The space of marketing and advertising is one of structured creativity. You can be as dynamic and spontaneous as possible in order to spice up a particular campaign, but also have enough knowledge of the game to know when you are going out of bounds or beyond the core.
This has caused brands to employ various methods of advertising while still sticking to the two core categories from which all other creative juices can flow. Some brands decide to go the route of stamping their names all over the product they intend to market, while others decide to simply allow third parties to do it for them, by blending it natively. These come in the form of branded content and native advertising, both of which tell brand stories instead of just pushing sales.
Though closely related, these approaches serve different purposes. Choosing the right mix can turn passive viewers into an engaged audience. In this article, we’ll explain both formats, share global and African campaign examples, and highlight why brands like Coca-Cola and Dangote use them to stay on the cutting edge.
Defining Branded Content and Native Advertising
At a high level, native and branded content alike amount to telling stories on behalf of brands. Branded content is usually owned and produced by a brand (or by an agency on behalf of a brand) to educate or entertain, usually without an explicit sales pitch. Consider a mini-documentary on a cause a company is passionate about, a web program featuring a product in development, or an infographic revealing industry data.
Source: Bet9ja Blog
According to Instagram, branded content is “a creator or publisher’s content that features or is influenced by a business partner for an exchange of value.” Simply put, it is what content influencers create to promote a brand, in exchange for money or gifts. While brands have traditionally hired studios to produce marketing materials, many now realize they can regularly get high-quality content from influencers at a fraction of the cost.
Many influencers are skilled creatives such as photographers, videographers, and designers, who excel at storytelling. They often create versatile content that can be reused on billboards, social media, banner ads, print, and more. The beauty of this approach is that influencers know their own audiences and what appeals to them. As a result, they build loyal followings and engage fans effectively, meaning influencer-made branded content often performs as well as (or better than) studio-produced content.
In contrast, native advertising is a paid content integrated into someone else’s media that tries to match its appearance and feel. It appears on a publisher’s site or social page and “matches the form, feel, and function” of that platform.
A native advert can look like any other news item or social media post, but a brand supports it. You can see a financial piece on a news page that has small “Sponsored” branding, that’s native advertising. The idea is that native adverts are contextual: they adapt to the style of the host site so as not to shock the visitor. This goal is to entice viewers to check out the content instead of skipping the advert for obvious reasons.
However, both formats should be transparent, revealing that they are “Sponsored” or “Promoted,” so that audiences realize that a brand is behind a content.
Source: X.com (Native Advertisement)
Engagement and Effectiveness: What the Data Says
Which approach better captures eyeballs? Metrics and data suggest both can outperform traditional ads when done well. Studies find that native ads command far more attention and intent than standard banners.
For example, users spend about 53% more time looking at native-style ads than at banner ads, and native ads drive roughly an 18% lift in purchase intent. In one study, over half of the people who clicked a native ad did so with buying intent, versus only 34% for banner ad clicks.
Meanwhile, branded content also shines in memory and sentiment. Nielsen reports that brand recall was 86% for viewers of branded content versus 65% for a typical 30-second pre-roll video ad. Another analysis found brand lift (how much advertising uplifts perception) was 50% higher for branded content on premium sites.
Trust is another factor. Consumers often prefer content that feels natural or credible. And in practice, consumers tend to trust editorial environments: one study found 75% of consumers trust what they see on reputable media websites, compared to 54% for social or user-shared content. In short, when a brand story lives in a trusted context (via branded content or native ads on a premium site), audiences tend to pay attention and respond. Over 47% of marketers worldwide now say they believe native advertising is effective, and nearly all major media groups expect branded-content revenue to grow next year.
To sum up, story-driven content outperforms hard sells. Viewers not only watch and remember branded articles and videos better, but they also often seek out more information afterward. One report found users are 14% more likely to look up additional content from an advertiser after engaging with its branded content.
The takeaway for brands is clear: whether on your channels or someone else’s website, creating meaningful content is far more engaging than shouting “Buy now!”
Strategic Differences: How to Use Each Format
Although both approaches aim for audience engagement, their typical goals differ. Branded content usually fits a long-term narrative or positioning strategy. It allows a brand to explore themes and values in depth. Branded content is ideal for demonstrating purpose or creating community, sort of a “show, don’t tell” mentality. It tends to be evergreen and can live on as part of the brand’s library (for instance, on a corporate blog or YouTube channel).
Native advertising, by contrast, is often tactical and campaign-focused. It is frequently used to support product launches or promotions through mass reach. Because native ads appear on publisher sites, they naturally extend the brand’s reach beyond owned followers. A brand might pay to run a sponsored article explaining a new product or service, targeting readers of a relevant magazine. Native ads can be easily targeted by demographics or interest, much like display ads, but with the advantage of contextual placement. They blend into the reader’s experience rather than interrupt it.
Each approach has trade-offs. Native ads can be deployed quickly across many platforms, but offer less control over surrounding editorial (the brand may not love the homepage context next to its content). There’s also a risk of “ad blindness” if every publisher is doing it and consumers catch on. Branded content, on the other hand, gives brands full creative control and reinforces expertise, but it requires a bigger investment in storytelling, and it might reach fewer people immediately. In practice, savvy brands use both in tandem: running high-quality branded content in their owned channels (to keep existing fans engaged), while using native ads to introduce those stories to new audiences.
Conclusion
Both branded content and native advertising are now mainstream in the marketer’s toolkit. However, we recommend using a mix of both, depending on your marketing journey.
Branded content can be used when building your brand’s narrative, showcasing values, or creating ongoing audience connections, while native advertising is used when you want to amplify a particular campaign through a publisher’s audience.
Regardless of which content marketing format you choose, DottsMediaHouse can help you recommend the best strategy, ensuring that your messaging is effectively delivered to your target audience.
