What is Native Advertising? And what is the difference between it and Advertorial?

I admit it; I love the term “native advertising,” the hottest trend in advertising. No, wait, "trend" is the wrong word. New-and-here-to-stay media content category is what it is. And yes, we at Grand Valley Magazine here in Western Colorado are thrilled about it.

Editorial and advertising have been, for the most part, the two clear-and-different bastions of media for well over 100 years; complete with physical walls separating them. A symbiotic love-hate relationship that have left many traditionalists scratching their heads in frustration and resignation. Tradition.

But recently, especially with magazines because most don't generate hard breaking news, the editorial and advertising folks got together and a hybrid of the two, known now as native advertising, was born. Still in such infancy that it is creating all kinds of philosophical conundrums in the backrooms of publishers and advertisers as they grapple with this strange and curious hybrid.

We absolutely love it at GV Magazine.

Advertorials

Advertorials have been around for ages. Advertorial is an "Advert"isement presented in an edi"torial" format. They are one or more pages produced by an advertiser (or their agency) to tell their story in an editorial format. The advertiser/agency has full control over its content, images, layout, and design. The advertorial pages must clearly indicate that they are paid pages and not editorial pages. We print the following statement at the top or bottom of advertorials in GV Magazine: This is a Paid Advertisement.

Advertorials are wonderful opportunities for advertisers to tell their stories in a reader-friendly format.

Native Advertising

Native advertising, on the other hand, at least in GV Magazine’s policy, is similar to advertorial in that the advertiser pays for it. But that’s where the two advertising types diverge.

With native advertising the advertiser actually partners with the publication so that the publication takes the creative and editorial lead rather than the advertiser, yes even though the advertiser pays for it. This ensures that the piece is cohesive with the rest of the publication and that it has been given editorial care and attention. Our writers and photographers and editor and designers. In essence, the advertiser pays more, but has less creative and editorial control; the reader then knows that the publication staff wrote and presented the story with the reader in mind -- even though the advertiser or sponsor paid for it.

And the advertiser knows he/she is getting a more objective and journalistic approach to the feature designed into the overall look and feel of the magazine.

Sponsorships of pages or features are also forms of native advertising. A university could sponsor an education-related feature, for example. An outdoor business could sponsor a regular adventure feature.

Rather than “This is a Paid Advertisement” at the top of the page (as is standard for advertorial), you will see at the top of a GV native advertising feature: This GV Magazine native advertising feature was photographed by [photographer name], written by GV Magazine staff, and paid for by [company name].

We love both native advertising and advertorials because both offer such tremendous opportunity to share more stories through reader-centric advertising.

Look for an example of page sponsorship in the December GV Magazine and a native advertising feature in the GV Mini magazine "Junction Downtown." (The GV Mini Junction Downtown magazine is packaged with the December GV).

Native advertising is an exciting new hybrid content category. Yep. We love it.

Note: This post also appears on my Publisher's Blog at GrandValleyMagazine.com.

GV Magazine, Melody, and Coptic-stitched books

The December issue of Grand Valley Magazine is on the newsstands and subscriptions on their way to readers. The comeback has been nice. I haven't blogged since early October because we had to create a sample issue followed immediately by the November re-launch issue. And of course right after that we were in production on the December issue. Whew. The reception has been wonderful.

I do maintain a GV Magazine blog on topics relating to the magazine at grandvalleymagazine.com/blog/ but I have missed writing my personal blogs here!

Daughter Melody is living with us right now and doing really well. She also helps out at the office and is even doing a little photography for the magazine too. We're so blessed to have her home and getting healthy.

Coptic Stitched book I made in the bookmaking class.

Bob and I so enjoyed the bookmaking class taught by Maxine Buchholtz we took together at the Art Center from mid-September to mid-October.

We made a Coptic stitched book (my favorite;  I even wrote a little ditty about it in the current issue of the magazine), a leather wrapped book, and a mini leather book.

Maxine is a master of handmade books. Such an honor to be taught by her.

I use this book as my "art notes" journal. I also put my small alcohol ink paintings in there. I used a handmade paper with leaves between the paper layers (I did NOT make the paper) over the davey board. The thread is a 4-ply waxed linen thread. Took six needles threaded at the same time to do the stitching.

The technique allows the book to lay flat when open. The technique is quite ancient as far as books go! I love the way the book looks, feels, and it is wonderful to write in. I want to make more but can't remember how to start it, ugh. I'll have to get a review from Maxine.

Only a month away from the re-inaugural issue of GV Magazine!

Wow, so much progress since the last time I blogged about the GV comeback!

Our offices are perfect for us and I love working there every day! We finally have phones and internet, and the temperature is finally close to comfortable in there. And we have a real sign on the door! We still have a ways to go when it comes to furnishings, but we're getting there.

Our test/sample issues for web, iPad, Kindle, and Android tablets have been uploaded to our digital vendor and they are busy getting them optimized.

Most of the stories for the re-inaugural November issue have been assigned. The GV Style photo shoot is complete and the feature will be beautiful!

The special re-introductory offer to advertisers have been sent out and we're already getting a great response!

Our ad agency, RSW Partners, is busy working on our new website at GrandValleyMagazine.com. Had a fabulous meeting with ad agency Cobb & Associates the other day and really looking forward to working with them too!

Am excited about getting the subscriber letters out next...

My last regular column for the Daily Sentinel and the return of Grand Valley Magazine

This post was published as my last regular column in the Daily Sentinel Sunday, September 16, 2012.

This is my last regular commentary with the Daily Sentinel. Writing a weekly column and publishing a high-quality magazine at the same time is, well, quite unrealistic. Yes, it’s time to bring back Grand Valley Magazine.

I’ve worked in media, directly and indirectly, since high school.

Our cheerleading squad did a fund-raising promotion at a local radio station one weekend, and by the end of it, I practically begged the station manager to hire me. I was fascinated. He gave in, and for more than a year I twisted knobs and pushed buttons for the weekly Top 40 and Denver Bronco football games.

From radio, I moved on to ad agencies, then newspapers, books and magazines. That’s where I discovered the ink in my blood. The in-depth features, rush of a breaking story, ...

GV Magazine "brick" at Colorado Mesa University

What a treat! About two years ago we (Grand Valley Magazine) "purchased a brick" as part of a Colorado Mesa University Foundation fundraiser. Because we were the first corporate sponsor of the school's budding women's rugby club, we chose to acknowledge that support on our "brick."

Yesterday was the official unveiling of the brick walkway in front of the CMU Foundation office. Great timing as we are only a few months away from re-launching the magazine!

What is really cool, is that our once budding Women's Rugby Club now has a full-time coach and is an official team of the university! (Our corporate sponsorship purchased their first team jerseys, which were top of the line pro-quality, of course!) We featured the original team of tenacious women in the January 2010 issue of the magazine as photographed by the fabulous Ken Redding.

As we gear up for the re-launch of GV Magazine, we're wishing the CMU Women's Rugby Club much success in their upcoming season!

GV Mag Arts Leadership Team official

I'm thrilled about adding an arts leadership team for selecting the featured artists in each issue of the new Grand Valley Magazine.

Kay Crane, Sara Alyn Oakley, Terry Shepherd, and Steve Traudt will coordinate efforts in selecting the featured artists, as well as emerging artists for each issue.

All four are respected artists, teachers, and gallery managers and have a very real sense of the who-is-who and doing-what in the arts in our greater community.

Kay Crane, artist and photographer, manages the Blue Pig Gallery in Palisade and teaches classes at the Art Center in Grand Junction. Kay was part of the original GV Magazine core team as photo editor, writer and photographer. Having had the honor and pleasure to work with her for several years, Kay was first on my list! Not only is she talented, but she is wonderful to work with and an amazing team player.

Sara Alyn Oakley, artist and teacher, owns the Oakley Gallery downtown Grand Junction. She also runs the Artists' Colony and is founder of the Grand Valley Art Students League. I got to know Sara through the Students League and was completely blown away by her talent, leadership, and commitment to the arts in our community.

Terry Shepherd, artist-in-residence at the Art Center in Grand Junction is all about clay. He also teaches and has the patience of a saint when it comes to helping budding art students. I feel that Terry is the quintessential representative of the clay arts in our community.

Steve Traudt, photographer and teacher, has a reputation not only for exquisite photography, but for his approachable style. Steve taught at Colorado Mesa University (when it was Mesa State College) for 18 years. I became familiar with Steve's work when we featured him in GV Magazine. And have since learned of his friendly disposition and love of teaching.

I am so excited about this team's collaboration for selecting the featured artists/photographers and emerging artists/photographers for each issue of the new GV Magazine. We will introduce them and their signature pieces in the relaunch issue of the magazine this November. It is such an honor to have them on the team in this capacity!

Grand Valley Magazine "comeback" survey results help define editorial direction of new GV

Taking time to do a "comeback" survey was critical in our decision to re-launch Grand Valley Magazine.

There were 14 questions ranging from reader topics to advertising to digital and print platforms. The results are not only fascinating but serve as an important basis for the direction of the new GV, which is targeted for re-launch with the November 2012 issue.

Here are the reader-focused questions with results. Responses are listed in ranking order.


Do you use an iPad, Nook, Kindle or other E-reader or Android-based tablet?

• Do not use 42.0%
• iPad 37.0%
• Kindle 19.6%
• Nook 8.4%
• Other 4.2%

 As a business owner/manager, where is your customer base?

• Local 62.4%
• State 32.4%
• National 19.2%
• International 7.6%

Each edition of GV Magazine focused on five main areas. In which areas do you have the most interest?

• GV Culture 74.2%
• GV Outdoors 71.4%
• GV Living 59.1%
• GV Working 48.8%
• GV Wheels 31.3%

What other topic categories and features would you want to see added to a new GV Magazine?

• Tourist attractions 60.6%
• How-to's and do-it-yourself 42.6%
• Intellectual discussions 40.5%
• Debates on local issues 34.8%
• Investigative reporting 28.6%
• Energy development 22.1%
• Politics 13.9%
• Advice column 9.4%
• Gossip column 6.1%

This content feedback will most certainly be reflected in the new GV!