TLDR
Coles has launched a year-round paid content partnership with News Australia, Coles in the Community, running across six News mastheads in digital, video, social and print, with a dedicated hub. The stories feature charities and community groups Coles already backs. The value has not been disclosed.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The deal
Coles has signed a year-round commercial content partnership with News Australia called Coles in the Community. It brings Coles' charity partnerships, community programs and support for Australian producers, including farmers, under one banner. It covers digital, video, social and print content plus a dedicated content hub, across the Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail, The Advertiser, news.com.au and The Australian. Readers reach the hub through links on the state mastheads, and stories are geotargeted to state and regional audiences.[1]
The stories feature charities and groups Coles works with, including SecondBite, Foodbank, Redkite and Little Athletics.[1] Neither company has disclosed what the deal is worth.[1]
What the two sides say
Kate Bailey, Coles general manager of brand and marketing, said: "Coles works with communities, producers and partners across Australia to help customers eat and live better every day." She said working with News Australia gives Coles "an authentic national platform to share these important stories".[1]
John Lehmann, News Australia's national advocacy director, said: "Australians are increasingly looking for authentic, human stories behind the brands they support."[1][2]
A partnership with a track record
Some of the relationships the series will showcase are years old. Coles has been the major partner of Little Athletics Australia since September 2017. It has given more than seven million bananas to over 500 centres and, since November 2018, more than $2.8 million in Coles Community Fund grants to 490 centres. A Coles Community Round runs at centres from 4 to 17 November.[3]
What it means
For News Australia, the deal is another example of a publisher selling a brand a standing, branded section rather than a one-off campaign. For readers, the label matters: this is content paid for by Coles about causes Coles funds. For other retailers, it is a template for turning sponsorship spend into a steady stream of stories across a national group of mastheads.
SOURCES & CITATIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Coles in the Community?
Which mastheads carry it?
How much is the deal worth?
James Dore is founder and editor of Prompt the Market and Strategy Director at Bushnote, a Sydney strategy, SEO and AI search agency. He has a background in strategy, media and financial services, and led consumer product marketing at MONEYME. He writes on AI search, answer engines, technology policy and media economics.
