvestment allows firms to retain control over content production and maintain brand consistency.
Stuff is one example of a company that has started doing this, through its in-house strategic creative editorial studio Harakeke.
Harakeke’s approach to in-house production centres on understanding and connecting with audiences on a profound level.
As Stuff Ltd Managing Director of Brand Connections and Director of Harakeke, Sarah Stuart, explains: “No one understands our audiences better than we do.”
Harakeke works across an ecosystem of brands on various platforms, which attract a variety of audiences.
“Stuff is made up of a large ecosystem of brands across digital, audio, masthead publications, magazines, social media and community titles that attract broad-scale and niche audiences with very different needs,” she says.
To meet these diverse needs, Harakeke has assembled a team of data and insights specialists, storytellers, marketers, and strategists. This team collaborates to help brands connect authentically in these different environments, while adding creativity and flair into storytelling, all with the goal of creating content that resonates with the audiences and adds value to their lives.
One of the key advantages of in-house production for media organisations like Stuff with Harakeke is the ability to engage with audiences in real time.
With New Zealanders’ wants and needs constantly evolving, what captures their interest can change rapidly. By having editorial teams at the core of its operation, Harakeke can have real-time conversations with its audience and monitor engagement hour by hour and day by day.
This real-time insight allows Harakeke to gauge what content is working and what isn’t. With this data in hand, the studio can collaborate with its agency partners and clients to co-create campaigns that resonate with both audiences and brands. This nimbleness in responding to audience preferences and trends is a huge advantage in the fast-paced world of media.
“Together with our agency partners and clients directly, we can co-create campaigns that both audiences and brands love. It’s a noisy media world – in-house expertise really helps to deliver storytelling that breaks through and gets results,” says Sarah.
In-house teams can bring a deep understanding of the brand’s identity and audience preferences, and create content that genuinely resonates with the target demographic. Sarah believes that in-house expertise is invaluable in delivering storytelling that breaks through the noise.
Although Harakeke is a relatively new player in the media landscape, soft launching in 2022, it has already been involved in some large-scale projects. One example is its long-term partnership with Chemist Warehouse, which introduced its House of Wellness brand in New Zealand last year. In this partnership, Harakeke handles various aspects of content creation and promotion.
The Harakeke team write, design, and print Chemist Warehouse’s monthly magazine, create wraparound marketing campaigns in its masthead publications and on stuff.co.nz, produce events for the brand, and even develop new content environments. This collaboration serves as a prime example of how in-house production can lead to a highly integrated and impactful partnership between a media organisation and a brand.
Looking ahead to 2024, Harakeke has plans to continue this work with some new partnerships, which will be rolling out early in the new year. The team will also introduce a range of audience-rich initiatives that brands can integrate with.
The studio’s campaigns will continue to span across various channels, including storytelling in their mastheads, on stuff.co.nz, and through audio and video products.
“Look out for campaigns that live across our channels – storytelling in our mastheads and on stuff.co.nz with audio and video products, event integration with brands like Round the Bays and Central District Field Days, plus an increase in our social storytelling and integration,” says Sarah.
What’s most noteworthy is the creative edge that Harakeke aims to bring to its brand storytelling, and Sarah says it is committed to delivering breakthrough content that captures the audience’s attention and leaving a lasting impression on brands.
“What I hope readers will notice most is the creativity we can bring to breakthrough storytelling for brands.”
The rise of in-house production is already changing the dynamics of media and advertising. As we look ahead, it’s clear this trend is here to stay, and promises some exciting developments in the media and advertising landscape.
This article was first published in our December/January 2024 issue.
