News & Articles - Advertising Finland

Advertising to families with children? Build trust and communicate safety!

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:32:09 GMT

Families with children are not a uniform group; their needs and media use habits vary according to the phase of life they are in. Finnish parents go for safe and sustainable, so advertising should build trust and offer facts and support. Sanoma ensures all marketing related to children adheres to strict regulations.

Families with children are not all cut from the same cloth. The versatile group can be divided into smaller segments by, for example, the ages of the children and the life phase the family is currently going through. These factors impact the needs and media use of parents and children alike.

”Overall, families tend to value practicality and time-saving solutions that simplify their everyday life. The quality-price ratio matters, especially today. Peer support is also important to parents, whether they have babies or teenagers,” says Siiri Medina , Client Manager at Sanoma.

Finns are thorough information seekers. This is highlighted even more where children are concerned, so communicating the safety, sustainability, durability and educational value of the product is a must.

“Finnish parents need to trust the brand, which is why brand building needs to come before tactical measures. Use facts to help your target audience make informed decisions.”

From morning cartoons to radio – catch families in their busy day-to-day

Family life can be hectic, and availability of time often decides parents’ media consumption. Depending on the children’s ages, advertising may reach parents through morning cartoons on the TV, digital news media as they go about their day, or magazines media and lifestyle content that provide a welcome break.

“My family spends a lot of time in the car, where we pay attention to radio ads and even have conversations about the best ones. They are quite effective when the children are older and have hobbies to get to,” Medina shares.

The parents’ buying decisions are also influenced by trending phenomena and conversations with peers. Consistent brand building is a doorway into the discussions going on in social media groups and by the football field.

Siiri Medina points out that a reliable news environment can be a safe and effective place to make use of social media trends.

”Older children come across all the viral ideas. Making your own version of, say, a trending recipe and promoting it on news media can convince parents to try it out using your products. The context makes a difference to the perceived reliability of the message.”

Families with children through the lens of Sanoma segments

Sanoma has divided Finnish consumers into eight segments. Families with children show up in these three, especially:

Busy balance seeker
Quality-conscious information seeker
Comfort-loving enjoyer

Getting to know the motivations, values and media preferences of your best target audience helps get your message across to the right people in the right context.

Don’t forget the grandparents! Many of them spend money on their grandchildren and may have a say in some of the families’ decisions. Learn more about Sanoma segments

Safety first when advertising to children and families

There are several safety aspects to consider when targeting advertising to children or displaying it next to content consumed by them. First, both the product and the advertising need to be safe and appropriate for children. The child must not be pressured into influencing the family’s decisions.

In Sanoma’s channels, advertising related to children is highly regulated. In the children’s news outlet Lasten uutiset, for example, the final decisions on advertising are made by the editor-in-chief.

“The parents can rest assured that it’s safe to let the children watch or read the content on their own,” Medina says.

The choice of an advertising environment is also a case of brand safety when your product is aimed for children or their parents. News media not only provides precise targeting and accurate metrics but also beats social media in safety. A trusted news outlet lends some of its credibility to the advertising, too.

Examples of where and how to encounter families and children:

Lasten uutiset is loved by primary schoolers in Finnish homes and schools.
The Finnish Donald Duck reaches 430 000 Finns weekly – with an emphasis on 7- to 54-year-olds.
Native advertising on news and lifestyle media allows you to showcase your story, sustainability viewpoints and other aspects your target audience values.
Contextually targeted advertising attaches your message to the topics and site sections your audience best connects with.
Radio is effective in reaching busy families on the go.
Total TV : the attention levels of streaming service Ruutu surpass those of YouTube.
Sanoma’s influencers include several parents with children of different ages – they are valuable partners to brands wanting to reach families.

Now is a great time to start preparing for the end-of-year season.

Top 5 things to consider when entering the Finnish gaming market

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:00:55 GMT

The opening of the Finnish gambling market also opens up a selection of ways for game companies to market their services and build a brand in Finland. This is the time to take a fresh look at the tools and channels you use as well as the partners you may want to take on board.

“Do you know how to best reach the Finnish consumer and your specific target audience in Finland? Are you willing to invest in brand awareness to boost your tactical actions?” asks Janne Lappalainen , Client Partner at Sanoma.

Lappalainen listed five key points to consider when planning your entrance to the Finnish market.

1. Do your research on the Finnish consumer

Your potential customers’ preferences and behaviour should inform your marketing choices. Sanoma’s wide range of research on Finnish consumers, media use, and different industries offers valuable insight to back up your decisions. Research conducted by our experts and partners creates a vast pool of knowledge to draw from.

You can also dive deeper with a tailor-made research project. Sanoma’s high-quality consumer panel Suomitutka gives you a wider view of the average Finnish consumer, while defined target audiences can be researched with the help of our partners.

Tip: Also get familiar with Finland-specific popular sports such as pesäpallo (Finnish baseball) and floorball.

2. Get to know the way Finns use media

While global megatrends and changes in media use do manifest in Finland, there are some characteristics that set the Finns apart from other Europeans. Being aware of those differences adds to the effectiveness of your marketing and brand building.

Traditional media hold their ground in Finland. Offline media such as TV, radio and print magazines remain popular, so you may not want to invest in digital marketing alone. Reach outside the digital world and make your marketing a combination of online and offline.

Download our guide: Finnish media usage is one of a kind

3. Invest in brand building in digital and offline channels

The gambling reform brings new marketing channels and media at your fingertips. Many of them are excellent for building a strong brand that will bolster your tactical efforts. Tactical marketing alone will not get you the market share you’ll be reaching for.

When it comes to digital channels, look beyond the international ones. Finns place a lot of trust in domestic media, which makes them a powerful spot to build high-quality brand awareness. The reach of Sanoma’s digital media exceeds that of Meta’s services in Finland.

4. Utilise your own data as well as that of your partners

There are numerous ways to use data to be present in the right place at the right time.

Combine your own data with that of Sanoma’s to create specified audiences in Sanoma’s channels.
Make use of Sanoma’s widespread knowledge on the consumers’ media use to find the contexts where your potential customers spend their time – from digital media to TV favourites.
Find relevant data from our partners such as Taloustutkimus.
Use programmatic buying to get the most out of your own data and targeting as well as Sanoma’s quality content and trusted media brands.

To make the most of these opportunities, make sure your data is usable from the get-go. Double check your cookie policy before entering the market to ensure you’re securing permission to use the data in all relevant ways.

5. Get ahead by starting early

While the legislation process related to the gambling reform is still underway, now is the time to start preparing your entrance to the Finnish market. Make use of the months ahead: get to know the market, decide the focal points of your marketing, and define your target audiences. Check and prepare your data collection processes to be able to utilise data to the max.

Sanoma is already discussing the best steps and solutions for gaming companies to build a strong presence in Finland . These conversations are best had long before the market opens, says Janne Lappalainen.

“This is a big change for our team, too, and there’s a lot of excitement in the air to find the best solutions for our new gaming partners. By starting now, we’ll be able to hone the focus of the marketing, build fruitful long-term partnerships, and avoid hurry when the market finally opens.”

From insight to execution: Sanoma’s services for a gaming company

A designated team of experts with experience of the gaming industry
Multichannel video advertising: planning, execution, metrics
Programmatic buying with personal customer service
Relatable and effective content marketing with the help of Sanoma Content Studio
The most popular and trusted news and entertainment brands
The knowhow of the leading media house in Finland at your fingertips
And so much more!

It’s time to make plans for your entrance into Finland – give us a call and let’s get talking!

Janne Lappalainen
Client Partner
eCom & Gaming
Book a meeting
janne.lappalainen@sanoma.com

Long-term e-commerce growth requires brand marketing and close customer relationships

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:16:17 GMT

Top-of-mind awareness is what differentiates successful e-commerce brands from the rest. Those who invest in brand building will also see the best results for their tactical marketing. This, along with nurturing the relationship with your customers and meeting them in multiple channels, helps secure your e-commerce success in 2026 and beyond.

The cold, hard truth is that only a fraction of your target group is ready to buy in the moment they come across your advertising. The way to unlock the potential in the rest of your audience is to make a lasting impression and create top-of-mind awareness.

A consumer with a spontaneous need will first turn to a familiar brand. Top-of-mind e-commerce brands may even steal some of the impact of their competitors’ advertising: when an ad sparks a will to buy, the consumer may still compare the prices and selection to the stores they know and prefer.

“A strong brand brings more organic sales and allows you to use advertising as more of a reminder. In addition, when economic times are tough, trusted brands tend to do well,” says Client Manager Sebastian Wikman from Sanoma.

Brand building adds to the effectiveness of performance marketing

According to WARC, brand building does not compete with performance marketing but rather multiplies its effectiveness . The brand sparks interest, emotions and connection and performance marketing turns them into sales.

If the goal is long-term growth, the amount of brand marketing you do should exceed that of tactical efforts; WARC recommends a ratio of 60–40.

Memorable details and consistency in brand image create subconscious recognition. Sebastian Wikman warns about the pitfall of being too generic.

“Not appealing to every single consumer can be a strength for a brand. Don’t be afraid to talk to your most important audience the way the want to be talked to.”

TV and video advertising are great brand marketing tools. A TV sponsorship, for instance, effectively attaches your brand to a specific target group. Digital and print media, on the other hand, allow for a combination of brand and tactical marketing: digital media enable click-throughs, while in print , you can showcase your product selection.

Long-term customers are a valuable asset

Bringing in a new customer is a much more arduous task than retaining and serving a happy, existing one. This is especially true when it comes to e-commerce. Long-term customers spend 67 per cent more than new customers; they gladly recommend the store and reach a buying decisions with less marketing.

When the trust is there, consumers are more willing to receive personalised messaging. Email marketing and applications are excellent channels for timely or targeted promotions or, for example, presenting the customer with a gift on their birthday.

Communicating directly with your customers also gives you an opportunity to develop your business with your most valuable clientele in mind.

“And if the customer decides to leave, it should not be made difficult for them. Ending the relationship should be just as easy as joining and buying. The customer needs to be there willingly,” Wikman says.

Meet the consumer in multiple channels

Today, catching the consumer and making an impact often requires a multichannel approach.

Back in 2014, the consumer had an average of nine interactions with the brand before purchase. In 2023, the number of touchpoints was anything between 20 and 500 depending on the complexity of the product.

The best media mix for your brand depends on your target group. Older demographics can still be reached effectively through a limited selection of media, but the media use of younger generations is much more fragmented.

“Having a media partner with multiple wide-reaching channels in their repertoire can save you a lot of time,” Wikman notes.

AI and new technologies simplify the buyer’s journey

E-commerce brands have led the way when it comes to new technologies that simplify buying. Voice search is one example of removing steps from the path towards purchase.

AI has made AR and VR more approachable than ever. A virtual try-on opportunity, for instance, can make all the difference to the consumer’s online shopping experience.

AI also streamlines the search for the best-priced product that matches the consumer’s needs and values. Sebastian Wikman has three keys for an e-commerce brand to secure their position in this age:

“Make sure your product selection is sharp and caters to the target group’s taste. Stay on top of trends and offer information and content for AI to find and use.”

E-commerce trends in 2026 – from interactivity to virtual assistants and more

Ready to talk about building your e-commerce brand in Finland?

Insight is the key to effective marketing – 6 questions to help you identify your data needs

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:39:04 GMT

Consistently making the right marketing investments requires data and insight about your campaigns, target audience and competition. Discover the answer to these six questions to get a head start in the Finnish market!

At first glance, the word ‘insight’ may sound slightly intimidating. Tiina Virtanen , Head of Insight and Marketing Solutions at Sanoma, admits this but offers words of encouragement:

“In reality, all you need is a vague idea of your research need. Our experts will walk you through it in human terms.”

A team that masters both research and media will help you turn the data into actionable ideas and marketing concepts. Start with these key questions to identify your main needs for insight, and feel free to reach out anytime !

1. What does your target audience think of your brand?

Brand awareness in one market does not directly translate into awareness in another. This is why a market entry should involve research on how well your target group knows your brand and what they think of it. Even long-established brands should not rely on past awareness forever.

”It’s about using facts instead of a hunch as your baseline. Brand tracking helps you make sure your marketing is pushing you to the right direction”, says Tiina Virtanen.

Sanoma’s solutions:

Brand Tracking compares your brand to a maximum of five competitors, observing aided and unaided awareness, consideration, ad recall and preference. This is a popular, low-effort way of tracking the development of your brand. Prices start from €2200 per round for two rounds a year or €1800 per round for three or more.
Tailored research projects offer a chance to deep dive into specific questions about your brand’s position in the market.

2. Do your campaigns strike a chord with the right people?

The effect of an advertising campaign is hard to prove without measuring it. While sales and clicks offer one angle to the effectiveness of a campaign, qualitative metrics such as brand image should not be overlooked.

“It’s important to know if your message is clear, if it reaches the right audience, and what reactions and emotions the advertising evokes. Does your target audience like the creative execution or does it irritate them? Do the ads generate action?”

Sanoma’s solutions:

Multimedia research sheds light on the impact of the entire campaign and the value that each added media group brings. The research can include media outside of Sanoma, e.g. OOH or social media.
Other opportunities include measuring individual channels (digital, print, audio or TV) as well as research on TV and video solutions.

3. Are you aware of all your potential target groups?

Tiina Virtanen recalls a case in which an ad click analysis revealed a male audience the client had not previously recognised. It also turned out quite a few of them listened to Radio Rock. The logical next step was to create an audio campaign for said radio station.

Another advertiser ended up reconsidering their budget allocation when research revealed their target group had a pronounced interest for events and the music show Vain elämää.

“A closer look at your audiences can shake things up. You may uncover a new group of people or realise the consumers’ media use has shifted,” Virtanen says.

Sanoma’s solutions:

The Audience Reporter is a tool for analysing the interests and other attributes of your own CRM audiences, those who clicked your advertising or readers of native articles. Get started with, for example, an Audience Reporter analysis of a native article for €400.
Sanoma Segments divide Finns into eight categories according to demographics, attitudes, values, consumption and media use. They can be used to enrich your own client data, target advertising and find new ways to approach your audience. An updated version of the segments will be released in April, so now is a great time to get in touch!

4. Do you understand the complexity of the buying process?

Studying the process the customer goes through before making a purchase allows you to recognise the critical points at which your message needs to reach them. The path to a big decision – say, buying a car – can be surprisingly complex.

“When it comes to B2B decision-makers, research also debunks stereotypes related to their media use and information seeking,” Virtanen adds.

Sanoma’s solutions:

Sanoma has researched the buying process in various industries and the media the buyers seek information from. Tailored research projects offer a closer look at a specific industry.

5. Where do you stand among your competitors?

Industries and markets change, and a once well-known brand may not stay that way when surrounded by newcomers or rapid growers.

Industry research looks at the situation among competing brands, covering topics such as top-of-mind awareness, consideration, ad recall and the likelihood of the consumer choosing a specific brand.

“This helps you stay in the group of brands the consumer considers. If, for example, your brand awareness or consideration has dropped since the previous year, it’s time to make more measurements and evaluate your marketing actions.”

Sanoma’s solutions:

Twice a year, Sanoma tracks brand attributes in different industries: daily consumer goods, fashion, cosmetics, sports equipment, household electronics, car dealerships, banks and so on. This provides an overview of the industries and changes in them. The latest trackings were done in early 2026 – contact us for fresh data!
A timely example of industry tracking is Sanoma’s recent research on the gaming industry and Finnish players . The Finnish gaming market will open to competition in 2027 .

6. Where is consumption headed on a larger scale?

What do consumers think of the state of their finances and the economy at large? Are they willing to spend their money or hesitant in their decision making?

Sanoma collects data on Finnish consumption through a survey that gauges the growth or waning of consumption and explores how open consumers are to, for example, switching brands or service providers.

Data on the thoughts and expectations of consumers comes in handy when making long-term marketing plans.

“In addition, our marketing strategists keep on eye on larger trends. For an advertiser entering Finland for the first time, their insight is invaluable,” Virtanen says.

Sanoma’s solutions:

The Kulutuspulssi (Consumption Pulse) survey tracks changes in Finns’ attitudes toward consumption and their purchasing behaviours in different product and service categories. The next survey is taking place in spring 2026 .
A team of Sanoma’s marketing strategists follows local and global trends and provides insight for both Sanoma’s experts and advertisers.

As the biggest media house in Finland, Sanoma knows the ins and outs of Finnish consumption and media use. The combination of insight and marketing expertise ensures the data turns into action.

We have insight on your industry and customers. Would you like to hear more?

The Finnish gaming market attracts operators – new companies need to localise and build trust

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:01:20 GMT

International gaming operators see the potential in the Finnish gaming market – and are ready to make decisions and form partnerships even as the details of the legislation are in the talks. This is crucial time that will determine which operators will make it in the reformed market.

The opening of the Finnish gaming market sparked conversations in ICE Barcelona , one of the world’s largest gaming events. Sanoma’s team visited the event in January, and Sales Director Karri Ahonen is ready to share the most burning talking points.

”The discussions we had at ICE made it clear that operators are willing to make decisions before they know every legislative detail. The customer understanding gained, partnerships formed and media choices made right now will seal the success stories,” Ahonen says.

Establishing trust is key in a crowded market

Moderate taxation, a relatively liberal view on marketing and the Finns’ neutral attitudes towards gaming make Finland an attractive market to international gaming operators. In ICE Barcelona, it was estimated that as many as 40 to 60 companies may apply for a licence to operate in Finland. This exceeds earlier estimates.

Not all companies will commence their operations immediately. Still, the competition for consumers’ attention will start on day one, and building trust will be key.

The current monopoly holder Veikkaus – who will continue to operate in the reformed market – has a long-established trust among Finns. A previously unknown operator will need to gain that same trust by approaching the consumer in the right contexts with the right message.

“It’s not only about the volume of marketing, but about what you do and how you do it,” Ahonen says.

Read more: Get to know the Finnish player

Localise by understanding both your audience and the media

Though appealing, Finland also has a reputation as a demanding market. Finns are critical, media literate and quick to point out inauthenticity. Ahonen reminds operators not to enter the market with a ready-made playbook but to invest in careful localisation instead.

”Rather than simply targeting marketing to those who tend to play the most, you need to understand the cultural framework, including the humour and visuals that appeal to Finnish people. This is not a game of copy and paste,” Ahonen says.

Marketing that enriches and interacts with its context is highly influential. If the goal is to, for example, take over a certain sport, a logo on a jersey only goes so far.

”The priority should be to understand both the audience and what they wish from that media. In what ways could you attach yourself to that sport or journalistic context?”

The biggest gaming operators do high-quality marketing

The state of gaming marketing in Finland from 2027 onwards is a topic that raises questions among both operators and consumers. Karri Ahonen has an educated guess:

”The 10 to 15 biggest operators entering Finland will do marketing communications of extremely high quality. At the other end of the spectrum are companies with less resources who will have a more of a trial-and-error approach.”

Event marketing done by gaming operators will boost the visibility of specific sports. Overall, ownership of sports and influencers will be sought-after. However, the extent to which influencer partnerships can be utilised is still uncertain.

”The practical tools and measures of marketing will become clearer as the legislation is finalised,” says Ahonen.

Gaming companies want a full-service partner

Instead of talking media space only, gaming companies are currently looking for partnerships that cover consumer understanding and localised content that supports customer retention and brand loyalty.

”Gaming operators want to attach themselves to different phenomena in multiple channels. If the goal is to own the ice hockey scene, our job as a marketing and media partner is to create the toolkit needed for that,” says Ahonen.

Through vast experience, segmentation and extensive first-party data, Sanoma has a solid grasp on the Finnish media user.

”Our multichannel marketing experts are familiar with the daily race for the consumer’s attention. Sanoma’s wide selection of media also guarantees that if a regulation change affects one media group, we can shift the focus to another,” Ahonen concludes.

Advertising Finland is your doorway to the Finnish market. As the international sales unit of Sanoma, the leading media house in Finland, we connect you with top marketing professionals and help you find the right media solutions.

Book a meeting with our gaming team!

Media–audience relationships matter – discover three recent changes in Finnish media

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:49:56 GMT

In the age of AI, journalistic media can thrive by nurturing their relationship to their audience. Sanoma’s Sebastian Wikman and Veli-Matti Nurmela analyse some of the changes that major Finnish media have made recently to stay relevant to both readers and advertisers.

One fact demonstrates the quality of media–audience relationships in Finland: most of the traffic to media sites is direct. Instead of asking AI and never ending up on the news site itself, Finns like to find their news right at the source.

Business Manager, Data Veli-Matti Nurmela sees a connection between the rise of AI content and recent decisions made by publishers.

“As AI gives everyone an opportunity to produce content, the signature of a trustworthy news media will only grow in relevance. A news outlet’s credibility in all channels, media–audience relationships and potential for advertisers are all connected,” Nurmela says.

Clickbait no more – Helsingin Sanomat refreshes their headline practices

In early June 2025, Helsingin Sanomat declared they will no longer use clickbait in any of their channels. In her statement , editor-in-chief Erja Yläjärvi defined clickbait as a headline that uses mystery and exaggeration to deliberately conceal the point of the story.

“It is not the same as a good and inventive headline meant to spark interest in the piece. Without interest, journalism goes to waste,” Yläjärvi stated.

In August, HS shared results : the perceived quality of the paper improved, the calmer headlines performed above expectations, and average read times of digital articles increased. Articles that would have previously relied on a flashy headline to pull readers did not do as well with a moderate one, which was an indicator to raise standards.

The shift was praised by Sanoma’s international network of B2B sales representative agencies.

“The consensus was that rejecting clickbait adds to the credibility of the paper, the publisher and the advertising environment. A big player such as Helsingin Sanomat carrying its responsibility in this area makes a positive impression,” says Sanoma’s Client Manager Sebastian Wikman .

Newsletters and curated content serve the reader

Even large media are now harnessing the power of curated content sent straight to the reader’s inbox. The active choice the consumer makes by subscribing gives the newsletter great potential as a content distribution channel.

Newsletters and other ways of serving the reader outside the main news channels reinforce media–audience relationships.

“The journalists behind newsletters know their readers and can pick topics that are valuable to them,” Veli-Matti Nurmela points out.

For an advertiser, a strong bond between a media and its readers means greater impact and perceived reliability of advertising.

The newsletter options of Helsingin Sanomat include the latest headlines in different news categories and the popular Good News newsletter. Email courses, on the other hand, instruct readers on how to eat better, exercise and manage their finances.

“Sanoma’s hybrid strategy is to give the consumer the option of both digital and print media. Newsletters are one way of carrying out this strategy and expanding it to different formats,” says Nurmela.

Iltalehti becomes the first to adopt ‘consent or pay’ in Finland

The Finnish tabloid Iltalehti recently adopted a ‘consent or pay’ model that requires their readers to either consent to targeted advertising or prohibit the collection of targeting data for €1.99 a month.

While the model is common in many other European countries, Iltalehti is the first Finnish news outlet to utilise it. The decision sparked some controversy and complaints to the Data Protection Ombudsman.

The European Data Protection Board has found that in many cases, the model does not comply with the requirements for valid consent. However, national media may not be considered ‘large online platforms’ such as the ones EDPB refers to in their statement .

The model brings both benefits and risks.

“The amount of precise data it produces is attractive to advertisers. The concern is whether it will affect the size of the readership,” Sebastian Wikman ponders.

For now, Sanoma’s data collection and targeting is founded on strong media–audience relationships. Logged-in users account for a considerable amount of traffic on Sanoma’s news sites, which is also a testament to Finns’ willingness to pay for quality content.

“Of course, we keep an eye on trends and new developments,” Veli-Matti Nurmela adds.

Want more insights on Finnish media and consumers?

Programmatic advertising in the new era of the Finnish gaming market

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:51:40 GMT

How to prepare for 2027

The Finnish market will soon open its doors to an entirely new industry as the reformed Gambling Act allows many gaming companies to launch business operations in Finland in 2027. How will this affect the landscape of digital advertising and programmatic buying? Sanoma’s Miia Salmi and Janne Lappalainen respond.

While the concrete practices and restrictions are still in the talks, Senior Programmatic Manager Miia Salmi can already offer reassurance to those worried about the availability of ad inventory in 2027.

”The competition for media coverage will increase, but at Sanoma, we will only make a certain part of our inventory available to the gaming market. This will most likely apply to both direct and programmatic buying.”

Restrictions to the inventory available to gaming advertisers will cover not only digital media but also TV, audio and print. These limitations are in the interest of advertisers, consumers and media brands alike.

“We will take care of the consumer’s experience of our media by ensuring that, say, the front page of Ilta-Sanomat will not be flooded with gaming ads,” Salmi says.

Now is the time to plan and build connections

When it comes to tangible actions to ensure your visibility through programmatic buying in 2027, Miia Salmi and Client Partner Janne Lappalainen recommend establishing connections with publishers in good time . Things are bound to get busier as the opening of the gaming market approaches.

If you have previously done programmatic buying mainly through open auction, deals are a great option to consider at this point . They ensure your access to all Sanoma’s programmatic products and inventory and give you a head start in a slightly more crowded market.

In addition, if you wish to target advertising with your own data , now is the time start the conversation and prepare for using custom audiences. Planning, groundwork and contracts all take their time.

“As long as the specifics of the restrictions and situation on both programmatic and direct buying are taking shape, the best way to get started is to get in touch with us or your own Sanoma contact,” Salmi says.

“The biggest gaming companies will not go to extremes”

The Gambling Act aims to protect vulnerable groups from gambling-related harm. The legislation requires advertising to be moderate and relatively neutral and prohibits the glorification of gaming. Finns are used to seeing gaming marketing from the current monopoly Veikkaus, but the entry of several new operators is bound to bring a visible change.

“Even if each operator advertises in a moderate and neutral way, the consumer will inevitably notice the overall increase in gaming marketing in media and on the streets,” says Janne Lappalainen.

Gaming ads often recall colourful neon lights and aggressive messaging, but Lappalainen believes most of the advertising will be considerably less intrusive.

“The biggest companies entering Finland will not go to extremes. They understand the necessity of building their brand in a new market instead of only urging the consumers to play.”

Gaming companies will be required a licence to operate in Finland. For publishers, programmatic deals are a surefire way to ensure only licensed operators can buy their inventory. Sanoma will, however, hold the reins with open auction, too.

“The market opening does not mean that any operator can automatically get hold of our inventory,” Miia Salmi assures.

Three steps to successful market entry in Finland

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 09:16:26 GMT

Marketing effectiveness relies on understanding your target audience and the market. This is especially true when making an entry with a new brand or concept. Sanoma’s experts share a simple and scalable method for building advertising success from the ground up when your plan is to enter the Finnish market.

The three-step model for market entry helps you lay solid foundations for effective campaigns and content. When done right, the process becomes an iterative cycle that adapts to different needs.

”The idea is not to go through the steps and call it a day, but to begin with insight and strategy , create content for your chosen media, and finally measure and learn before starting again with a refined plan,” says Tiina Virtanen , Head of Insight and Marketing Solutions at Sanoma.

Thorough groundwork brings results on campaign level. To recognise and demonstrate those results, you need clear, measurable objectives.

”If you base your strategy on a hunch or pick a goal that is too vague, such as simply entering the market and growing brand awareness, it’s hard to measure success and develop further. A clearly defined goal allows you to align your content production and prove the effectiveness of your advertising,” says Sanoma’s Director of Video Sales Anssi Heikka .

Whether you're launching a new product or expanding your presence, whether you're an agency or an in‑house marketer – we're here to ensure your success . Contact us!

Step 1: Fill knowledge gaps with research and insight

Contrary to popular belief, Finland is not a miniature Sweden. The unique nuances of the Finnish media environment as well as the way Finns use media and relate to advertising make it worthwhile to put effort in research.

“Start by taking a moment to consider your existing knowledge. Are there any blind spots that need addressing?” Virtanen suggests.

Sanoma offers a multitude of ways to better find and learn about your audience:

Eight media consumer segments based on Sanoma’s research help you scope out your potential audience and learn about their media use.

Brand Tracking gives you a clear picture of how your marketing actions affect your image and brand awareness.
The Audience Reporter reveals new approaches or previously overlooked potential by shedding light on the characteristics and interests of those who clicked on your advertising.
Measuring the creative execution and effectiveness of your advertising across media helps you refine future campaigns.

A tailored research project provides the answers to your most pressing questions regarding the market and your target audience. It offers useful data for launching a new product of brand, pre-testing marketing or getting to know a specific target group.

“The benefit of working with Sanoma’s experts is that you have a professional by your side to interpret the data and translate it into suggestions for your next marketing actions,” Virtanen shares.

Step 2: Invest time in strategy and create authentically local content

The age-old challenge in marketing is finding the intersection of your favourite topics and what your audience wants to see.

“There are no shortcuts to finding the advertising sweet spot. You need to first locate your audience, understand their interests and figure out the topics your brand should own. Time invested in creating a strategy is time well spent,” Anssi Heikka explains.

When it comes to concepting advertising in Finland, authenticity and Finnish content are the way to go. Locally made content has proven time and time again to be more effective than that localised from international (or even Nordic) material.

“I like to say that Finland is the European equivalent of Japan in that we have a distinct language and a culture formed in the intersection of east and west. Because of this, the Finnish consumer tends to quickly recognise if so-called local advertising is actually that,” Heikka says.

Step 3: Boost your message with a cross-media approach

By the time you have gone through steps 1 and 2, you will have a deep understanding of the market and your audience, a content strategy and a set of campaign materials ready to go.

When you are ready to launch, make sure to pick more than one channel to advertise in.

According to Sanoma’s research, every added channel results in an image lift of 13 % and an activation lift of 15 % on average.

“Going cross-media is a way to make sure your target audience comes across your message throughout their day. This is ever more important as media use gets increasingly fragmented. When you have already invested in a campaign, it’s no use only choosing one channel,” Tiina Virtanen states.

Having a single team to lead you through the entire process makes life simple and ensures a smooth flow of information. Sanoma’s 500+ professionals are there every step of the way from information gathering to content creation.

Finns enjoy stirring TV phenomena – quality advertising can enhance the experience

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 13:15:49 GMT

The rise of streaming has not put an end to big TV sensations – it has merely changed the way we engage with them. Finns are a versatile people that enjoys the escapism offered by high-quality TV. At its best, creative advertising adds to the story and emotions of the content.

There is no one way to describe the Finnish TV viewer. As such, the best method for a broadcaster to secure widespread attention is to build a varied programme selection.

Still, two genres are sure to find their viewers time after time: music-based entertainment and reality TV starring celebrities.

“For us Finns as a Nordic people, TV has always been a doorway to other worlds. It’s a place of escapism,” says Mirko Baas , Head of Domestic Content at Nelonen Media.

In decades past, we used to gather around the TV together, at the same time, to catch the latest hit. Today, the hits are still being watched, only at a moment that best suits each viewer. This allows the shows to find new audiences and grow further.

“Big TV phenomena are still the foundation of everything we do,” Baas says. “While linear TV competes with everything else – other channels, dinner, friends, sauna slots, hobbies – VOD allows the viewer to find a distraction-free time and truly tune in to the show. They are much more present that way.”

Nelonen Media’s spring 2026 – favourites and new sensations

The Voice of Finland returns for a fifteenth anniversary season and introduces Jenni Vartiainen , one of Finland’s most beloved pop queens, as a new coach.
Petolliset (The Traitors) has grown into a bigger phenomenon with each new season. ”I have watched this spring’s season and can tell you it’s amazing and very different compared to the past ones,” Mirko Baas reveals.
Erikoisjoukot , based on the British format SAS: Who Dares Wins , was the most popular TV show in Finland in 2025. The reality show returns in spring 2026 with new competitors and challenges.
Hildur , a Finnish–Icelandic drama series based on Satu Rämö’s bestselling book series, premieres on Nelonen and Ruutu in late January. The books have sold over 1 million copies in Finland, and the new series is one of Nelonen Media’s biggest drama acquisitions to date.

From spots to sponsorships, there are many ways to evoke emotions

Behind the scenes, preparations for the next spring or autumn begin right as the results from the previous one come in. The last programme acquisitions are made four to five months before showtime. This means that advertisers, too, should enter the conversation in good time.

“With sponsorships, a year in advance is ideal. The earlier we hear from you, the better we can work together with the production company, writers and directors to incorporate your brand into the show,” says Baas.

At its best, brand placement enriches the content. Baas gives an example: Back in 2022, Selviytyjät (Survivor) teamed up with Burger King to offer burgers as a reward to the competitors. After two weeks in the jungle, the competitors’ reactions to the burgers were invaluable.

“The sheer joy as they cried over the Whoppers! You don’t get that sort of emotion even if you hire actors,” Baas reminisces.

Discover the best TV advertising solution for you , from spots to sponsorships – or book your next ad production with Sanoma Content Studio !

Building a TV sensation is hard work

There’s much more to TV than broadcasting content: rights and contracts, scheduling, marketing, PR and media, recommendations on Ruutu – the list goes on. Baas applauds Nelonen Media’s fantastic professionals who do their best for each show, gauge the mood of TV viewers and stay in touch with the most popular performers.

“It takes a lot of work to build a sensation and make a show come to life. The creative work requires and deserves time.”

But how do you recognise a hit? No one really knows, says Baas – otherwise, we would get nothing but.

“That’s the charm of this industry, you never know. You simply do your homework as well as you can and estimate which shows have the best chance for success.”

Take Erikoisjoukot , for example. The army-style show hits home with Finns, many of whom have personal experience of military service. The timing is spot-on, too: interest in defence and survival skills has increased in the past few years.

With that and many other potential hits on the menu, what does Mirko Baas most anticipate from spring 2026?

“I’m looking forward to reaching every single Finnish TV viewer with our diverse line-up.”

Study shows the Finnish market continues to have faith in programmatic buying

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:35:18 GMT

Although programmatic buying has not seen much growth in the Finnish market in recent years, a survey by IAB Finland indicates that the method remains relevant. New channels and metrics may be the key to growth.

Looking at the figures, the state of programmatic buying in Finland seems challenging, but a qualitative look into the causes and the overall situation bodes well for the future.

The future of digital marketing is real-time

The benefits of programmatic buying are clear to the respondents. They appreciate the swiftness and scalability of the method, the versatile opportunities to use data as well as the control and real-time campaign optimisation that traditional media buying lacks.

Even though direct buying has not lost its appeal in the Finnish market, there is no shortage of programmatic advertising solutions . Globally, the lion's share of advertising on digital media channels – up to 80% in the United States – is already bought in real time.

Next up: AI, high-impact formats and attention metrics

Although AI is not a novelty in programmatic buying, the surge of generative AI has inspired those who work with programmatic to experiment with new tools. In reporting and analysis, AI solutions can interpret data or flag problems. In media planning, LLMs are strategic aids that offer new perspectives. The first AI agents are already optimising programmatic campaigns.

As intriguing new opportunities in digital marketing, the respondents highlighted impressive high-impact formats as well as attention metrics that help analyse the success of campaigns on a deeper level.

“The technology of measuring advertising is constantly evolving, and none of the several ways to measure attention has yet emerged as a clear winner. It’s a development project that improves our understanding of media impressions,” says Ahola.

"Attention metrics are clearly a rising trend, but for the time being, the different options are not entirely comparable," Salmi adds.

Technological advancements are also reflected in the range of channels available: programmatic buying can extend to, for example, CTV and DOOH as well as gaming and retail advertising. However, the study indicates that systems do not yet work seamlessly with all the channels. Supply and systems should go hand in hand to make both profitable to develop.

Ahola believes in technology as a driving force.

"The development of programmatic buying is about technology, and it will push the Finnish market forward, too.”

New skills are needed – who will take responsibility of training?

The market situation of programmatic buying is partly due to the size of the Finnish market and strong traditions of direct buying. In a small country with a handful of prominent publishers, direct relationships have often brought advertisers the visibility they need.

"In the short term, direct deals have allowed advertisers and publishers to maintain their market shares, but at the same time, they have kept the programmatic market from growing. Programmatic is also the one method that would enable international advertising to grow in Finland," says Ahola.

Another factor that hinders growth is the complexity of programmatic buying compared to, for example, social media. Increasing its approachability could bring it within the reach of smaller advertisers, too.

The need for new skills emerges year after year in IAB’s study. According to Salmi and Ahola, the big question is who would take charge of providing the much-needed training. Social media giants have created their own training programs, but there are currently no big players in programmatic buying who would bear the responsibility for growing the expertise of the entire market.

"It’s more about a lack of institutions than programmatic being an exceedingly difficult topic. Right now, training is dependent on the processes of individual companies while the need is in the entire programmatic ecosystem. The ideas are there, though, and the will and resources are often found when the value of a topic is recognised," Ahola ponders.

Download the study: The Current State and Trends of Programmatic Buying in Finland

Explore Sanoma’s programmatic opportunities

Make the most of moving image with a mix of Total TV and news media video advertising

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 07:28:59 GMT

The moving image is a psychologically powerful tool for standing out, evoking emotions and telling stories. Combining Total TV with news media video advertising allows you to make effective use of the strengths of different media.

Total TV gives you access to all generations of TV viewers

TV viewing is changing, even in Finland, where linear TV remains strong compared to many other countries. Sanoma’s data shows that older generations prefer linear TV while 25 to 44-year-olds are the biggest viewer group of the VOD service Ruutu. Total TV is the key to reaching viewers across age demographics.

A telling example of the change in the Finnish TV viewing habits is Sanoma’s most viewed show Erikoisjoukot , based on the British format SAS: Who Dares Wins . Streaming is what earns the show its leading position.

“For the second season in a row, half of the views of Erikoisjoukot come from Ruutu, which underlines the growth and significance of VOD,” Sinkkonen says. “Overall, most of Sanoma’s shows are non-live entertainment that lends itself well to VOD viewing.”

TV commercials have an average watch time of 12 seconds – compared to the 2 seconds of video ads on social media – which makes them a great canvas for storytelling. Effective TV advertising also makes clever use of sound.

“Not all viewers watch ad breaks, but they often hear the audio as they scroll on their phones or go get a snack. We know that on average, 4 out of 10 ads are watched with eyes focused on the TV screen, while the remaining 6 are mostly listened to. A recognisable audio utilises that.”

An added plus is that a good audio is usable in audio advertising, too – a great opportunity if you aim to reach the Finnish masses.

News media video advertising – visual clarity and pinpoint targeting

Use peace and tranquillity to rise above the noise

We live in an overwhelmingly online world that provides a constant influx of stimuli. To both combat the effects of this and make your brand stand out, Tuomo Sinkkonen recommends making use of calmness and ease as a theme and narrative style.

Instead of speeding things up as concentration wanes, try using tempo, imagery and colours that give the recipient space to absorb your message.

“With the world as full of noise and distress as it is, tranquillity can be a winning strategy. We all need opportunities to breathe and rest. Why not use your ad to build a space for that?” Sinkkonen concludes.

Give us a Minute: Tuomo’s creative tips for eye-catching video advertising on news media

Ready to talk about the possibilities of moving image?

Your roadmap to results – meet the Pillars of Effective Marketing

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:33:56 GMT

How do you ensure the effectiveness of your marketing and determine the right metrics to use? Sanoma’s 10+1 Pillars of Effective Marketing outline the key aspects to consider and double as a promise to our customers. This is marketing, the Sanoma way.

“In essence, effective marketing is marketing that reaches its goals. That requires clear objectives and metrics, whether your wish is to grow brand awareness, boost sales or strengthen your customer relationships,” says Reetta Thurman , Marketing Strategist at Sanoma.

The 10+1 Pillars of Effective Marketing, compiled by Thurman and her colleagues, are backed up by decades of experience combined with Finnish and international marketing research.

Pillars of Effective Marketing

Goal setting – you get what you asked for
Marketing is an investment
Know your target group
Maximise reach
Content determines the efficiency of advertising
Brand adds to short-term effectiveness, too
Going multichannel seals effectiveness
Media matters
Aim for consistent visibility
Take the wheel

+ 1 It’s time to enter the era of mental health economy

But what should you focus on as an international advertiser in Finland? Reetta Thurman picked three key pillars for closer inspection.

Goal setting – you get what you asked for

Effective marketing communications start with goal setting and finding the right ways to measure success. And it’s not just about the goals of an individual campaign – overall business goals are the foundation underneath.

“There are layers to it. You start with business goals and see what they could mean in terms of brand goals and, ultimately, the goals of a campaign. The different layers need to connect. If you’re looking to increase profitability, a discount campaign is not the logical next step,” Thurman explains.

When entering a new market, realistic goal setting requires research on the market itself as well as analysis of your starting position in it.

The challenge of setting goals and clocking success is the fact that measuring marketing is not an exact science.

“What we do with marketing is affect emotions, and that doesn’t always translate neatly into numbers. You need to accept some level of uncertainty and trust that consistent work in the right direction will bear fruit,” Thurman says.

Brand adds to short-term effectiveness, too

The brand is the biggest driver of effective marketing and increases the productivity and cost-effectiveness of all campaigns.

“People tend to notice the advertising of brands they are familiar with, so a strong brand creates a better response to tactical marketing, too,” Thurman says.

We know most consumers are not looking to buy at this precise moment, but brand marketing can get you on their shopping list when the need arises. That’s not to say it doesn’t have a direct response in sales.

“Tactical advertising is not the only way to the consumers’ wallets. People are more complex than that,” Thurman points out.

Focusing solely on the tactical side often fails to plant the seeds for future demand. This could lead to profits plateauing out and the risk of following the wrong metrics when making marketing investments.

A brand making a market entry often leads with the USPs (Unique Selling Points) of the product to get consumers to try it out – a valid and understandable strategy. Still, if the target group is at all familiar with the brand, it pays to focus on that, too.

“We often work with marketing executives to help them communicate the importance of brand marketing at this stage to financial or business executives within the company.” Read also: Three steps to successful market entry in Finland

Go multichannel for bigger impact

The more channels you choose for your campaign, the better its reach.

“Using multiple channels has a direct impact on brand recall and behaviour change. Allowing consumers to meet your message on several contact points gets it across more effectively,” Thurman says.

According to Sanoma’s research, every added channel results in an image lift of 13 per cent and activation lift of 15 per cent. Testing and metrics will help you build a media mix that aligns with your objectives and resonates with your customers.

An international advertiser also needs to get familiar with the characteristics of Finnish media and ways to use it effectively. Reetta Thurman gives a couple of examples:

“In many markets, radio tends to be a short-term channel, but here, it’s widely used as a brand-building tool, too. Then there are the news media and the boost in brand credibility they can give you. The Finnish consumer will trust you to be a legitimate brand when they see your advertisement on a reliable news channel .”

Want to know more about the Pillars of Effective Marketing? Get in touch and we’ll talk you through it!

Players’ expectations of responsibility set the bar for gaming marketing in Finland

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:56:05 GMT

When choosing a gaming provider, the Finnish player prioritises reliability, security and brand familiarity. A new brand in the Finnish gaming market needs to earn their credibility through open communication and walking the talk.

The Finnish player’s need for security is reflected in their expectations for gaming marketing: they value informative content that establishes trust over pure entertainment. This might have something to do with how Veikkaus, the state-owned company, has operated in the past.

“For decades, we have had one voice on gaming in Finland, and strict regulation. What’s more, we’re not really a nation that values overstepping any marks,” says Content Director Jenni Lieto from Sanoma Content Studio.

The new legislation could require all licenced operators to provide information on gaming support services on their advertising, along with taking several other measures to prevent harmful playing and monitor gaming behaviour.

“Finnish players have gotten used to a gaming provider that cares. They expect operators to have preventative mechanisms in place and openly communicate about them. Establishing your position as a company that looks after its customers is a positive factor,” adds Teemu Savolainen , Sanoma’s Client Group Director.

Moderate advertising targeted right – preventing the ad tsunami

Keeping gaming advertising on a level that consumers find reasonable is beneficial to both operators and media companies. As a cautionary example, Teemu Savolainen points out the tsunami of gaming advertising in Sweden.

“From a media company’s perspective, a good relationship with customers is essential, and excessive gaming advertising can drive consumers away. For this reason, the advertising inventory for gaming operators will be limited. Reach is a key factor, and this means the end user must be looked after,” Savolainen explains.

Sanoma has conducted a gaming survey of over 3 500 participants through its consumer panel Suomitutka. Combining the data with Sanoma accounts reveals the kind of content those interested in gaming consume in Sanoma’s media environments.

“This allows us to adjust inventory limits according to where the potential customers are and ensure that those not interested in gaming see as little advertising as possible. Our goal is to be a responsible partner for gaming companies by offering effective advertising environments and delivering measurable results while making sure that gaming advertising doesn’t disturb consumers,” Savolainen says.

Don’t just claim responsibility, walk the talk

The gaming industry comes with many negative connotations that can be partly tackled with transparency – but only if your actions are truly responsible and you have the proof to back up your claims.

“As a general rule in every business, responsibility starts where legal requirements end. Be willing to do more than you are asked of,” Jenni Lieto says.

Both Lieto and Savolainen raise the issue of protecting young people. Targeting tactical marketing to under 25s is not in line with the idea of safer gaming, even when the legal minimum age for gaming is 18.

As the amount of gaming marketing increases in Finland, it’s crucial for operators to invest in building a strong brand that Finnish players learn to recognise and trust.

“In all marketing, the biggest brand tends to reap some of the benefits of their competitors’ actions. In the gaming sector, what we will be facing is a host of previously unknown brands entering a market in which every single consumer is familiar with one brand. Your brand needs to stand out from the noise,” Lieto concludes.

Interested in Sanoma’s recent insights on Finnish gamers and gaming brands?

It’s time to plan your gaming marketing in Finland - here’s what to do while the legislation takes shape

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:22:23 GMT

Many gaming operators hesitate to take steps while the reform of the Finnish gambling system is still underway and the restrictions to marketing remain open. Sanoma’s experts share three concrete actions you can do right now to get started and ensure visibility from the get-go.

Gaming marketing – where and how to do it in an effective and responsible way – was a hot topic in the Finnish iGaming Conference in Helsinki in the beginning of September. The event pulled Finnish and international professionals in and around the gaming industry to discuss the significant shift happening in the Finnish gaming market.

Sanoma’s Client Partner Antti Jalonen describes the mood among gaming operators as hesitant.

“Currently, we are all waiting for the legislation to be finalised in parliament in late October or early November 2025. Until then, there will be some tentativeness in the air about the details and what you will or will not be allowed do,” Jalonen says.

Despite the uncertainty, you can already put in a great deal of work to ensure your brand will get off to a flying start when the market opens.

“Almost all operators declare they want to be all-in from day one. If that’s your plan, it’s high time to start preparing. Right now, some operators are mostly waiting to see how the legislation turns out, while others are already laying the groundwork,” says Client Partner Janne Lappalainen .

Use research and insight to get familiar with the market

“Marketing is the single element you can use to differentiate from competitors with a very similar product to yours,” Jalonen points out.

To make the most of your marketing, you need solid foundations: knowledge on the market and your audience in it. Sanoma’s media reach almost the entire Finnish nation, which provides wide-ranging data on Finns as consumers. This data is invaluable to a brand planning their marketing in a new area.

“Many gaming companies tend to benchmark Sweden, and this is something I wish to challenge. It’s not a given that the tactics that worked in Sweden will work in Finland. The two are not the same,” Lappalainen says.

Sanoma’s Finnish Player Survey, done in March 2025, was completed by 843 Finns, 730 of whom had played gambling games. The survey showed, among other interesting qualities, Finns’ tendency to make choices based on safety and credibility when trying out new brands.

Create customised audience segments

In addition to learning about the market, data is valuable when scoping out your audiences. The goal of creating custom segments is both to find the right people in different media and to add to your customer understanding. Segments also allow you to vary your message to appeal to different audiences.

“Custom segments can be created now from your own customer data, industry insight or other data on the target group. You will then have the segments ready to use in targeting digital advertising the minute the market opens,” Jalonen illustrates.

Ensure your visibility in the most relevant media

When you have a solid understanding of your most potential audiences, you can start figuring out the best combination of media for your brand. With limited advertising inventory available for gaming companies, establishing partnerships now is a way to ensure future visibility.

“When you have gone through the research, found your audiences and compiled creative concepts with a media partner, the next step of turning them into effective campaigns together comes naturally and effortlessly,” Jalonen says.

Want to take the first step towards mastering the Finnish market? Get in touch to learn more about the Finnish Player Survey!

Give us a Minute: Video marketing

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:21:49 GMT

In this minute long video Business Manager Tuomo Sinkkonen gives crative tips and shares three key insights on how digital news media compares to social media. Watch the video!

The role of the newsmedia in Finland is unique, news is trusted and typically consumed by visiting directly to mediasites or apps.

Read more about our research that shows how the attention value of video advertising in Sanoma’s news media environment beats social media giants.

Read how Juustoportti’s bold and colourful video advertising stopped thumbs in Sanoma’s news media. Dairy company Juustoportti’s eye-catching campaign boosted the launch of their new protein products.

Sanoma's news media reach the majority of Finns on a weekly basis. We have a high-quality, free media and an uncompromising professional ethic. Your brand is in a safe environment and with a creative video ad you can make the difference.

We will navigate the next steps with you.

Give us a Minute: How to succeed with content marketing

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:19:06 GMT

In this minute long video Content Director Jenni Lieto gives you three tips for successful content marketing in Finland. With these tips you can avoid costly mistakes. Watch the video!

We continuously study and measure the Finnish audience. We know what captures their attention. With deep local insight, we create standout content in every format – tailored to fit your brand perfectly.

We’re here to help. Our award-winning Sanoma Content Studio creators work for global and Finnish brands, concepting and creating content for both B2B and B2C audiences.

Give us a Minute: Data and Targeting

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:11:44 GMT

In this minute long video Data Business Manager Veli-Matti Nurmela gives you examples how to re-engage your customers with digital ads using your own data. Discover smart ways to boost reach, frequency, and brand visibility. Watch the video!

With our Custom Audiences product, you can target ads using your own customer data. Targeting in the Sanoma network is based on high-quality, first-party data. Since almost all Finns use Sanoma’s popular media daily, we are able to collect our data ourselves from our channels and websites. We do this with the consent of your customers and using the best data protection practices in the industry.

There are many smart ways to activate your existing customer base through digital ads, securely and at scale.

We are here to help!

Tap into your audience’s existing attention with contextual targeting

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:12:01 GMT

With contextual targeting, your message meets its audience where their interest has already been sparked with apt content. Instead of distracting the reader or consumer of content, the right ad in the right context can enhance their experience.

”I compare contextual targeting with entering an ongoing conversation at exactly the right moment. It places your ad next to content that has already piqued the interest of your target audience,” says Client Manager Siiri Medina from Sanoma.

Contextual targeting on digital media can do what full-page magazine advertisements have done for decades: utilise pre-existing interest and harmonise advertising with journalistic content to add value to the reader. It offers the same control over context but with infinitely more flexibility when it comes to creative execution and timing.

Tip! The digital equivalent of an impressive print ad is the Digital Full Page – a large-surface ad with high attention value that can be targeted contextually.

Keywords to video advertising – the many possibilities of contextual targeting

Sanoma offers three different ways to find the right context for your ad.

By site section : reserve a spot in a specific section of a news site, such as domestic or foreign news, economics, culture, sports, food or cars.
By IAB category : find content categories as specified in the IAB Content Taxonomy .
By individual keywords : go for pinpoint accuracy by choosing keywords to target with.

AI and self-learning models automatically locate the relevant content, which makes contextual targeting one of the most effective ways of targeting digital advertising.

“The different methods allow you to get extremely specific with your targeting. This level of precision may not be for every product or campaign, but if you’re looking for a niche audience, categories and keywords are helpful,” Medina points out.

Contextually targeted video ads on streaming service Ruutu are another useful tool for long-term advertising. You can target a specific show or choose from the themes of home, wellbeing, travel, food, sports and family .

Every campaign has its own characteristics that determine the best method to use. This is where Sanoma’s experts can help you!

Invest in campaign length and outstanding creative

To truly get your targeted ad campaign off the ground, it’s best to plan for a month-long campaign at a minimum so your message has enough time to reach the eyes of your target group. Another point to consider is the all-important creative execution.

“Effective targeting does not magically transform an otherwise bland advertisement,” Medina states.

Compared to print advertising – even the glossy magazines – digital media offers you any number of creative ways to display your message and product. Rich media advertising engages, surprises and entertains the reader. Choose from options such as a cross-screen ad with a parallax scrolling effect or an animated carousel to showcase multiple products.

”By principle, a good-quality creative combined with the right targeting and campaign length will bring you impressive results,” says Medina.

Find your effective mix of targeting methods

Combining contextual targeting with other targeting methods allows you to pick out, for example, interested readers in the right life phase or with a specific income. Try adding one of these targeting criteria:

Interests based on previous content consumption
Purchase intention in different product categories
Demographics: age, gender, education, income
Location
Household types and life phases
Media consumer segments
Retargeting

Sanoma’s digital network reaches 91 per cent of Finns weekly, which provides us with extensive first-party data. In Sanoma’s media, your advertisement appears in a trusted, valued and brand-safe environment.

“Sanoma’s reputation as a credible source of news and information is built on commitment to high-quality journalism, editorial independence and comprehensive coverage. This lends trustworthiness to the advertising done on our digital channels, too,” Medina concludes.

Got questions about targeting? Contact us to get started with planning the most effective solution for you!

Can you turn a boring topic into interesting marketing?

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 12:51:38 GMT

You absolutely can! Content Director Jenni Lieto from Sanoma Content Studio has three techniques s for content marketers.

I have heard it dozens of times: “Our topics are just too dull to be made interesting content” Each time I hear this, I get excited as I know that, without expception, that is not the case!

Here are my three top tips for turning a (so-called) boring topic into intriguing content.

Learn more: In a minute long video Jenni gives you more tips for successful content marketing in Finland.

1. Break the pattern and disrupt

The word disruption was trending fifteen years ago, but as a strategy it still works. The important task of marketing is to stand out and get noticed. And here's the good news: if your industry isn't sexy in the traditional way - you don't sell perfume, burgers or trendy sneakers, for example - it's actually much easier for you to be the one that stands out from the competition.

LinkedIn is a popular platform for B2B marketing. How about you created visually distinctive content there that carried a story more in a way of an arresting video on Instagram and less like a traditional business post? We created a strategy and content for our client that did just that, and the results were record-breaking.

Learn more about UPM's award-winning content marketing >

So, think about the channel you are on, whether it’s LinkedIn, a radio ad break or a news feed. What kind of message would stand out from the crowd in that environment?

2. Find someone who burns for the topic

There is no communication tool more powerful than a passionate person. The more obscure the issue, the more important it is to find a person who has a genuine zeal for it. Passion is contagious.

There are bound to be more than one people among your in-house experts or outside the company with a burning passion you could harness to communicate your message in a gripping way.

Tip: the fear that your systems designer or CEO wouldn't want or have time to appear in marketing content is often misplaced. Surprisingly,many are happy to be featured.

3. Find a myth - and debunk it

There are myths and misconceptions associated with every industry. Turn them into content!

The True or False content format is a classic for a reason. When you ask the dumb questions no one dares to ask, and answer them, many in your target audience will be grateful. This is why those doctor columns were the most popular content in teen magazines.

Busting myths or answering silly questions is a format that can be applied to almost any industry, from electricity to insurance and to finance to construction. Make sure to phrase the question in a compelling way.

For added interest, consider the format in which you provide the answers. Short Thumb-stopping videos might do wonders.

Got a tough topic? No problem. Reach out—we specialize in transforming the “unmarketable” into scroll-stopping stories your audience will love.

Video advertising on Sanoma’s news sites stops the scroll – research shows

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 06:39:47 GMT

Video advertising is one of the most effective ways to make an impact. These three researched facts gathered by Video Commercial Manager Tuomo Sinkkonen show that the attention value of video advertising in Sanoma’s news media environment beats the social media giants.

Fact 1: Video ads placed on news sites have higher view rate than you'd think.

People tend to spend more time on news media sites compared to other websites. The strength of news sites in terms of video advertising is that they are scrolled through 31 % slower than, for example, social media sites.

The biggest challenge for video marketing is to get your target audience to pause at your content. According to research, a video in Sanoma’s news media environment stops the scroll. With videos watched 25% through as the baseline, every tenth person (10.3% of the audience) continues to watch after the first few seconds when a video is posted on Facebook or Instagram feed, stories or reels. In Sanoma’s news environment, half (50.1%) of the audience is still watching at that point*.

1.8% of video ads on Facebook and Instagram are viewed through. In Sanoma’s news environment, the figure is several times higher: 24.9%**.

So, a video ad has a much better chance of being viewed when placed in a news environment. Creative execution naturally plays an important role in whether advertising is noticed or not.

Read how dairy company Juustoportti’s bold and colourful video advertising stopped thumbs in Sanoma’s news media and boosted the launch of their new protein products.

Fact 2: Video ads placed on news sites have better attention value than you'd think.

Viomba’s eye movement study measured the number of ad impressions on the screen, the number of the ones that loaded, how many participants at least glanced at the advertising, and the amount of time the video ad was viewed for.

The results show that in the mobile view of IS.fi, 83% of ads are seen in one way or another, while in a Facebook feed, for example, that number is no more than 46%***.

When it comes to measuring attention, a news environment does quite nicely compare with social media.

Fact 3: Creative makes the figures.

More than 600 video ads were published on IS.fi from January to March 2024. An analysis of them showed that a visually clear creative works best on news sites. The best-performing ads were the ones that provided visual pleasure. Playfulness, cheerfulness and colours do the trick, as do elements moving in a surprising direction. A close-up of a human face is an effective way to capture attention. Creative content made for social media can well be used in Sanoma’s network. When measured with video metrics, it’s likely to perform even better in that environment.

Watch this minute long video where Tuomo offers you some creative tips and shares three key insights on video marketing in Finland.

*Source: Spots of 0–3 seconds. Nelonen Media, HS, IS, Videolle. Meta Business Manager 2023–2024, 255 million ad impressions, videos viewed up to 25% in relation to starts. Sanoma’s outstream campaigns 2023–2024. 730 million ad impressions, videos viewed up to 25% in relation to starts.

**Source: Spots of 0–3 seconds. Videos viewed 100% in relation to starts. Nelonen Media, HS, IS, Videolle. Meta Business Manager 2023–2024, 255 million ad impressions. Sanoma’s outstream campaigns 2023–2024. 730 million ad impressions.

***Source: IS instream & outstream video advertising. Viomba January–March 2024. FB feed, Lumen digital panels, IG, TikTok, Lumen studies.

Finns' trust and interest in news remains among the highest in the world

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:01:51 GMT

The survey results are also good news for advertisers. 75% of Finns say they trust most of the news they follow and 67% believe that most news can be trusted, according to the Digital News Report 2025 survey by the Reuters Institute at Oxford University.

In Finland, trust in news has been more common than in other countries throughout the survey's measurement history. High-income and highly educated people are more likely to trust the news than low-income and less educated people.

Sanoma's news media reach the majority of Finns on a weekly basis. We have a high-quality, free media and an uncompromising professional ethic. Our news media are respected and Finns typically find their news by visiting directly to mediasites or apps.

"For advertisers, this is good news. In addition to reach, a safe media environment also strengthens the message of the ad," says Pia Hauskaviita , Marketing Manager at Sanoma.

Finland also has a higher share of people interested in news than most other countries in the comparison. 63% of Finns are very or quite interested in the news. Men (71%) are more interested in news than women (56%). The share of people with a high level of education and high income who are interested in news is also higher than average.

Finns want to be up to date on current events. They also enjoy the news for a long time. For example, our biggest news paper, Helsingin Sanomat, is read for about an hour a day on average. "For advertisers, this means that advertising also gets more attention. Reading and browsing the news media is slower and more concentrated than on social media," says Hauskaviita.

In most of the countries surveyed, text has remained the most popular form of online news presentation. This is particularly the case in Finland, where people are far more likely to read online news than to watch or listen to it than in other countries. On the other hand, Finland is the only country in the comparison where news videos are more typically viewed on news sites than on social media.

"The video format in news media is therefore a great choice for advertisers. When you use the Katselutakuuvideo (viewing guaranteed -video), we promise that your video ad will be watched until the end and you will only pay for the final views," Hauskaviita sums up.

The Reuters Digital News Report compares news consumption in 48 countries. The data is based on a survey of around 2,000 respondents in each country. The survey is conducted annually and Finland has been participating since 2014. The report is funded by the Media Research Foundation. This year's survey was conducted in January and February as an online survey by the YouGov research institute.
Read more about how Juustoportti’s bold and colourful video advertising stopped thumbs in Sanoma’s news media.

Juustoportti’s bold and colourful video advertising stopped thumbs in Sanoma’s news media

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 11:29:38 GMT

Dairy company Juustoportti’s eye-catching campaign boosted the launch of their new protein products. Outstream video advertising in popular news media is a perfect match for a TV campaign and a productive next step after focusing on social media.

Juustoportti’s video ads created a contrast between popular sugary snacks and the healthier option of protein puddings. This, along with the bright and uplifting visuals, resulted in outstanding performance in Sanoma’s news media.

“The objective of the creative execution was to build differentiation and make a connection between our products and any moment you need a snack,” says Juustoportti’s Marketing Manager Miikka Honkasalo .

When it comes to effective video advertising on news media, Juustoportti’s ads tick many boxes.

“Juustoportti and their partner Folk Finland made brilliant use of colours and bold simplicity. The video ads are like traffic signs in the way they make you pause. This is a clear strength in a visually crowded environment,” says Sanoma’s Tuomo Sinkkonen , Business Manager, Total TV & Video.

Watch a minute long video where Tuomo gives crative tips and shares three key insights on video marketing in Finland.

TV and news media video make a dream team

Over 300 million weekly page views – reach the Finns in Sanoma’s news media

Sanoma’s largest news media Helsingin Sanomat and Ilta-Sanomat reach readers across the nation. Combined, the two exceed 300 million page views a week.

The Ilta-Sanomat website entertains and informs 2.7 million Finns a week with a session frequency of 16.4. Helsingin Sanomat has a regional focus on the Helsinki metropolitan area but also caters to a large nationwide audience that is hungry for high-quality journalism. It reaches 1.7 million readers with an average of 8.5 visits a week.

“When aiming for the masses with your news media video ads, the page views and visit frequency of Sanoma’s network are unmatched in Finland. This also enables effective demographic, regional and interest-based targeting,” says Sebastian Wikman.

News media video is a powerful next step for advertisers who wish to expand their reach outside social media. When it comes to view-through rates and attention value, video advertising in Sanoma’s news media far surpasses that done in the largest social media channels. Read more about our research - Video advertising on Sanoma's news sites!

“If you have mostly relied on social media in Finland and already have video content ready to go, our network can give you an impressive number of new contacts with relatively little effort.”

The multimedia approach: reaching target audiences throughout the day

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 10:20:32 GMT

Brands looking to reach their audiences often invest much in style and messaging while forgetting the importance of timing. “Different groups consume media differently, making media decisions and data about media consumers important,” says Tiina Virtanen, Head of Insight & marketing solutions at Sanoma.

Timing is often everything when it comes to advertising, especially when trying to reach particular audiences. Reaching audiences at different times is easier with knowledge about specific media, as they are consumed in varying ways.

Generational marketing stresses the importance of age groups in the formation of media habits. Think, for example, TikTok and print media – they naturally require unique touches but also peak at different hours.

What are some keys to reaching audiences at different touchpoints throughout the day?

Make media decisions based on audiences

We live in a shattered media landscape, where we consume more than one media daily. Therefore, your chances of reaching target audiences is much higher when messages are dispersed across different media.

“Television and radio is usually an excellent combo, as they complement each other and provide advertisers with a good starting point for reaching people throughout the day,” says Tiina Virtanen .

Reaching people at different times of the day requires its own touch. At Sanoma, it often starts with audience segmentation – finding out where and how specific groups consume media. Once the audiences most crucial for your specific brand have been mapped out at a highly specific level, you can use important data to find out the times and channels and for most likely reaching these groups.

We consume more than one media daily

Consider the unique traits of each media

Once you’ve decided on the media, designing messaging and other details with the media-specific characteristics in mind. Lose the generic approach to ensure the best possible reach for your advertising efforts.

Consider how the different media are consumed. Long spot TV ads, for example, don’t work in instream video advertising. Content and tone also matter in different media during different times. Mornings may be well-suited for more relaxed messaging and styles, whereas the daytime and evenings may require a different tone. Again, make it diverse: don’t just settle for reaching the early birds if you want large coverage.

"Content and tone matter in different media during different times."

Remember timing, too. Radio is the media that kicks off the day early on, whereas peaks for television and magazine consumption are often later. Even within different media, such as radio, the nitty-gritty counts: Which radio channel will work best?

Be consistent

Even with the characteristics of each media in mind, be consistent. When you build campaigns with recognizable, unique messaging distributed at different times and across touchpoints, you have the best chance of standing out and reaching the masses.

With a data-driven partner like Sanoma, brands can get valuable information on what certain audiences want to see and hear on different media, down to the specifics. International brands don’t need to know the Finnish market before getting started, except that it is different from the other Nordic countries. Sanoma also provides access to its extensive channels.

“Sanoma helps brands tailor their messaging so that it gets maximum exposure, in just the right groups. We are the only media house that can provide access to media consumers from morning to night,” Virtanen concludes.

Considering media advertising in Finland? We’d love to help.

Get in touch >>

Video demonstrates Sanoma's media reach people throughout the day.

Kia sparks conversations with their bold and satirical front-page ads

Tue, 27 May 2025 12:23:48 GMT

Kia’s front-page advertisements have resulted in plenty of earned media and boosted their brand as a forerunner in electric cars. Helsingin Sanomat, a trusted icon of Finnish media, lends both visibility and reliability to advertising on its pages.

Kia aims for strong growth in the electric car market, which is reflected in their brand concept ‘Counterforce to Status Brands’. The goal is to make people rethink their preference of certain electric car brands; these days, the alternatives are just as advanced.

“Lukewarm changes nothing, so we want to do something that stands out and move Kia’s brand image towards the premium segment,” says Head of Marketing & PR Niina Ahokas from Astara Finland.

Using satire to tap into societal talking points

Satirical humour invites the reader to put two and two together and makes as lasting impression. Kia Finland has made use of current talking points and wordplay to light-heartedly poke the status quo of the car industry.

“Comparative or playfully satirical advertising is highly successful abroad, but so far, there are few examples of it in Finland,” Ahokas says.

Kia is shifting its image from affordable option to forerunner

To determine the direction of their new brand concept, Kia carried out a strategic segmentation in Finland. This revealed that old perceptions die hard; Kia has had a persistent image as an affordable Korean car with a long warranty.

“In the past, Kia has been favoured by consumers looking for an affordable vehicle, and brand preference has been notably lower among those considering more expensive options. Our growth opportunities lie upmarket,” Ahokas explains.

Recent research shows a clear shift in the brand’s image.

“The uplift on the claim ‘Kia is a forerunner in electric cars’ is 175 per cent. Our brand image has significantly improved in the segment that prefers more expensive cars, and we’ve had encouraging feedback from our competitors, partners, consumers and the target group, especially.”

Additionally, there is remarkable growth in purchase intent and marketing recall compared to last year. Kia’s market share in electric cars is now 7,5 per cent compared to 4 per cent in mid-2024.

Helsingin Sanomat is a statement spot for brand advertising

Kia has had two front-page ads in Helsingin Sanomat following the new brand concept. Niina Ahokas considers the front page a statement medium.

“It’s a premium spot with an air of a big campaign that truly gets noticed. The first campaign already proved its effectiveness and profitability. The discussions our ads have started have gained us a significant amount of earned media,” Ahokas applauds.

Medina calls the Helsingin Sanomat front page ‘the crown jewel of Finnish media’.

“Especially when launching a new brand or uplifting your image like Kia, the front page boosts your credibility and helps reach an audience with significant purchasing power. It can also be used to message your plans and ambitions to potential partners or stakeholders.”

Naturally, the creative execution is crucial; when the spot is yours, it needs to be used well. Kia’s fully local campaign concept was designed by Folk Finland and ToinenPHD.

“Combining a front-page ad with digital platforms and targeting will bring even better results, and a smart and eye-catching concept creates impressions beyond print,” Medina says.

Create a local campaign that resonates with the help of Sanoma Content Studio

Summer events and festivals are an opportunity for authentic encounters with Finnish consumers

Tue, 27 May 2025 12:12:36 GMT

The Finnish winter is long and harsh, but when summer arrives, the entire nation comes alive. Summer events and festivals provide the perfect setting for brands to catch Finns at their most joyful and create lasting memories and impressions.

Festivals are an integral part of the Finnish summer. According to LiveFIN ry, there were 462 festivals in Finland in summer 2024, with 2.8 million visits in total.

“We have everything from rock to folk music and opera to rap parties. The winter makes it hard to organise big events, but in the summer, there’s at least one in every town and village,” illustrates Olavi Kajantie , Business Manager, Events from Sanoma.

The popularity of domestic music in Finland drives ticket sales. All ten songs and albums on Spotify’s Top 10 lists in 2024 were by Finnish artists. It’s a telling fact that Taylor Swift was the only non-Finnish artist to make it among the Top 10 most streamed artists in Finland.

“Finnish music is a huge part of our musical landscape. As with advertising, Finns relate to songs sung in their own languages.”

Sanoma’s Nelonen Media Live produces 13 summer festivals that attract a wide range of people across demographics. The titles include well-known and loved festivals such as Rockfest, Suomipop Festivaali, Tikkurila Festivaali, Jysäri and Raumanmeren Juhannus.

Making meaningful memories in real life

For a brand, a festival partnership is an excellent way to connect with Finns.

“A direct contact between a brand and a consumer in a real-life setting, with no interfering technology, leaves a mark. Events create quality contacts,” Kajantie points out.

Sanoma is on a mission to bring meaningful moments and encounters to the forefront of festival production. For brands, this means putting the product aside for a minute and focusing on presence and service.

“Festivalgoers often appreciate an opportunity to relax and take a breath, and a space for that is an excellent example of what a brand could offer. Instead of selling anything, you can create a lasting impression by being there when a need arises.”

The key is to provide an experience and match the environment. Create something fun and memorable – a glitter station or a jewellery workshop in your brand colours, for example.

“This is something that appeals to Gen Z, too. When asked, they claim they don’t want to be advertised to, but their media environment is filled with commercial messaging. The trick is, advertising needs to happen in a context, and festivals and events provide just that,” Kajantie says.

Expand your campaign across media

The best results come from including an event as a part of a bigger campaign that spans a variety of media. On top of handling festival production, Sanoma offers a wide range of media and expertise that makes it simple to plan a comprehensive campaign. Try some of these tricks:

Pair an ad campaign on radio with visibility at a music festival . Many of Sanoma’s festivals have a partnering radio station .

“A radio campaign that includes a ticket giveaway is an incredibly effective means of collecting data,” Kajantie says.

Radio is summer media, as our survey reveals A quarter of Finns listen to the radio more during the summer, according to the Summer of Audio 2025 (Audion kesä 2025).

Good vibes shared through social media generate buzz outside the festival gates, too . Take popular Finnish influencers on board and make sure to create content on the spot.

“A festival is a perfect place for content creation as people are genuinely happy and willing to appear alongside the brand with smiles on their faces. The joy is authentic, not staged,” Kajantie explains.

Keep the message and tone of voice consistent across media environments . The creative professionals of Sanoma Content Studio can help you there.

When in contact with your target group, use the opportunity to gather data . After the event, you can catch your audience in Sanoma’s digital media .

Ready to kickstart your campaign? Contact us!

Effective e-commerce marketing with data

Tue, 20 May 2025 12:26:38 GMT

Taking advantage of Sanoma’s data partnerships while utilising your customer data will accelerate e-commerce customer loyalty and sales growth. E-commerce Marketing Strategist Mia Lähdesalmi and Data’s Business Manager Veli-Matti Nurmela explain how you should use your data.

Read the summary:

Customer loyalty: In an online shop, customer loyalty comes from inspiring, personally tailored experiences based on trust and smooth service.
Benefits of Sanoma’s data partnerships: Personalised customer experiences, far-reaching messages and effective audience analytics reinforce customer preference, and guide purchasing decisions. This is how you drive conversions and build long-term customer relationships.
Loyalty programmes: Qualitative and quantitative data collection through loyalty programmes is key to understanding the customer experience – genuine value is created when data drives tangible actions such as personalised benefits and rewards.
Customer lifecycle value: Utilising your customer data will help focus your marketing efforts on the most productive customers and expand your target group to new customers that resemble the best customers today.
Sanoma’s channels: Sanoma’s channels help reach app users who have not given their consent for notifications or newsletters. Targeted advertising in different channels ensures that customers are reached effectively.

In an online shop, customer loyalty comes from offering the customer inspiring, personally tailored experiences based on trust and smooth service. You will succeed in this by using your customer data efficiently – and tracking loyalty trends with the right metrics. For example, the preference percentage – that is, how many customers choose your brand instead of a competitor’s – is a key indicator in monitoring customer loyalty. Sanoma’s data partnerships support the growth of this metric by providing timely messages, repetitive visibility and continuous interaction – elements that strengthen engagement with your online shop. This strengthens customer preference and keeps your brand top-of-mind exactly when the purchase decision is being made.

Target accurately and efficiently with Sanoma’s data partnership

Sanoma’s Custom Audiences service takes the utilisation of customer data to an efficient level. With the help of the service, you can reach those customers in Sanoma’s extensive digital network who are interested in your products or services,, or who have already purchased them. You can also expand your audience with look-a-like audiences that resemble your best customers and are ready to buy.

For example, in a campaign targeted at one of our partners’ current customers, just under 10% of the clicks came from their existing audience, but almost 60% of campaign conversions came from these clicks. This shows how effective it is to reach the right audiences at the right time.

Sanoma’s data partnerships enable more accurate analysis of customer behaviour, allowing you to create more relevant and attractive offers for your customers.

The power of your data in increasing customer loyalty – leverage AI, personalisation and customer feedback

Using your customer data actively is an effective way to improve customer loyalty. AI helps you analyse both purchasing behaviour and zero-party data provided by the customer, such as survey responses and product reviews. By using this data, it is possible to personalise offers more accurately and target rucksacks or other hiking products at people who bought hiking shoes, for example. This increases customer value and encourages the customer to come back and continue shopping.

By collecting and utilising both quantitative and qualitative data through a loyalty programme, it is possible to continuously develop the customer experience. Benefits, messages and rewards tailored based on data increase customer engagement – that is, a customer engagement metric that describes customer activity such as the use of points and responding to messages. When a customer feels they are getting value, their interaction with your online shop increases. You can also use your data to continuously develop marketing strategies according to the behaviour of the customer base, creating a potential cycle for customer loyalty and conversion growth.

Tip: Take advantage of Sanoma’s channels to reach users of your mobile app

It can be particularly difficult to engage users of your online shop app who have not given their consent to notifications or newsletters. Sometimes, customers have done this unknowingly and would actually like to interact with your online shop. This is where you can turn to Sanoma’s channels for help.

By leveraging Sanoma’s data partnership, you can reach this group in a targeted way through various channels such as banner advertising or videos. For example, your ad can appear to your customer as a 30-second video during the ad break for The Voice of Finland. This ensures that you reach your customers even if they have not consented to newsletters or notifications – you can still reach them in Sanoma’s channels.

Invest in the most productive customers and expand your customer base

If you are already monitoring your customer’s value over the entire customer lifecycle – Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) – utilising your customer data will help you focus your marketing efforts on the most productive customers or highlight those efforts for them. For example, if 20% of your customers generate 80% of your revenue, it pays to invest more in these profitable customers. At the same time, AI and audience analytics can help you expand your target audience to new customers that are best aligned with your existing best customers. This gives you the opportunity to achieve higher conversions and grow your business.

Get more effective campaigns, better coverage and customer loyalty with Sanoma

In a successful online shop, the utilisation of customer data is already self-evident, but to get the most out of it, you need smart tools and skilled partners. Sanoma’s data partnerships enable precisely targeted campaigns based on real-time customer behaviour. You will get a genuine boost in coverage – you can reach even the customers your channels do not reach. In addition, there is no need to constantly reinvent the message: unlike newsletters or notifications, you can repeat the same content effectively without it seeming distracting – you will get more repetition with less effort and expenses.

These factors together are what keep your brand top-of-mind. When it is time to make the purchase, the customer knows to go directly to your online shop instead of Googling. When your online shop remains visible and relevant throughout the customer journey, you generate not only one-time sales but also long-term customer loyalty, which can increase customer preference for your shop.

Contact us and take your business to the next level with Sanoma’s data partnership!

Sanoma’s Marketing Strategist Mia Lähdesalmi worked for five years on a global e-commerce marketing strategy in Zalando’s large markets in Central and Southern Europe. Data’s Business Manager Veli-Matti Nurmela is responsible for Sanoma’s targeting data business. He has over 10 years of experience in digital advertising and data.

Sanoma’s survey: Finns spend more spontaneously in summer

Tue, 20 May 2025 09:58:14 GMT

Sanoma’s survey: More than half of Finns spend money more spontaneously in summer than other times of year

A quarter of Finns listen to the radio more during the summer, according to the Summer of Audio 2025 (Audion kesä 2025) survey.

The most popular ways for Finns to spend the summer are staying at home, going to their summer cottages and travelling domestically. July firmly holds its place as the most popular summer holiday month.

People spend more money during the summer than usual, and more than half of Finns consume more spontaneously than in other seasons. Spending increases, especially in restaurants and cafes, at events, and when travelling.

People also make larger purchases during the summer. The most commonly considered purchase is a car.

Rental services are also preferred during the summer. Fifteen per cent of respondents are considering renting a summer cottage.

Consumers feel that advertising offers good tips for summer activities, products and services.

Tip! You can also purchase Sanoma radio channels regionally and target your message where it’s most needed.

You can also reach Finnish holidaymakers through the radio

Radio is the ultimate summertime medium. A quarter of Finns listen to the radio more during summertime. Good music is part of summer, and car trips pass enjoyably when listening to the radio. The radio is also a common companion at summer cottages and holiday homes.

Tip! Use radio to reach your target audience efficiently in the outbound and return traffic of Midsummer week.

Finns also remain loyal to their favourite radio channels during the summer and rarely switch channels.

Radio and podcasts are a powerful pair for summer marketing

Podcasts are starting to become mainstream. Already, 41% of Finns and 65% of people under the age of 30 listen to podcasts. There are listeners of all ages – and listening increases during the summer. The most popular podcast topics are humour, news and current affairs, and finance and investing. Podcast listeners also increase their radio listening during the summer, so radio and podcasts are a particularly effective pair for summer marketing.

Audio articles are a convenient new way to consume news media content. Listening to them has increased, and a large share of current audio article listeners expect to increase their consumption during the summer.

Be seen at festivals and influence brand image

Festivals are part of summer. In the summer of 2025, more than a quarter of Finns aged 18–69 plan to go to concerts and music festivals. Young people are particularly active festivalgoers. Festivalgoers say that event visibility has a positive impact on brand image – so it’s a good idea to be there!

Tip! Offer experiences to Finns through engaging radio competitions and leverage the power of content collaboration.

Did you get interested in audio advertising or would you like to hear more about Finns' consumption intentions in the summer?

The Summer of Audio 2025 survey was carried out in Sanoma’s Suomitutka panel from 7 to 12 March. The survey explored Finnish holiday plans, consumption behaviour and changes in media consumption during the summer compared to other seasons. The target group of the survey was 18–69-year-olds (n=552).

The Finnish gaming market is opening to competition – here’s what we now know about the gambling reform

Mon, 12 May 2025 10:02:34 GMT

The Finns do not shy away from gaming – traditionally, we’ve been taught to embrace it by the state-owned Veikkaus. Now, Finland is planning to end Veikkaus’ monopoly in 2027, opening betting and online gambling games for competition

The doors to the Finnish gambling market are set to open in stages. A licence model will be used to regulate the market and prevent gambling-related harm. While licenced game companies will have to agree to preventative measures, they will also be allowed previously prohibited marketing opportunities in Finland. Update (December 2025): The new gambling legislation was just approved by the Finnish Parliament. License applications opening March 2026 and market launch expected in July 2027.

“The licence model is a matter of credibility and responsible business. Finns place more trust in companies that operate under the regulated system,” says Client Group Director Teemu Savolainen from Sanoma.

The details of the legislation will affect the number of companies that wish to enter Finland. Estimates vary from 30 to 50.

“The potential that companies will see in Finland will heavily depend on the final legislation,” says Savolainen.

When will the gambling reform happen in Finland?

The estimated timeline of the gambling reform looks like this: (Updated december 2025)

The new gambling legislation is now approved by the Finnish Parliament
The B2C license application process will start on 1 March 2026
License based gambling market to go live on 1 July 2027
The B2B license application process will start on 1 July 2027
B2B licenses reguired as of 1 July 2028

What does the new legislation look like?

The final content of the new gaming legislation is still being finalised. However, the following elements are now confirmed in the latest draft:

Licensed Market: Digital casinos, slots, bingo, sports betting (5-year licenses)
Monopoly Market: Lottery, scratch games, physical casinos, and land-based slots
GGR Tax: 22% for licensed operators, plus an annual supervision fee (€4,000–€400,000)
Responsible Gambling Requirements: Operators must provide strict player protection tools
B2B Licensing: Required from January 2028

What will companies need to do to prevent gambling-related harm?

Licensed companies must offer robust player protection tools. Customers will need to set personal deposit limits before they can play. Authorities may impose additional restrictions on high-risk game types, such as setting round limits or loss caps.

What are the suggested restrictions to marketing?

Marketing will be permitted under strict conditions, with particular focus on protecting vulnerable groups. Updated highlights:

Marketing will be allowed
Affiliate marketing will be forbidden
Bonuses may only be offered to existing customers (welcome bonuses are not permitted)

The key principle of gambling marketing in Finland is to protect children and youth from gambling harm as well as prevent further harm to the individuals already afflicted. This will be the spirit of the new legislation, too.

The new bill would allow licenced companies to use several marketing channels:

The company’s own websites and social media accounts
Linear TV and radio
Print media and digital media
Outdoor advertising (with location restrictions)
Advertising in physical gaming facilities (where the advertised games are available)
Sponsorships (excluding those targeting minors)

To protect vulnerable groups, outdoor advertising would be prohibited close to educational institutions and healthcare facilities. In addition, the bill would not permit sponsorships involving underage audiences.

Read more: Five things to consider when planning your marketing in the Finnish gaming market

Will the new legislation allow bonuses?

Yes – but with tighter controls. The current draft allows bonuses to existing, established customers within certain restraints and not as welcome offers. Acceptable forms could be

an item not related to gaming such a ticket to an event, a product or a service for free or at a discounted price
a moderate deposit that can’t be directly withdrawn and is not related to the amount of money or time spent on gaming.

The rules on bonuses need to be communicated to the customers in a clear and transparent way. The bonus system should not jeopardise the objective to protect players from gambling harm.

Why is the Finnish gambling legislation changing?

In recent years, Veikkaus’ dominance has eroded as Finnish players have increasingly turned to offshore gambling companies. The channelling rate has dropped, and the monopoly no longer functions effectively.

“As Finnish gaming habits turn to foreign markets, Finland loses tax money and has no way to monitor or prevent harmful gambling. The situation has also placed Veikkaus in an unfair disadvantage as the only company whose offering and marketing are regulated.”

Savolainen considers the gambling reform a welcome step, bringing more operators under a common legal framework.

Contact Sanoma to discuss the current situation of gambling legislation and marketing in Finland!

Teemu Savolainen
Client Group Director
eCom & Gaming

Book a meeting
teemu.savolainen@sanoma.com

Grow your B2B brand through popular media – that’s where the decision-makers are

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 06:24:29 GMT

An ad in a tabloid will capture the attention of more B2B decision-makers than one in niche media – while also building widespread brand awareness. Don’t shy away from popular media with your B2B advertising, say Sanoma’s experts.

’Be where your audience is’ is a given, but when it comes to locating B2B decision-makers, many marketers seem to draw a blank.

”Throughout my career, I’ve heard it said over and over again that B2B decision-makers are a mysterious bunch; we don’t know who they are and it’s difficult and expensive to find out,” says Sanoma’s Insight and Research Specialist Sari Kärki .

The truth is, B2B decision-makers are people with work and personal lives that intersect. They are consumers and media users like the rest of us.

“It’s easy to go for business or industry-related publication with a narrow audience but given the way we all use media these days, I find this slightly old-fashioned,” says Client Manager Sebastian Wikman .

A popular tabloid reaches 66 per cent of decision-makers weekly

Sanoma asked those in B2B decision-making positions to reflect on their media use in the past week. The results: the tabloid Ilta-Sanomat reaches 66 per cent of all decision-makers weekly, while the financial news outlet Kauppalehti reaches 30 per cent.

Regional differences are characteristic of the Finnish business and industry landscape, but Sanoma’s media have a strong reach among decision-makers across the country.

Around 50 per cent of decision-makers nationwide said they visited the Helsingin Sanomat website in the past week, despite it being a news service with an emphasis on the Helsinki metropolitan area. In the top 15 of media used by the target group, Helsingin Sanomat took sixth place.

“I can confidently say that Helsingin Sanomat reaches a B2B decision-maker more effectively than it does an average Finnish consumer. The financial and technology section Visio adds to the attraction,” Kärki states.

Your Sanoma contact can tell you more about our research on B2B decision-making and buying processes. Give us a call!

”You can’t grow a brand by advertising to a handful of people”

When building brand awareness or launching a new product, there’s power in the masses.

“Let’s say you advertise on a niche platform with 100 readers in your target group and half of them react to your advertising. Compare that to a larger publication that reaches 1 000 decision-makers, 20 per cent of whom react,” Kärki illustrates.

Not every contact you make through mass media is immediately relevant. Kärki and Wikman wish more B2B companies would recognise the benefits of broader brand awareness instead of aiming for zero irrelevant contacts.

“Not every TV viewer is the right match for every B2C advertiser, but TV campaigns are still incredibly effective. Similarly, not all readers of Ilta-Sanomat are business decision-makers, but you can’t grow a brand by advertising to a handful of people,” Kärki points out.

When your marketing goals do require more specific targeting, Sanoma uses first-party data to target and model the right audience according to age, income level and industry as well as company size and turnover.

Modern decision-making happens in multiple channels

The number of media and apps we use keeps growing. So does the amount of research B2B decision-makers do before a reaching decision, Sanoma’s data shows.

Acquisition processes in large companies often require detailed information, but the smaller the company is, the more consumer-like their decision-making becomes. This could mean an enhanced role of social media.

“Finland has a massive number of small businesses, and even the clients who need a white paper may first spot you through another channel entirely. A modern decision-maker uses media in a modern and multichannel way,” says Sari Kärki.

Don’t overlook women and future leaders

So, who are the B2B decision-makers? Here’s another answer to the age-old dilemma: not all of them are men in the 55+ age category.

Instead of sticking to strictly business-related media, take a closer look at the different demographics within your target group and tap into their media use outside of work.

“We can compare the readership of any publication with the characteristics of your target group. A magazine such as Gloria, for example, has a reader profile that overlaps nicely with the profile of a female decision-maker,” Kärki says.

Again, the media use of the younger generation of leaders is far from what we might expect from a B2B decision-maker. Reaching them requires the courage to broaden your media choices. This also ties into the question of brand longevity.

“Who are the future decision-makers you will need to convince in a decade? How can you create a long-lasting brand impression ahead of time?” Wikman asks.

Give us a Minute: How to buy programmatic advertising in Finland

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:15:42 GMT

In this minute long video Senior Programmatic Manager Miia Salmi tells you how the buyers buy programmatic advertising from Sanoma. There is two options, open auction and deals, that are the most used one. Learn why from the video.

Programmatic buying lets you purchase media directly through platforms. It helps optimize campaigns in real-time and uses data to target ads effectively. You can buy media programmatically across the entire Sanoma network.

When buying advertising space from Sanoma, you can be certain that your ads will appear in a safe, high-quality and reliable media environment.

Here are some shortcuts to get you started:

Give us a Minute: Programmatic advertising opportunities in Finland

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:08:57 GMT

In this minute long video programmatic manager Matias Kunttu guides you through some of our programmatic opportunities in Sanoma. We have first party user data that can be used on targeting your advertising to the right audience in the right environment. We provide wide range of solutions: Display native, outstream, instream and connected TV formats.

When buying advertising space from Sanoma, you can be certain that your ads will appear in a safe, high-quality and reliable media environment.

Here are some shortcuts to get you started:

Inspiring B2B brands stimulate and entertain

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:53:45 GMT

Changes in the decision-maker profile should affect everything in B2B marketing, writes Tiina Kosonen.

We are used thinking of B2B decision-makers being men in suits sitting at a conference table. This is also how AI tools see them. Similar stereotypical imagery and behaviour is seen surprisingly often in B2B marketing. However, the decision-maker profile has undergone a rapid generational shift as millennials have moved into leadership positions in large numbers.

With this shift, how decision-makers can be reached will also change. As a B2B marketer, I would pay particular attention to the following:

1. Private and professional personas are merging

Almost 60% of Finnish decision-makers think that work is more than just a job for them.* Almost as many people think about work matters in their free time.* Professional and private identities have become more intermingled than ever. While the right time for presence was previously discussed among B2B marketers, there is no wrong time nowadays.

2. Lessons from consumer marketing

Cliché but true: however large the company, its decision-makers are just human beings. As the lines between decision-makers’ work and personal lives are becoming blurred, B2B marketing should take a leaf out of consumer marketing’s book. A whitepaper packed with data and made available for download or an advertisement published in an industry print magazine may no longer reach the right audience. A modern decision-maker uses media in a modern, multi-channel manner and wants to be inspired in the work context as well.

3. Heart and not just head

Working-life decisions are not based solely on reason. In addition to price and quality, emotions affect decision-making. For example: Is the contact person the kind of person with whom I want to share my working life? Or: My image of that company is old-fashioned. Also, in the B2B context, inspiring brands are the most effective and have most impact. Inspiring brands are also:

5 times more likely to be the buyer's first choice**
20%more reliable**

Inspiring brands treat decision-makers as human beings. They want to inspire and entertain potential and existing customers, not just inform and teach them.

Sources:

*B2B-päättäjän ostoprosessi (B2B decision-maker’s purchase process), Sanoma 2024
** Inspire research, Wunderman Thompson

4. Thought leadership and inspiration go hand in hand

Inspiring B2B brands typically thrive. They are in demand, and lead conversion is easier for them than for the average brand. Typically, customers are also willing to pay more for products or services from such brands. Inspiring brands are often involved in discussions and are more likely to be considered. The reason is that an inspiring brand is often also a thought leader in its field.

So you should gain a sense of how the decision-maker behaves, and what they think. Only by understanding your target audience can you build truly distinctive marketing and thought leadership.

The author is a marketing strategist at Sanoma.

Sanoma research: B2B decision-makers increasingly seek information to support their decisions

A study conducted by Sanoma reveals the criteria B2B decision-makers use to make decisions about product and service purchases. The study also examined other stages of the purchasing path, from information search to the size of the consideration list and the importance of marketing communications. The research was conducted in the Finnish market with B2B decision-makers.

Contact us for full report!

How to Win Over the Finnish Consumer and Succeed in the Finnish Market

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:53:51 GMT

Conquering a new market always involves risks, but you can accelerate a successful market-entry with timely and well-targeted marketing efforts, says Sebastian Wikman, Sanoma's International Key Account Manager.

So when you plans include go to market in Finland and laucnh a new product or service, keep on reading.

Finland is a culturally diverse and technologically advanced country, offering a stable and competitive business environment with numerous opportunities for success. However, foreign companies should consider some key factors when aiming for Finland.

"In Finland, it's surprisingly easy to make a breakthrough even as a lesser-known brand if you focus your marketing efforts in the right channels," says Sebastian Wikman .

The Finnish market has undergone significant digitalization in recent years. The developments are especially evident in digital news media and the strong advertising network built around it, which delivers results for advertisers. However, Wikman emphasizes that Finland is still a real cross-media market when it comes to marketing .

"Television and radio remain powerful advertising platforms, and print advertising still holds its ground. Unlike in many other countries, print advertising has been successfully commercialized in Finland and continues to be viable."

Here is where Finns notably differ from their Nordic neighbors.

Due to distinct media consumption and usage patterns, localizing marketing efforts is crucial for those eyeing the Finnish market. Read more about Media Usage in Finland .

Localization Means More than just Translating

Localization goes beyond merely translating marketing materials used in other countries into Finnish. It also involves considering the Finnish media mix.

"Instead of just translating the message, localization should focus on Finnish marketing channels. It's essential not to replicate what's done elsewhere in the world. The metrics and methods should align with regional goals and specific characteristics." Watch a minute long video and learn three tips for successful content marketing in Finland .

The process of selecting marketing methods should begin with defining the Finnish target audience for the product or service, along with their interests and media usage habits. Finnish consumers welcome brands and services if they see value and a credible presence in correct channels.

"For instance, if you're planning to establish a brick-and-mortar store in Finland, it's crucial to assess what works specifically for in-store shoppers here. In some cases, print could be more effective than digital, and vice versa. Taking the local media mix into account based on objectives is the key to success."

Wikman provides an example of an international client that conducts digital advertising on a local level while running nationwide television campaigns: local presence serves their physical stores, while the larger coverage supports e-commerce.

"Sanoma provides comprehensive recommendations on the best formats and channels for marketing content since we understand target audience behavior and media consumption."
Read more about our Sanoma Content Studio services - Impactful content for all your channels

The Media Environment Matters

One local peculiarity in Finland is a strong trust in news media , even by international standards. News media is consumed widely, both in print and digital formats. Consequently, the media environment significantly influences how we trust brands.

"A robust and independent press enhances advertising credibility as a platform, and that's why it's worth being visible there," explains Wikman.

Sanoma's media network reaches nearly all Finns, and besides credibility, brands aiming for success in the Finnish market benefit from exceptional coverage.

"Finland also has a significant amount of direct home-delivered advertising, and things like advertising inserts are still popular. Many international brands have already capitalized this on special publications that we offer."

Build Trust, Reap Results

Investing in marketing in Finland might appear risky as the market size might feel small. However, Wikman points out that this is a misconception.

"Finnish income levels are high, and we have considerable purchasing power. Historically, we've embraced quality brands from Sweden, for instance, as we highly value quality and are willing to pay for it."

Finland's relatively small size makes it easier for companies to achieve nationwide coverage. There are only a few commercial national TV channels , and regional differences are not so vast that a good brand could not potentially impact the entire country. Consider a mix of Total TV and news media video advertising .

Nevertheless, it's important to note that Finnish consumers are well-informed and contemplate factors such as ethics. According to Wikman, the key to success lies in trying different approaches and listening to local experts.

"As a quick rule of thumb, it's advisable not to start off with a too tactical approach. Traditionally in Finland, the ratio has been 60% brand advertising and 40% tactical advertising. So, start by considering where you want your brand to be in a year or in five years. Investing in your brand wins over Finnish hearts – and the market. We may initially seem skeptical and slow to warm up, but we build long-lasting relationships with brands and remain loyal to them."

Now that you know what to do , read 4 things what not to do when starting advertising in Finland.

Get in touch >>

Programmatic advertising in Finland – a Finnish take on current trends and discussions

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 11:41:17 GMT

The Finnish way of thinking and media environment put their unique stamp on every aspect of advertising. What do current talking points in programmatic advertising look like from the perspective of the small Northern market that plays by its own rules?

Effective advertising in Finland often requires a closer look at the market and its tendencies. Sanoma’s digital and programmatic marketing experts share their insights on what’s hot in programmatic advertising right now – and if those points apply to Finland or not.

Disinformation and AI-generated content are still in check

As the amount of disinformation and AI-generated content skyrockets worldwide, gaining and maintaining the trust of your customer is ever more relevant. Appearing in an unreliable context is sure to cut the impact of your advertising.

In this regard, Finland remains somewhat of a haven. There are far less AI-based and made-for-advertising sites compared to many other markets, and the Finns’ trust in news media is an advantage to an advertiser.

“Our users trust that our content is reliable and not AI-generated. High-quality journalism plays an increasingly important role in advertising in general, not just in programmatic buying,” says Senior Programmatic Manager Miia Salmi .

Private marketplace deals are popular in Finland. They are convenient for protecting advertisers from having their message end up in a sketchy environment.

“When using open marketplaces, you need to be aware of the context of your advertising as well as the inventory and information on the site. Deals help you rest assured that your ad is where you want it,” Salmi says.

Curated marketplaces may bring less value in an unfragmented market

Curated marketplaces are another tool for increasing brand safety and securing high-quality inventory. The value of curation is obvious when the market is highly fragmented.

The Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian markets, however, are relatively straightforward. Large media houses have a nationwide reach, and the popularity of deals keeps the cost structure light and transparent. With less need for supply chain optimisation, adding an extra step may be counterintuitive.

“Naturally, curation is worth it when it brings ease, efficiency and transparency instead of added costs. At Sanoma, we don’t dismiss curated marketplaces, but we do want to make sure that the cost structure of the programmatic market stays reasonable,” says Jaakko Kuivalainen , Director of B2B Digital Business.

Miia Salmi points out that a deal with a large publisher such as Sanoma has a lot in common with buying curated inventory, as the context and targeting are always curated to fit the goal of the campaign.

“This is an excellent opportunity for a conversation about our clients’ precise needs and wishes.” Discover Sanoma’s programmatic solutions and products

Request your deal here.

Total TV dominates demand for video advertising – but CTV is also available

CTV is a definite buzzword in the field of programmatic advertising. In Finland, however, it is not as established – despite video inventory being widely available programmatically. Many Finnish advertisers see big-screen video advertising as a part of Total TV rather than as a separate product.

What makes Total TV a tempting option is the advertising measurement that allows joint measuring of advertising across distribution methods. The biggest Finnish commercial broadcasters are all involved in the development project.

“With that, CTV is not as big of a theme in Finland, but we do offer it. Big screens are available with Sanoma through deals,” Kuivalainen concludes.

Direct buying grows in expense of programmatic advertising

Direct relations with publishers and the development of effective options such as Total TV contribute to the fact that programmatic advertising has been in decline in Finland for the past 18 months.

“Compared to more fragmented markets or even the other Nordic countries, programmatic buying in Finland is still finding its place in the advertising toolbox,” Salmi says.

With media houses offering their own buying platforms, direct buying has been growing in expense of programmatic advertising. Direct buying platforms, including those of the likes of Meta and Google, are not considered programmatic in Finland. Statistics in the UK and the US tend to have a broader definition of programmatic advertising and count in any data-based, flexible and optimised advertising.

“From that perspective, advertising through Sanoma’s Ad Manager, for example, is not far removed from programmatic buying. You can make use of your own data, optimise campaigns and do testing,” Kuivalainen explains.

So far, Ad Manager only has been available in Finnish, but there are plans for an English version for Sanoma’s international clientele.

“We’d be happy to discuss interest towards the English version,” Kuivalainen adds.

In any questions, please give us email: programmatic@sanoma.fi . Visit our website Programmatic Buying .

E-commerce trends 2025

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:00:04 GMT

E-commerce trends 2025: Experience, customer understanding, artificial intelligence, partnerships and sustainability.

E-commerce experts tell you what the e-commerce trends and keys to success will be in 2025.

AI and genuine customer understanding

A record-breaking year for express grocery deliveries

Sustainability is an asset in e-commerce

Ecosystem approach and partnerships

Multichannel operations, artificial intelligence and strategic understanding

Digital lending and responsibility are emphasised in the financial sector

A community platform that is an experience in itself, and where the customer is a star

Put your customer register to work – target your advertising with pinpoint precision using custom audiences

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 12:53:58 GMT

Your current and prospective customers are a unique group of people whose shared characteristics go beyond simple demographics. With custom audiences, you can handpick who sees your advertising, create effective personalised campaigns, and better understand the motives of your target group.

Building custom audiences from your own customer register turns mass media into a channel of customer communications.

“This opens a host of opportunities. When you have a distinct message to share, it makes sense to find the key audience instead of investing in a TV spot for two million viewers,” explains Veli-Matti Nurmela , Business Manager, Data from Sanoma.

When working with Sanoma, the pseudonymised customers on your list are identified on Sanoma’s platforms by their email addresses and phone numbers. Logged-in users form a substantial part of traffic in Sanoma’s digital media which, altogether, reach 89 per cent of Finnish people weekly.

Five effective ways to utilise custom audiences

There are plenty of creative examples of how custom audiences can be used to reach the right people on your list at the exact right moment. Veli-Matti Nurmela shares a few:

Widen the reach and raise the impact of your customer communications . Lay the groundwork for an upcoming newsletter by advertising to customers who aren’t yet subscribed or are less likely to open the newsletter.

Build repetition without spamming . Instead of sending numerous emails or text messages, reinforce their impact with an ad campaign in your customers’ favourite media.

Make sure you’re top-of-mind when your customer is making a decision . Time your advertising to the moment a customer is about to renew a subscription service or refresh their supply of a product. Combined with direct contact, custom targeting helps you be present to your customer right when they are thinking of you.

Activate your passive customers. Direct your communications to customers who have left or are at risk of leaving. Catch the eye of Black Friday or Christmas shoppers in between seasons to show the value you could bring them year-round.

Create impressive B2B campaigns . Targeting is often a big challenge when it comes to B2B advertising on mass media. With custom audiences, you can run a 30-second TV ad targeted at 2 000 people on their smart TVs – while appearing like you’re running a nationwide campaign.

Give us a minute - In a minute long video Veli-Matti gives you more examples how to re-engage your customers with digital ads using your own data. Watch the video!

Amp up your customer understanding and acquisition

Custom audiences can also be turned into valuable tools for customer understanding. Through analysis, you can discover details your own data might overlook and create a better understanding of your customers’ motives.

“The purchase data of a travel agent, for example, might show two people buying the same trip to Barcelona. What it doesn’t tell us is that one went there to shop and party, while the other wanted to enjoy tapas and visit the Sagrada Familia. The motives are vastly different, as is the messaging that makes an impact on these two people,” says Nurmela.

Try out these analysis methods:

Look into other online targeting data on your audience as well as their individual media consumption to get an idea of their motives.
Compare your customers with your prospects to understand what keeps the latter from buying.
Create a lookalike audience to grow your customer base with the most potential people.

Keeping your customers’ data safe from start to finish

To get started with custom audiences in Sanoma’s media, you need 300 matches between your customer register and Sanoma’s. A B2C register of 1 000 individuals will get you that. In B2B, phone numbers are the best option as work emails aren’t often used to sign up to news platforms. Even then, a match rate of 25% is not uncommon.

“The number does depend on the register, though – I’ve seen match rates of almost 90% in B2C cases,” Nurmela says.

Dealing with people’s personal information always calls for a discussion on privacy. When signing a contract with Sanoma, you assure you have the permission to share your customers’ data. Sanoma’s UI makes it easy to keep your uploaded data up to date. If not updated in six months, the data is automatically deleted.

“It’s also important to keep in mind that we can’t enrich your CRM data. While we can analyse the data you shared to add to your customer understanding, we can’t return any data to you on an individual level,” Nurmela adds.

Advertise in the largest media in Finland

A Finnish company with servers in the EU, Sanoma is a valuable partner for many advertisers. Even if you’re already using custom audiences on other platforms, advertising to Sanoma’s customer base right next to high-quality journalism will add a new angle to your message and reach.

As the largest media house in Finland, Sanoma has one of the biggest customer registers in the country. Our digital media reach 89% of Finns weekly with 1,2 billion page loads a month. A large amount of the traffic consists of identified users.
Custom audiences can be bought on Sanoma’s Ad Manager, but they can also be combined with programmatic buying in a private marketplace.
Personal customer service and advice is available through chat, email, phone, or meetings – whatever suits you best.

Contact us >

These are the marketing trends of 2025

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 09:30:20 GMT

A group of marketing professionals discuss what is happening in 2025. Their insights highlight the development of artificial intelligence, customer understanding, brand building and changes in consumer behaviour.

From campaign-driven marketing to branding

Towards a visible and inspiring change

The first promises of AI fulfilled

Data-driven marketing and more comprehensive modelling

In 2025, the biggest marketing trend is “why”

The brand is the winning element

Genuine customer understanding at the very heart of marketing

Emphasising the relevance of the brand

The breakthrough of AI-enabled tools continues

Consistent multi-channel marketing strengthens

Artificial intelligence affects the everyday life of marketing professionals; video consumption continues to fragment

Collaborative intelligence evolves, while consumer behaviour changes

How to succeed in the new era of moving image?

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:51:11 GMT

Director Miikka Lommi gives five tips for standing out.

Sanoma’s new advertising spot sends a message: Advertiser, welcome to the new era of moving image.
Sanoma offers comprehensive tv & video solutions for various advertising needs , both nationally and regionally. With moving images, you can find new customers, build and strengthen brand images, and increase sales.

Miikka Lommi, the director of the commercial, describes the new era of the moving image like this:

“Today, the moving image is not restricted to any specific location; instead, it is ubiquitous and present in different durations and formats. The kind of storytelling that we once got used to on linear TV is now scattered across various locations.”

According to Lommi, the new era constitutes an interesting, unchartered territory that we are about to enter.

"Marketers should have their ear to the ground and focus on who they are talking to, while being bolder about allowing their own voice and brand to show. Long-term brand building is not that common nowadays. We're all so used to seeing images that not just any image will do. Being distinctive and having your own voice is increasingly important.”

Attention needs to be earned

Lommi originally entered the industry as a music video director. His work includes Bomfunk MC's music video Freestyler .

“Music videos don't have a ready-made placement, so attention needs to be earned. By making music videos, I have learned to consider how to capture attention.”

How to stand out?

"Close-ups of a person always work well", replies Lommi. “People are interested in other people. That will never change. Also, POV narratives in films are trending right now. The power of music is not likely ever to dissipate.”

According to Lommi, casting was emphasised in Sanoma's spot, and numerous people who have not been seen in advertising before were picked for it.

An unusual direction of movement is also a good way to stand out. In the Freestyler video, Lommi used an image played backwards, an artistic device that he still uses occasionally.

Moving image is increasingly watched without sound, which has a huge impact on the making of advertising spots, according to Lommi.

“There is no point in creating expansive establishing shots. They just make people move on pretty quickly. I would recommend thinking about different cinematic devices, such as images running backwards or upside down. For example, Arla's ad features a child who is upside down. A funny picture immediately captures your attention and works really well even without sound. The story is certainly always important, but it is also important to present scenes and situations using close-ups.”

The fifth trick for attracting attention is a genuine emotional reaction.

"When it comes to emotions, I wish that advertising was bold enough to display the whole array of emotions. The situation in the world is what it is and joy is needed, but not everything needs to be approached in a light-hearted manner.”

Create your own trends

Lommi bemoans the loss of originality in advertising, which has led to everything looking pretty much the same. The drawback of being a follower of trends is that you are always a little late. You can create new trends through your own ideas and observations of the world.

“Anyone who buys or does advertising can do this.”

Original ideas and vision will disappear when you start following others too much.

"Sometimes it feels like advertising is going in a different direction from where you would like it to go.”

Mikka Lommi's favourite among recent advertising films is Pågen's series of commercials .

“I like the series because it has something to say about this period in time. It's funny and also comical.”

What about your own work?

“You're as good as your last job. Sanoma’s film is really great. It's my new favourite. It also looks new and provides insight into the new era. If I had to pick something else too, I would choose the Kodin Kuvalehti magazine’s ad . The story of the ad is true and it mixes different techniques, which makes it stand out from all the other commercials. I would like to see a lot of new and ordinary faces of all appearances, including tired faces, in advertising. After all, that's what all of us usually look like.”

Advertiser, welcome to the new era of moving image!

Gaming in Finland – get to know the Finnish player

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 09:56:56 GMT

Compared to many other European countries, Finland is a small market – but when it comes to gambling, don’t let that fool you. Finland ranks in the global top 5 for gambling per capita, and traditionally, the attitude towards gaming has been liberal.

To put it simply, Finns don’t need to be taught how to play.

“By using gambling profits to support Finnish culture and sports, Veikkaus has established gaming as a positive thing in the Finns’ minds. Everyone has a direct contact to gaming in one way or another. There are slot machines in every grocery store, and scratchcards are given for Christmas,” says Antti Jalonen , Client Partner at Sanoma.

Veikkaus, the current monopoly holder, has over 2,5 million registered users in a country with a population of 5,5 million. The average amount of money a Finnish player spends is also relatively high. For new companies entering the market after the gambling reform , the biggest potential lies in the group that already likes to gamble.

The downside of Finns’ gaming habits is, of course, gambling-related harm. The aim of the upcoming reform is to steer players towards licenced companies that commit to certain harm-reducing actions and agree to regulations.

Lottery to online casinos – how do Finns like to gamble?

The typical Finnish player is a male in the age group of 30 to 59. The most played games in Finland are lottery and slot machines in places other than casinos. Clients of offshore companies favour casino games, betting, and poker.

“Young men who follow sports and are interested in betting have a lot of potential when it comes to other kinds of gaming, too,” says Jalonen.

55 % of Finnish adults currently play Veikkaus’ games only. As the market opens, this group will be exposed to new companies and products, as will be the population that doesn’t gamble at all (30 %). 15 % of Finnish adults are already clients of offshore game companies.

Most gambling takes place online. 44 % of Finnish adults play gambling games online, while 24 % play them in physical facilities only.

“Veikkaus’ network of physical gambling sites gives them somewhat of an advantage. It’s exceptional for one company to have such a strong foothold,” remarks Jalonen.

Sanoma researches the Finnish gaming market and playing habits. Contact us for the latest results!

Hit the jackpot with data on the gaming industry and Finnish media use

As a tidal wave of gaming companies enters Finland, the ones to stand out will be those with a crystal-clear brand, message, and understanding of their target audiences and local media.

”Sanoma is well acquainted with Finnish media use and the types of communication that hit the mark here. If we take, for example, a 65-year-old player with a liking for bingo, we can use our data to open a window into their media use,” explains Jalonen.

There are numerous ways Sanoma gathers and utilises data and insight about the gaming industry:

Tailor-made market research projects can be used to take a closer look at your own target audience. Suomitutka, our own consumer panel, is a great tool here.
Segmenting tools deepen the understanding of specific target groups, their media use and motives behind it. This helps localise marketing to hit the spot.
Toimialatutka (‘Industry Radar’) is an extensive report on a specific industry, its target audiences and marketing that allows us to bring the best insight and benefits to our partners.
Sanoma’s widespread media palette constantly adds to our knowledge of the media use of Finnish people and the creative content they’re drawn to.

Ready to dive deeper? Get in touch!

Antti Jalonen
Client Partner
eCom & Gaming

antti.jalonen@sanoma.com

Four tips for increasing customer insight

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 11:15:14 GMT

Marketing strategist Tiina Kosonen and Insight Team Leader Jaana Jamalainen give their best tips on how to increase your understanding of your customers’ values, interests and purchase motives.

1. Make choices

You have to make choices because when you try to reach everyone, you typically end up reaching no one. This is why it’s important to determine whether you’re targeting your existing loyal customers or looking for potential new customers. Analyse the data – whether it’s your own data or research data – dig deeply into your target groups, compare them to your goals and make your choices based on this. Making choices doesn’t necessarily mean that your target audience will be small; rather, your choices will steer your media strategy in the right direction.

Use messages that appeal to your target audience and appear on channels that reach that audience. Using channels with sufficient reach will ensure that you also reach a wider audience through the halo effect. For example, target group insight can help your marketing influence your intended target groups with the right message, in the right place and at the right time.

2. Identify purchase motives

Why do people buy your products? Understanding purchase motives is surprisingly significant. For example, let’s consider people who buy electric cars. Some of them are interested in the latest technology, while others want the least polluting option possible and base their choice on sustainability. The communications that appeal to these two groups are very different. People also have very different motives for buying foods such as protein quark. One person buys it to boost their gym workout, while it might be a permissible sweet treat for someone on a diet.

Purchase motives are best used as the basis for marketing communications. Content based on purchase motives stands out from media hype and therefore has a better impact on consumers than generic messages. You can use surveys tailored to your customers to help you identify their purchase motives. They can help you identify the factors that influence consumer decision-making and those that may promote or deter purchases.

3. Do you understand your customer’s purchase path?

Do you know what your customer’s purchase path is like? According to the latest international research, it takes between 20 and 500 encounters with a brand to make a purchase decision. The differences between products are understandably considerable – choosing between protein quarks is probably easier than between car brands. People are more information-hungry than in the past and seek information to support their purchasing decisions. What does this mean for different industries? Industry and purchase path research can help you identify what activates your customers’ purchase needs, what kind of information they want, and where they look for it.

4. The right approaches and communication channels

You can combine the above tips in various ways to create a distinctive and appealing message. Different consumer segments have different values, attitudes and ways of using media – and you should use this insight when planning creative ads. Sanoma’s media use segmentation will help identify the right communication approach for each target group.

There can be huge differences in media use within groups at particular life stages. For example, let’s consider families with children, which is a relevant target group for many marketers. One parent in a family with children might spend micro-moments using media, while the other might spend long periods unwinding by watching TV, for example. We’ll help you identify both the differences and similarities to get the most out of your marketing communications.

Sanoma has a deep understanding of Finnish consumers, which gives us access to a vast amount of information. All our recommended solutions are based on data in one way or another. Feel free to reach out to us whenever you want to understand your customers better.

Contact us >

Advertising in Finland vs. the other Nordic countries – what’s different?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:51:50 GMT

Knowing your playing field is key when you start advertising in a new market. How aware are you of the quirks of the Finnish media environment compared to the other Nordic countries?

The Nordics are not a uniform area when it comes to media and advertising. Finland, in particular, may have some surprises in store.

Mattias Dahlqvist , Sanoma’s independent sales representative in Sweden, has over two decades of experience with companies that do business in Finland. He is ready to shed light on Finnish media, its users, and the Finnish mentality when it comes to advertising.

Making a nationwide impact in the 2020s? Can do!

The main difference between the Finnish media environment and that in the other Nordic countries is that print, and mainstream media in general, still perform and create an impact.

“There are Finnish media that have a big reach and an interested audience as well as all the data about said audience. It is still possible to make a nationwide impact, which is difficult to achieve in other Nordic markets”, Dahlqvist says.

Linear TV, while on decline, is still going relatively strong in Finland. In Sweden, in comparison, commercial-free paid versions of TV channels have gained popularity, affecting the reach of TV advertising.

The reach does come with a bigger price tag, Dahlqvist points out. The prices of print advertising, for example, are higher Finland compared to the rest of the Nordics, where media have had to adapt to plummeting demand. When the results are there, advertising spots in Finnish mainstream media haven’t lost their pull.

Trends take a while to reach Finland

One way to succeed with advertising in Finland is to stick to some of the best practices that used to work a few years back in the rest of the Nordics. Big trends and shifts in media use take slightly longer to reach our corner of the world.

“My go-to comparison is that Finland is like Sweden five years ago. Back then, you could still have a great reach with a good print campaign, especially in the 55+ demographic”, Dahlqvist says.

According to him, Denmark is most often the first to pick up new influences.

“If I was to predict the future, I would have a serious look at Denmark. What’s going on there now will happen in Sweden and Norway in a couple of years and then in Finland a couple of years after that.”

One example Dahlqvist gives is that one of Denmark’s two tabloid papers has now cut the print version and gone fully digital. If a similar change was to happen in Finland, it would be a huge shift for daily media and advertising.

Attract the queues to your door – understand the Finnish mentality

To understand Finnish consumers, Dahlqvist applauds Sanoma’s customer data. With the new cookie laws, he says, extensive data is a definite advantage.

“Moreover, Finns are more likely than other Nordic people to not accept cookies. This makes data from other sources even more important.”

Dahlqvist has two tips for a company that considers entering the Nordics or adding Finland to the mix: adapt the message and familiarise yourself with the Finnish way of thinking.

“Compared to the other Nordic peoples, the Finns’ mentality stands out as slightly different. Having a trusted advertising partner helps you understand the distinction.”

He gives an example of how to effectively work with the Finnish mindset: when opening a store, one excellent offer is enough to bring in the crowds. All you need to bring the famous queues to your door is one ridiculously big discount. Given, of course, that you don’t hold back on advertising.

“If you dominate the opening weekend in print, it will work, 100 per cent. Don’t save on media when you’ve just built a new department store for millions. Go big and Finnish people will show up.”

Three distinctive traits of Finnish media and advertising

Mainstream media and print remain popular. You can still reach a nationwide audience with an effective print campaign in Finland.
Finland is a few years behind other Nordic countries when it comes to changes in media. Looking at Sweden and Denmark, for instance, may help you anticipate what will happen in Finland in the coming years.
The Finnish way of thinking is slightly different from that of our neighbours. Making use of data and having a partner to hone your message with are keys to making an impact within your target audience.

Download our guide to Finnish media usage

Find the right people to help you know the playing field – contact us!

TV and video advertising in 2025 – major trends to tap into

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:07:49 GMT

The world around us steers our consumption to an ever more digital direction, and TV and video advertising needs to stay on top of the changes. What are the trends to look out for and opportunities to seize in 2025?

Video Commercial Manager Tuomo Sinkkonen from Sanoma brings you the biggest talking points on the table right now to help you make informed decisions about your advertising next year.

Total TV places content above device

In the past, we watched TV. Today, it’s the content that matters, and the device we use to watch it is increasingly irrelevant.

“It’s about the viewer’s freedom to choose. Even in Finland, where traditional TV remains popular, it’s the show we concentrate on instead of the device or channel it runs on,” says Sinkkonen.

The goal of Sanoma’s programme acquisitions has, for some years now, been to reach viewers not only through linear TV but also on streaming platforms. This means choosing more programmes that, instead of depending on a specific moment, can be watched whenever.

Erikoisjoukot, one of the most popular programmes on TV channel Nelonen last spring, got a considerable amount of its views from streaming service Ruutu.

“There is a time and place for big live phenomena, but overall, we try to create a selection of programmes that can be watched throughout the week,” Sinkkonen illustrates.

Measure your campaign’s success accurately across platforms

In 2025, the fall of device-specific TV viewing will finally also be reflected in the way advertising campaigns are measured. Instead of having to combine metrics from different platforms and make estimates of overall numbers, SpotOn technology gives us accurate data on the actual reach of a campaign across platforms.

“We are entering a time where independence from specific devices is not just talk anymore, but a reality that can be measured. Next year, Sanoma will be sharing a lot of observations about measuring the reach of TV and Ruutu together”, Sinkkonen promises.

News media challenge social media in the race for video advertising

Social media tends to snatch a significant portion of marketing budgets – but this isn’t the only way to success or even the best one, claims Tuomo Sinkkonen.

News sites work very much like a social media feed: we scroll through, find things we are interested in, and are given ads to look at. However, we tend to scroll a news site a whopping 31 per cent slower , which makes it far likelier for us to see a video ad all the way through.

“My months-long analysis of digital news sites based on different data points shows that digital news media are a much more opportune environment for video advertising compared to social media. I’d be glad to see this reflected in the way marketing budgets are distributed,” says Sinkkonen.

Extra tips to stand out with your TV and video advertising in 2025

Choose your platform to fit both the marketing goals and the creative production . In addition to your objectives, the material you have on hand determines the best platform to use. Video material that works in social media is often a good fit for a news media, too, while TV or streaming platforms call for a more traditional story arc.

Go beyond the obvious when it comes to advertising on TV . An ad break has a dozen ads to get lost in, but with branded content within a show, you have the viewers’ full attention. Don’t get stuck on scripting only spot ads – think bigger!

“I’d love to see new and brilliant ideas within programme co-operations and how brands can be part of the programme content itself. I don’t think we’re anywhere close to the limit of the creative potential here,” Sinkkonen says.

Turn to a partner to stay on board the changes . Media companies have the responsibility to keep the fast-changing world of digital advertising accessible to advertisers.

“It’s unreasonable to think that an individual advertiser should be able to grasp everything that’s going on. It’s up to us to help you navigate the new possibilities and best practices,” Sinkkonen concludes.

Ready to plan a successful year of advertising?

Contact us!

Marketing as a driver of growth – five key drivers

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:43:44 GMT

What does it mean to place marketing at the core of your growth plans? Get top tips from Anna Salo at Dentsu.

According to a McKinsey analysis , widely cited by the marketing industry, CEOs who put marketing at the core of their growth plans are twice as likely to achieve annual growth of more than 5% compared to their competitors.

What does it mean to place marketing at the core of your growth plans? There is a lot of data on marketing as a driver of growth, and marketing as a discipline is constantly evolving. Latest research often brings new perspectives, so it is important to monitor how the industry is developing and manage marketing accordingly.

Here are the top five growth drivers:

1. Growth comes from new customers

Customer focus and developing the customer experience have deservedly become an increasingly important part of marketing. However, business will not grow by serving current customers and increasing loyalty alone.

The smaller the brand, the clearer it is that growth comes from new customers, and marketing efforts must focus primarily on this group. With established and big brands, growth comes not only from new customers but also from the so-called “light-buyer” group. This refers to customers who currently buy little and rarely.

Both new customers and those who rarely do business with us are captured most effectively through advertising. You cannot rely solely on your own channels to reach them. Finding the right investment level to ensure growth requires data, not feelings.

2. Growth comes from correctly timed top-of-mind moments

As much as we would like customers to think about our brand often, the truth is, they don’t. Thinking about brands is activated at a moment of need. Marketing research uses the term “category entry point” for these moments, and coming to mind at these moments is key to entering the customer’s shopping cart.

Growth comes from the fact that we come to mind at the moment of need in categories that are important to us. The goal must be that as many potential customers as possible connect our brand to at least one moment of need, and that as many consumers as possible connect the brand to as many moments of need as possible.

Reviewing and expanding categories is always a good exercise: this is how we can ensure that we know the essential moments of need from the customer’s perspective – not the brand’s perspective. The new categories also provide a new insight into the competitor field.

3. Growth comes from noticing advertising

More than 400 million euros are spent every year in Finland on advertising that does not receive any attention. This came up in Dentsu’s extensive studies, where an eye movement camera studied how advertising was noticed.

Attention-optimised media choices that are designed to be noticed lay the foundation for the target audience to have the opportunity to see the ad and for advertising to produce more results with the same amount of money – or, the same result for less money, freeing up investments in something else.

Data on genuine detection already exists, so it is worth using in media planning, purchasing and optimisation.

4. Growth comes from a strong and distinctive brand

Attention surveys have produced a lot of new data for the industry on the importance of creative implementation. The situation is merciless: the advertiser must be identified in a few seconds, regardless of the channel. Otherwise, marketing efforts will be wasted, and in the worst-case scenario, the competitor will reap the benefits.

This has put brand awareness at the core of advertising planning. The brand must have an understanding of brand awareness in the competitor field, and the awareness must be protected. Do you know what your brand’s situation is in the competitive field? Can it be identified amidst all the advertising noise, and if so, for which elements?

We have conducted Distinctive Brand Asset surveys for our customers and used the results to carry out systematic development. Over a period of one year, we have doubled the recognisability of advertising from 45% to 90%. This change will also bring a huge improvement to the effectiveness of euros spent on marketing.

5. Growth comes from smart investments

There is no shortcut to happiness. Marketing must be able to measure the return on marketing investments in the long and short term and constantly look for efficiencies. This requires high-quality data on marketing measures and impacts, as well as the ability to continuously refine the accuracy of impact models and create reliable scenarios.

Understanding the return on marketing investments also brings clarity to a marketer’s job. In addition to euros, time is another investment that must be spent wisely. Marketing always has so much on the table, and new concepts are coming all the time. Understanding impact helps create clarity and facilitates prioritisation; the identification of important issues.

The author is the CEO of Dentsu Finland.

Get the most out of the Finnish market with Sanoma

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 11:25:29 GMT

Making good marketing decisions from afar is a tricky business. A goal-oriented, data-driven collaboration with Sanoma brings our extensive data and expertise at your fingertips and gives you a clear vision of what to do next in Finland.

The best marketing and advertising is never done ad hoc – it’s built on careful planning and precise data. This is even more important when you’re targeting a market outside your everyday surroundings.

“It’s a fact that the further away from the market decisions are made, the more likely marketing is to fail. We offer a direct line of sight to the Finnish market and inside information to guide your decisions,” says Sanoma’s Client Manager Olavi Kajantie .

Sanoma’s service model is an end-to-end approach to advertising in Finland – and the way to get the most out of our expertise. A close collaboration grows both effectiveness and your success rate.

Going deep with a partnership based on trust

It all begins with a talk about your goals and strategy. When you decide to work with us, we’ll start by having a detailed discussion about the direction you want to take your business in Finland.

“This is, for sure, a question of trust, and we hope to establish our position as a partner you are willing to share your plans and aspirations with. An open dialogue allows us to deal with the biggest challenges together,” says Kajantie.

If you work with other entities such as local digital marketing agencies, we’ll include them in the discussion.

Your needs define the team. A deep understanding of the Finnish market as well as your industry and audiences helps us figure out the most effective solutions and media choices.

The wide array of expertise at Sanoma guarantees you don’t need to look any further for knowhow. If TV is the best way to reach your audience, we have the people to create impactful campaigns. If you’re going full digital, no problem there, either.

Sanoma’s own media have an Sanoma's media reach an overall of 97% of Finns every week, so your target demographic is sure to be among them.

Data puts an end to guesswork

Anything we do together is based on data and insight – no guessing games here! Backing up marketing efforts with insight cuts back waste.

It’s vital to collect data after a marketing campaign to mark successes and spot shortcomings, but every decision along the way, starting from which media to use, should also be directed by data.

“When your metrics match your goals, it’s easy to check what was done right and what could be improved upon. After evaluating the data, we can re-enter the loop wiser,” Kajantie illustrates.

Sanoma gains insight about your audience and content, but also keeps a close eye on changes in the Finnish market. This way, you’ll know when it’s time to rethink your strategy.

Experiment, benchmark and grow in Finland

Setting out to do long-term collaboration, of course, requires a bit of time spent on refining your objectives. What do you wish to gain from entering Finland?

In Olavi Kajantie’s experience, Finland is often an afterthought for international companies. He knows, however, that a bit of extra effort into Finland can bring impressive results. Entering the market with a bang is easy with the right partner.

“You don’t need to have everything figured out. Bring something to the table, and Sanoma will do 80 per cent of the work,” Kajantie says.

Finland is also a great experimental lab for testing and benchmarking.

“In a small market, you can try big campaigns with a modest budget. Finns have the means to buy but are generally more reserved than other Nordic people, so hitting the mark here will give you excellent experience for succeeding elsewhere.”

Finnish media usage is one of a kind – read our guide to succeed in Finland .

Continuous learning and business friendships

To build a dream team and find the most viable solutions, our people need to stay on top of their game and keep their knowledge and skillsets up to date. The leading player in Finnish media, Sanoma provides the perfect environment for learning. Research is one of our key areas of work.

A position as a trailblazer also brings with it a social responsibility.

“Sanoma’s mission is to make media for future generations, too. This is why we are committed to doing our share well,” shares Kajantie.

A close and personalised way of working with clients often builds relationships that last.

“I have become friends with many long-time clients. This is collaboration at its best.”

Get in touch >

If sales are poor, marketing is to blame - or is it?

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 07:58:16 GMT

The strategic role of marketing has not really gained a stronger foothold in companies, and it is still often seen as a support function with a communicative and tactical role, according to Teea Björklund .

“If sales are strong, the sales have done a good job. If sales are poor, marketing is to blame.” This is a genuine statement by a customer. Hand on heart – does this sound familiar? Most of us have experienced this at least occasionally.

Perhaps strategic marketing seems too vague. What if we talked about the customer instead? It is no news that the convergence of business, sales and marketing is increasingly important. The customer is at the heart of all these functions.

The superpower that marketing brings to the table is customer understanding and the knowledge of how this information can be utilised in business planning and operations. The aim of customer understanding is to build a brand, identify growth potential and build growth. This will help develop the business in a multichannel manner using different technologies.

Is our obsession with conversion causing us to ignore brand building?

When you are responsible for business operations, you find yourself wandering. It is easy to look at results brought by marketing in the short term. They are logical, easy to measure and almost self-explanatory. And also important, of course.

But what is equally important is that the organisation has an in-depth understanding of the business impact of marketing. Are we patient, and do we follow the return on investment as we would for machine investments? Or does our conversion obsession lead us to forget about building a strong brand and commitment to our brand and products? We make sure new customers find our brand.

For planning activities this autumn, I'm offering five tips that can help open up a more strategic marketing conversation in your organisation:

The onus is often on marketing to prove how it contributes to the success of the company . Marketing metrics are also business management metrics. We defined these together, didn’t we? How about kicking off the autumn by discussing them together?
Is your brand and marketing strategy in good shape? Does it support day-to-day and long-term operations; is it part of the business strategy? Does your organisation share a view of the right direction? World-class brands are born of customer understanding and customer promise, systematic and consistent work to develop the brand and customer experience, and effective communications to the right target groups.
Effective data-driven marketing encompasses the brand in addition to more tactical activities . Insight built on customer data combined with creative, conceptual thinking makes for a killer combination. There is often too much data rather than too little. First, consider the data used by marketing extensively, from the understanding of customer needs to the analysis of the results and the actions decided based on them. Then try to simplify and find the key data points that everyone follows and understands. These can change, so an agile model is a good choice here too, but complexity tends to increase ambiguity.
Bring the marketing, sales and customer service together . Identify and ensure a shared understanding of your key customer groups' purchase paths, customer experience and the required measures. Make sure the brand experience you are aiming for is the same as the customer experience. Although personalisation is a strong trend, it is good to bear in mind that it may be enough for customers to feel that the customer experience is pleasant and that they are being helped. This may be achieved with the appropriate level of segmentation and targeting.
Artificial intelligence makes things more efficient and promotes creativity . When considering how generative AI can help us make marketing more efficient, would it be worth considering how it will allow more time for strategic planning and implementation of marketing?

Rather than a threat to creative work, generative AI is an opportunity. As we reform marketing processes, we must ensure that the use of AI increases creativity and helps the company stand out – and that the content produced strengthens the brand. It is high time that AI was incorporated into the marketing strategy.

VP Sales & Channels Teea Björklund is responsible for Sanoma's B2B sales and marketing. Teea believes that the significance and role of marketing in companies should be redefined.

Native advertising is a powerful brand awareness builder

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 06:44:26 GMT

Read the article below or click here to read it in a real native environment .

3 expert tips for effective native content

Native advertising in a trusted medium is a cost-effective way to invest in long-term awareness. As its goals reach beyond one moment or campaign, the best results come from giving the ad plenty of time and thought.

“If you are in a hurry and need immediate conversion, another type of advertising will work better,” says Client Manager Olavi Kajantie from Sanoma.

The broader format of an article or video presents a chance to dive deep – something banner advertising simply doesn’t lend itself to. It gives you space to introduce factors that set your business apart from your competition.

“Native advertising is the place to show the values or strategy of your business or talk about the environmental impact of your products. It’s a long-term solution in today’s fast media environment,” explains Sanoma’s Client Manager Sebastian Wikman .

Keep your eyes on the reading time

The benefit of native advertising lies in the time readers spend with the content – so obsessing over clicks is not the way to go. Native articles published in Sanoma’s media have a reading time of just over a minute on mobile and a couple of minutes on desktop on average.

“That’s a long time to spend on branded content. Even if the reader hasn’t previously heard of your brand, after a minute or two of reading, they will know what you are about,” says Kajantie.

Native advertising mostly stirs positive emotions; it doesn’t feel intrusive or distracting among other content.

Native advertising mostly stirs positive emotions; it doesn’t feel intrusive or distracting among other content. In Ilta-Sanomat , a native article reaches 25 000 readers on average.

Labelling the article as advertising has nothing but advantages.

“In Finland, paid content is clearly distinguished from journalistic content, so the reader knows what they’ll get. It’s honest and transparent,” says Sales Manager Siiri Medina from Sanoma.

Set out to serve the reader

Content is king even in native advertising. Commercial or not, an article needs to provide the reader with information that is valuable in itself. A native article can latch onto the reader’s emotions and challenges in a way that puts the product in the context of their everyday life.

“An insurance company, for example, could discuss sense of security. Instead of talking about the insurance, they could consider preparedness and how to build security. What will you do if something happens to your loved one or your home suffers water damage?” Kajantie demonstrates.

Authenticity is key here. Praise and superlatives need to be backed up by evidence, and amusing anecdotes must be real-life ones. The reader is quick to realise when they are simply being sold to.

Secure attention with top-notch content production

To get the all-important reading minutes, a native article first needs to stop the reader’s thumb in the constantly updating news feed. This places the headline and lead in a key role. A well-structured piece of content or a listicle helps the reader anticipate the time they will have to set aside for reading.

Data shows that the reading time of native advertising published in Sanoma’s media is 30 per cent better if the article is produced by Sanoma’s own content producers. On top of finding an interesting angle to the topic, the writer must know what the reader expects of the media environment in which they’ll come across the article.

The new Content Studio makes Sanoma a one-stop shop for media as well as content production.

The new Content Studio makes Sanoma a one-stop shop for media as well as content production.

“Instead of producing single articles, we wish to consistently tell our customers’ stories. Having the same people on board for a long time keeps the quality high,” Kajantie says.

Choose a trusted medium with the reach you need

A native article makes use of the media environment, its values, and the existing interest of readers. The impact of a trusted medium extends itself to the advertised brand, product, or service.

Finnish media is well suited for native advertising: the Finns’ trust in domestic media is strong, and media consumption is less fragmented than in many other countries. A company that advertises in a big Finnish medium will reach the masses in an environment that celebrates high quality journalism and tailors its topics for the Finnish taste.

“Sanoma has the largest reach in Finland, and we have options from Helsingin Sanomat , a valued news medium, to the lighter Ilta-Sanomat . Sections such as Culture or Sports give you access to smaller target audiences”, Siiri Medina shares.

Evolve to stand out from the crowd

There are no signs of native advertising going out of style any time soon – on the contrary, it’s growing in popularity. The next step is how to create content that doesn’t get lost in the crowd.

“I recommend trying out rich media, video, even games. A quiz, for example, also produces data that can be used later. These may be ways to stand out in the future,” states Sebastian Wikman.

Tips

Three tips for successful native advertising

Instead of hunting for clicks, focus on offering the reader new information . Reading time is the most important metric of native advertising, which is why the article must be interesting, useful, and well structured.
Choose a medium that fits your topic and reaches your audience . The reader has different expectations for a news medium than a more entertainment-focused environment, so find the right match for your article. Sanoma has ample options and a wide reach, and smaller target audiences can be found under different sections.
Invest time in planning and content production . When your goal is lasting brand awareness, there is no hurry. Meticulous thinking and skillful content production show up in reading times. Make use of content producers who know the medium and your target audience.

Read the article in a real native environment >

Invisible handcuffs prevent brands from being inclusive and standing out, says Professor Jonathan Wilson

Fri, 31 May 2024 08:03:59 GMT

The road to success is paved with difficult conversations, authenticity, and getting a little crazy.

“During Covid-19, I noticed that a lot of things we see online have become boring. Not just what we had to witness in Teams meetings but in advertising as well,” says Professor Jonathan Wilson , an award-winning academic specialized in advertising, branding, and communication. “Suddenly people were clocking up to 12 hours of video calls and just feeling like zombies.”

The increase of online meetings, he says, made everyone a content creator. As a result, brands started to think that they didn't have to spend as much money on quality content.

“The things we were creating just lacked energy. It was almost like brands would create content out of necessity, and due to lack of resources, there was no quality control.”

But now that we’re getting out of the Covid 19 –slump, why do so many brands still fail to make an impact?

Branding starts inside the organization

We all know that finding ways to stand out is difficult. According to Prof. Wilson, good branding is a mix of creativity, inclusivity, and employer branding. The key to a strong brand is to get more people involved.

“We need to help people find their voice, sense of belonging, integrity, and authenticity. That’s how we create engagement, both inside the organization and with our brand,” he states.

“Our cultural frame of reference and background affect the way we see things. If we don’t include people from different backgrounds, we only see and make things from a single perspective.”

On top of a lost sense of community, there’s also the debate about who has the right to talk about certain things. The line between inclusion and appropriation is thin, and many marketers have started to think it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“We're all wrestling with a world full of biases and negativity, which is why ‘the invisible handcuffs’ stay on. This is further proof why branding needs to start inside the organization.”

According to Prof. Wilson, transparency is the way to go.

“Branding and advertising are in many ways like theatre. When people see behind the curtain, they feel that they're on stage as well. As we start to include people and then authentically show up as an organization and as a brand, we gain the audience’s trust.”

It’s time to have some difficult conversations

Prof. Wilson reminds us that inclusivity is not just about physical identifiers. That's only part of the puzzle – the other side is talking about things like gender, race, religion, and politics.

“To be a brand is to be a leader. But fear prevents us from having these conversations in our organizations. We need to encourage people to be open and give hope that after these discussions we're going to be in a better place. Also, if you do anything with the intention of making a change, you need to accept that you or someone else might be offended and tolerate that,” he says.

People should also be allowed to make more mistakes and learn from those mistakes.

“Canceling is something we're going through now. A lot of brands and people have been canceled. In the future, we might have to take a step back. Otherwise, everybody loses if everything's canceled.”

Prof. Wilson encourages the use of things like comedy, music, and food to make environments a little bit more pleasant to have unpleasant conversations.

“In the end, it’s always worth it. If every brand avoids race, religion, and politics, but there's one brand that pulls it off, they go to the top of the pile. Then everybody copies. And that's the endorsement for always trying to do something a little bit different.”

Make time for creative play

On top of creating a strong organizational culture built on inclusivity and authenticity, Prof. Wilson encourages marketers to make time for things he calls “crazy stuff”.

“Surfing the Internet, going for walks, and drinking coffee should be accepted as part of our creative processes. We shouldn’t be made to feel guilty of everything else than frantically just hitting our keyboards.”

As an example, Prof. Wilson says that we could compare creative work to the work of professional athletes.

“We appreciate the fact that athletes spend two hours warming up for a 10-second race. But we don't really judge what we do in marketing like that. Everything else other than billable hours makes financial directors scared because everything needs to have a cost value. Truly creative people are doing these things anyway, so we could just recognize this and give more room to play.”

He also encourages socializing with and exposing yourself to people who have unconnected characteristics or lifestyles.

“Go and see other people in other industries and see how they work. Go to a hairdresser and ask how they know what haircut to give somebody. Or ask a surgeon how they prepare to stitch someone’s arm back on.”

The last bit of advice is to surround yourself with positive thoughts and people.

“If you’ve done your research and put a lot of effort and thought into something, be proud of it. We all need positive energy. Hang out with people who encourage you and make you feel good about yourself.”

Summary

Professor Jonathan Wilson discusses the decline in creativity in online content, attributing it to increased virtual meetings and reduced quality control.
He advocates for internal branding, emphasizing inclusivity, authenticity, and transparency within organizations to create more engagement.
Prof. Wilson encourages open dialogue on topics like race, religion, and politics, promoting learning from mistakes and tolerance.
Marketers should embrace unconventional methods, make time for creativity, and engage with diverse perspectives to spark innovation.

Professor Jonathan A.J. Wilson has spent over 20 years in industry and academia, specializing in what he calls the ABCDs of Business and Culture: Advertising, Branding, Communications, and Digital. He is a multi- award-winning Academic and Partner of the London firm, Dragonfly Black . Professor Wilson has published over 200 pieces of work and spoken at over 100 conferences across the globe. He has a BSc Chemistry degree, MBA in Business, PhD in Branding, DLitt in Halal , and is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Islamic Marketing. Get to know him at drjonwilson.com

Four ways to boost creativity

Fri, 31 May 2024 07:01:03 GMT

What do the most awarded creatives in the world think about brand building, using humor in marketing and campaign briefs?

We went straight to the source and asked Andreas Dahlqvist , CEO and Chief Creative Officer, and Jens Welin, Senior Client Director and Global Media Strategist at NORD DDB.

Make something fun

Dahlqvist notes that as the way we consume media and brands has become more fragmented, it's trickier to have an impact than it used to be.

“20 years ago, you knew that with a certain investment, you would reach a certain audience. Today you must come up with something that really resonates with people and aligns with their values.”

The best way to do that is emotional content and long-term brand building.

“We have faced two recessions and one pandemic in the last 15 years. During this time, some companies forgot how creativity drives business,” Welin states.

As advertising has shifted towards short-term sales and tactical marketing, it’s also become more repetitive.

“The term advertising fatigue describes the situation well. When you are forced to see too much tactical advertising, it can get kind of annoying. One of the mantras I've had for ages is that the best ads don't look like advertising,” Dahlqvist says.

He’s also noticed that advertising has become more serious.

“What we do in advertising reflects society and how people feel. In these uncertain times, we all need a little break. I hope we'll see a little bit more humor coming back to advertising in the next couple of years.”

Welin encourages companies to lean on their partners for more creative ideas.

“In the Nordics, we’ve always been quite progressive when it comes to advertising. Still, companies don't always have the courage to go all the way, and that's something that we as agencies can help change.”

Break some rules

When asked about the most creative and memorable campaigns they’ve ever done, Dahlqvist and Welin both immediately come up with examples that were done unconventionally.

“In the US, I worked with the NFL as a client, and we found an interesting fact: nine months after a city wins the Super Bowl, there’s a spike in how many babies are born,” Dahlqvist recalls.

As the board of Super Bowl is a bit conservative, there were some initial worries if a concept based on sex would go through.

“They loved the idea. We called the campaign Super Bowl Babies, looked up all the children, and brought them together to form a big choir to sing a version of Seal’s song Kiss from a Rose with new lyrics. It was a massive success. With zero media spend, the PR was crazy, it was in the local news everywhere.”

One of Welin’s most memorable campaigns was H&M’s first designer collaboration campaign with Karl Lagerfeld.

“They built a dream team of creatives who were asked to replace their big traditional underwear ads. We had to come up with something that would build momentum.”

Most people said that for the campaign to go viral, they should do a short video. The team went the opposite way.

"We leaned on the power of storytelling and made a two-minute film with a customized media strategy; we went against all the rules, and the campaign is now featured in marketing books everywhere,” Welin says.

Use the magic of freak facts

Most creatives dream of making impactful campaigns but struggle with the execution. According to Dahlqvist, the key to successful advertising is to find something unexpected and then show it to consumers in a unique way.

“It's our job to stand out. One of the best ways to do that is to find a freak fact that makes you think ‘O h damn, I didn’t know that ’. Then you create the concept around that fact, like we did with Super Bowl Babies.”

Concept design should always start with something that people care about, not with what brands want to say. Interesting insights into human behavior are the best food for creative development, he says.

“We saw this also with Vattenfall. We found out that kids’ number one fear nowadays is climate change. We used this freak fact and built an uplifting campaign around a difficult topic, and the results were extremely good.”

Dahlqvist says that he’s also a big fan of boiling down strategies to just one line.

“You need to go for the bigger idea around the brand, to reduce complex things to something clear. Look for that one notion of what the role of the brand could be in people’s lives. That one line simplifies things enough to build a strong platform for creative ideas.”

Challenge the brief

Welin adds that collaboration around briefs is important.

“I always try to challenge them. Clients sometimes put forward briefs that are just tactical tasks that do not tackle the real problem that needs to be solved,” he says.

At NORD DBB, the creatives have immersion sessions with clients before a brief is even written.

“I want to find the problem behind the problem. The talk beforehand confirms if we agree or if we need to do more research. It’s our responsibility to offer new perspectives to our clients. That’s how you make big transformations happen,” Welin states.

The method works extremely well when designing creative concepts for companies that want to talk about sustainability. Brands often feel that the restrictions around sustainability prevent them from doing something exciting.

“Don’t think about the restrictions first. Gather some insight, start from there, create something unexpected, and then adapt it to the restrictions. Brands have a significant role to play in sustainability. If they commit to it, they can have a substantial impact,” Dahlqvist says.

Welin reminds us that for any message to go through, it needs to be inspiring, lifting, and captivating.

“Many people working with sustainability believe it must be boring to be taken seriously. With our clients we've been able to prove that you can be serious yet entertaining at the same time,” he says.

Get to know Andreas Dahlqvist and Jens Welin and the work they’ve done with their clients at www.nordddb.com

Have a look at the Super Bowl Babies campaign www.youtube.com/watch

It’s the end of Brand vs. Activation as we know it, says Dr. Grace Kite

Tue, 14 May 2024 10:22:29 GMT

The rise of online shopping has changed the world of media budgets. Now, there’s something new on the table.

Eleven years ago, the IPA publication “The Long and the Short of It” revolutionized how we look at marketing budgets. In unison, media planners let out a relieved sigh, as they were introduced to a fantastic rule of thumb: 60 % of marketing budgets should be directed toward brand building and 40 % on short-term activation.

It was good as long as it lasted. But now, according to Dr. Grace Kite, there’s a third thing.

“As people buy more and more stuff online, it’s no longer a two-task situation with your media budget. You also need to consider visibility online,” she explains.

As a business economist who’s worked on hundreds of marketing analysis projects, Dr. Kite truly knows what she is talking about.

“It’s an availability job – you don’t just need to generate new sales; you also need to nudge people who already know you towards buying something.”

To put it simply, there’s no point in doing big-reach TV ads if people are not able to find your stuff afterwards.

“If the goal is to make people buy your products online, it’s important to lead them to the checkout as effectively as possible.”

Specifically, Dr. Kite talks about the importance of allocating some of your budget to signposts: paid ads that help you navigate to buy something you’re already looking for. A signpost could be a paid search ad in Google or on a retailer’s search page, or affiliate links that lead you to a checkout.

“In my opinion, you must get the availability and visibility thing right before you start advertising for those who don’t know you. If your bottom-of-funnel is not watertight, why lead customers there? There's no point in doing brand campaigns and activations if people can’t find you,” she says.

How to allocate your budget for the “third thing”

And now for the grand reveal: How much should we spend on online visibility?

“There’s no rule of thumb how much the third allocation should be – not yet. But we can already see that in the UK, companies are spending more of their budget on signposts than ever before”.

Evidence also shows that ROI is maximized if advertisers spend 5-10 % of the company’s revenue on advertising. Almost everyone is still spending less, and in the wrong places, as many of us are still measuring mostly last-click attribution.

“Last-click attribution is not a useful metric when deciding where to allocate your budget, as it only gives credit to the last ad someone’s clicked on before buying. It does not consider the brand ads you’ve seen on TV or the magazine ad saying there’s a sales campaign. Focusing too much on last click attribution can make you waste 35 % of sales,” Dr. Kite states.

No need to worry though, as Dr. Kite has a solution: econometrics, which is the most effective way to measure your campaigns throughout the buyer’s journey.

Brand building tomorrow

What else should we consider than signposting and measuring our campaigns better? Looking ahead, Dr. Kite envisions a future where short-form digital videos and influencer marketing take center stage. As younger generations eschew traditional media, brands must adapt their strategies accordingly.

"Video, wherever it’s aired, is the best choice for brand building. We’re in an era of fleeting attention spans. The younger generation is not going to grow up as TV watchers, they’re growing up with short videos and social media. Even though TV is still the most effective advertising channel, the shift is happening rapidly. Online video is already next in line after TV.”

Dr. Kite also reminds us that in 2023, 18 % of Finnish people bought something because an influencer recommended it. The impact of smaller influencers will continue to grow, as studies show that they are much more effective than bigger ones, as people tend to trust them more.

So, what should brands do when they only have half a second to grab someone’s attention and need to allocate their media budget between an ever-growing number of channels?

Dr. Kite’s final advice is to diversify your channel selection:

“The more channels you use, the better the ROI. Rely on lots of little exposures through a lot of media channels and you’ll get the biggest impact.”

Get to know Dr.Kite and register for her online courses at ma gicworks.tr aining/real-people/dr-grace-kite

Summary:

It is the end of the traditional Brand vs. Activation model in advertising, as the rise of online shopping has prompted a paradigm shift in media budgets.
According to Dr. Grace Kite, there's now a third thing: online visibility.
Allocating budget to signposts, such as paid search ads and affiliate links, has become crucial.
Last-click attribution should be replaced with econometrics to measure campaign effectiveness.
The future of advertising lies in short-form digital videos and influencer marketing, catering to evolving consumer preferences.
Diversification of channels is recommended to maximize ROI and capture fleeting attention spans.

Insurance company If gained valuable information on the path to purchase of B2B decision-makers

Tue, 07 May 2024 08:02:02 GMT

“Cooperation was close, and the common thread running through the process was ensuring that we get as much benefit as possible from the survey.”

Insurance company If wanted to identify the factors that affect the purchase decisions of decision-makers who buy business insurance. Based on Sanoma's path to purchase survey for B2B decision-makers, a suitable solution for the insurance industry was tailored specifically for If. The survey was carried out in four of If’s countries of operation: Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Recommended actions steered the company in the right direction.

“The survey attracted a lot of attention and interest in our company. Although the survey focused largely on media, marketing and content, it also analysed the concerns of B2B decision-makers and how much they compare different insurance providers before making a decision,” says If’s Nordic Digital Marketing Manager Christina Annala .

The recommended actions compiled as part of the survey have been applied at If in content production, the themes of paid advertising and content formats. One of the recommendations had to do with the length of articles and videos – it was noted that shorter content works better than longer content.

“One of the most important findings was that the markets in our countries of operation differ from each other. This observation helped us make the decision to emphasize slightly different things in the content we produce for different countries,” says Annala.

The survey also provided recommendations of suitable media channels.

“Our thoughts were confirmed. We reach a broad group of B2B decision-makers via the digital channels that we use.”

Seamless cooperation drove success

The successful cooperation was based on Sanoma’s path to purchase survey for B2B decision-makers, which was used to tailor a solution specifically for If, and on seamless cooperation. Christina Annala and If’s Nordic Marketing Business Manager Anna Kågström commend the team at Sanoma that was responsible for the survey.

“They were flexible and well-informed. They listened to our needs and were able to turn them into actions. They were also always available and answered all our questions in no time.”

The process was quick and smooth.

“We managed to get everything done through one partner. The whole package, including translations, was produced in a month. Cooperation was close, and the common thread running through the process was ensuring that we get as much benefit as possible from the survey. We are extremely happy that we ended up choosing Sanoma as our partner. We were able to rely on the strong expertise of the media house and its thorough understanding of media.”

How do we use data in advertising?

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 10:47:28 GMT

We use data to drive customer-oriented marketing and improve the customer experience. Transparency in the use of data in advertising is an important part of responsible data use.

"We are open about what we use data for, who our partners are and what sort of targeting we do. We do not share users’ locations with our partners and only collect data from Sanoma’s own services. The consumer also has the option of opting out of the use of cookie data, resulting in them seeing advertising without personal data-based targeting or optimisation. Contextual targeting is an effective way for advertisers to reach consumers who have opted out of using cookie data," says Jaakko Kuivalainen , director of B2B digital business at Sanoma.

A significant proportion of visitors to our site already use a Sanoma account on a regular basis. As a result, we know Finnish consumers and their media consumption very well, which sets us apart from other players in the industry. By combining their own data with the high-quality first-party data from Sanoma, advertisers can target their messages to their own audiences and tailored segments.

"We are actively involved in industry associations to develop the EU's privacy and data protection mechanism to make the market work better. One of our goals is to make data protection standards equal so that international giants play by the same rules as others," Kuivalainen says.

How do we ensure brand safety in advertising?

Brand safety in advertising refers to all the practices and tools that ensure the safety of the media environment for the brand.

"We know that advertising is not suitable for all news content. This includes news items about human suffering caused by disasters and wars, for example. We automatically identify this inappropriate content and remove any advertisements," says Kuivalainen.

In all our journalistic content production, we follow the journalistic guidelines of the Council for Mass Media in Finland. The quality and reliability of the media environment is also positively reflected in the advertised brand (Source: The AdTrust Study, ThinkNewsBrands 2019).

How do we ensure that the use of AI in advertising technology and targeting is ethical?

We also use artificial intelligence as part of advertising technologies and targeting. Sanoma has now defined ethical principles for the use of artificial intelligence to ensure the responsible use of artificial intelligence and minimise risks associated with it. By following the principles, we aim to monitor the safe, appropriate and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

"When using AI, we apply the principles and practices for the protection of personal data and privacy contained in Sanoma's data protection policy, and we have already anticipated the upcoming AI regulation in the EU in our ethical principles," Kuivalainen says.

Sanoma is involved in a joint litigation by European media companies concerning Google’s anti-competition activities in the field of online marketing technology.

Sanoma follows the marketing rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the EU Framework for Online Behavioural Advertising self-regulation principles developed by IAB Europe and the self-regulation guidelines of the Data & Marketing Association of Finland (ASML) in all its marketing activities. The Council of Ethics in Advertising monitors advertising in Finland to ensure it is responsible.

Contact us for more infromation >

Programmatic buying after third-party cookies – here’s how to target advertising in the future

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:11:28 GMT

Third-part cookies are going – nobody panic! There are plenty of other tried-and-true ways to target advertising. Sanoma’s data covers almost the entire Finnish nation, and both your current and future clients are sure to be in there somewhere.

As the digital world changes, there is often an upsurge of questions, says Programmatic Manager Miia Salmi from Sanoma.

“Right now, many are wondering if the data they’ve used for targeting can be replaced with something as effective. The truth is, targeting has always been done without third-party data, too.”

It is true that some things are bound to change or disappear – retargeting, for example, can’t be done without third-party cookies. When it comes to programmatic buying, the surefire way is to work directly with a publisher that can offer their own data.

“One of the basic principles of programmatic buying has been the possibility of choosing the media and targeting separately. This won’t be possible in the future. In Finland, however, most advertisers are already doing private deals with publishers, and that is what I recommend”, Salmi remarks.

Locate your key audience with a data partnership

The majority of Finnish people have created a Sanoma account, making it the main way to identify users in Sanoma’s digital channels. The information of logged-in users is combined with behavioural data from the channels. The most popular method of targeting is utilising location data; this is especially useful for small or local businesses.

Sanoma’s digital network reaches 89 % of Finnish internet users weekly.

“This means targeting possibilities in a scale of millions. Our reach is enormous, and we can target advertising according to age and gender to four out of five users of our channels,” says Head of Data Niko Hovilainen .

A data partnership with Sanoma is a great way to reach precision in targeting and deepen customer understanding. A growing number of advertisers is interested in using their own customer data and already defined audiences to target advertising.

“A partnership is a way to locate your existing customers in Sanoma’s media. From a small group of customers, we can also model a lookalike group to create bigger campaigns to,” Hovilainen explains.

The right ad in the right place – why go for contextual targeting?

Sanoma produces tens of thousands of articles in a month. The variety of media, themes, and topics enables targeting advertising to the most opportune contexts .

“When an ad fits its environment and doesn’t appear disruptive, it is easy to receive,” Salmi says.

The contextual data of each article contains both wider categories and individual keywords. There are hundreds of categories and thousands of keywords to choose from. In addition to display advertising, contextual targeting is also available for e.g. video advertising.

“You can target a section of a website, choose very specific topics, or anything in between. Combining keywords may also prove effective for reaching your audience from different angles,” Salmi points out.

Contextual targeting does not rule out audience targeting; in fact, using both might give you the best results.

“Demographics are attributes of people – the context anticipates where their mind goes. Football boots are more likely to hit their target next to a sports article than anywhere else,” Hovilainen concludes.

Five tips for building an e-commerce success story in Finland

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 09:22:44 GMT

Finland has unlocked potential for e-commerce businesses. Cater to the right audience, localize your touchpoints, and establish a strong brand to secure your position in the market.

After the upsurge of e-commerce in pandemic times and the steep drop brought by war in Europe, we are back to steady growth of online shopping. The general uncertainty and rapid changes, however, make it hard to see which actions work long-term. Petri Vatanen , Head of e-Commerce gathered, five fool-proof tips to get you started with your e-commerce business in Finland.

1. Hone your message and offering for your audience

There’s no such thing as too much research on your target audience. Translating your message and simply going for it may work, but you’ll be more likely to succeed if you get to know your audience, their wants and needs, which media they spend time with, and what kind of products and messaging they value. Entering a new market is expensive, and comprehensive insight is invaluable.

Finns are seasoned online shoppers. Still, there is unlocked potential especially in the demographics that are not yet used to buying online, such as the older generations. If that is where your target is, tailoring your marketing and customer experience for their needs could give you great results.

2. Create an effortless, localized, and reliable customer experience

Effortless buying is what matters most to Finnish online shoppers, so a seamless customer experience is key. Another vital point is safety and an air of reliability. Finns like to buy from domestic online stores, and less people look beyond our borders. As an international company, evoking trust through localized communications is essential.

For most demographics, the Finnish language is a must. This means translating and localizing your shop, product descriptions, and marketing, but also providing customer service in Finnish.

3. Offer smooth payment and delight with quick delivery

Online banking is the preferred payment method for a large number of Finns . Offering the option of online banking alongside other methods is an important part of tailoring the customer experience for Finnish audience.

While next day delivery is the norm in many places, the standards in Finland remain lower. You can still create an excellent customer experience by providing quick delivery. Having your stock in Finland both speeds things up and builds trust within your customers.

4. Invest in building your brand long-term

Having the muscle to invest in your brand and strategic marketing gives you upper hand when entering the Finnish market. Many of your competitors will emphasize tactical marketing, sometimes due to lack of resources. Putting effort in building your brand will give you a strong position in the market and definite competitive advantage.

5. Combine mass media and digital marketing to gain a wide reach

Many countries have seen a big drop in the consumption of linear TV and other mass media; in Finland, though, they maintain a strong reach. Keep your brand top of mind and drive traffic into your store with a combination of online and offline. Effective TV or radio advertising will put your message through to a large audience, but it needs to be paired with continuous digital marketing that will pull them into the store.

The advantage of Finland as a media environment is that there’s no need to scatter your marketing efforts to many different places. Working with a big media company such as Sanoma is a one-stop approach that gives you access to channels from TV and radio to newspapers and magazines. This leaves you a whole lot more time to focus on the all-important creative side.

Get to know the Finnish media user – download our guide to media usage in Finland

Brand building is vital for online stores

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 08:21:08 GMT

Suvituuli Tuukkanen from Verkkokauppa.com and Matti Kojo from Arvo Partners explain why online stores should also invest in brand building.

Building a brand is important for both short-term and long-term success.

"For short-term success, the goal should be to avoid having to buy all the traffic coming into the online store. The company or brand behind it should be so strong that it is appealing in itself," says Suvituuli Tuukkanen , Marketing and Communications Director at Verkkokauppa.com.

According to Tuukkanen, a well-established player in the market can succeed for a while by investing solely in tactical marketing and search engine optimisation, but over time the brand, along with the direct traffic to the website, will collapse if it is not properly taken care of.

"This is one of the reasons it's important to do brand-building marketing. Another thing to note is that brand-building marketing can help to shape perceptions and communicate more strongly compared to purely tactical communications directing traffic to the online store," Tuukkanen points out.

According to her, brand-building marketing also has a strengthening effect on tactical marketing.

"The role of tactical and brand-building marketing depends on the situation and goals of the online store. How wide is the range, how long has it been in the market and what is the structure of the customer base and traffic?" Tuukkanen says.

According to her, metrics often follow a short trajectory, with tactical advertising dominating over brand marketing.

Verkkokauppa.com uses a wide range of metrics. Monitoring includes brand metrics such as preference, consideration and key image development, as well as tactical metrics related to campaign performance.

“In terms of hard metrics, we monitor direct sales and traffic, customer base development, conversions and a wide range of digital advertising metrics,” Tuukkanen explains.

The brand is the cornerstone of e-commerce

"Brand building is much more than a marketing activity, especially for online stores. It’s the entire shopping and customer experience, all its touchpoints," says Matti Kojo , CEO of Arvo Partners.

“In challenging times, the brand can be the deciding factor in getting the customer to stay or even choose your company.”

According to Kojo, the online store brand is built on several voices: the content, ratings and reviews created by customers; the content and channels created by the company; and the marketing efforts, customer communication and personalisation at different stages of the purchase process.

“It’s important to understand your target market and audience and to know what kind of value propositions work for them,” Kojo says.

"Especially in the early stages of the online store, it is important to acquire new customers and ensure the right kind of customer experience. When the tactical channels start to become saturated, it makes sense to shift the budget to branding."

According to Kojo, tactical and brand-building advertising should exist in harmony.

"Brand building can be accelerated by taking care of sales and the customer experience. On the other hand, brand recognition has a beneficial effect on customer acquisition costs in tactical campaigns, and by strengthening the brand, we can also accelerate sales in the longer term."

According to Kojo, the challenge of brand marketing in e-commerce is that the tactical channels are often highly tuned and the profit angle is good.

"The threshold for shifting the budget to branding increases because you are dealing with a long-term investment. However, the brand is one of the cornerstones that online stores need to build as well."

The right metrics at different stages

The right metrics must be used at the different stages of marketing.

"In addition to traditional brand surveys and brand research offered by advertising platforms, it's a good idea to measure how much you are reaching your desired audience, how they react to advertising, whether they come to your site and what happens on the site afterwards. Are they leaving immediately or are they the right target group?" Kojo says.

According to him, one metric to be monitored could be the growth of remarketing audiences. Kojo often hears the comment that the customer has heard nothing about or from the online store since the purchase.

"There is a problem with customer communication if the brand disappears along with the acute need. For example, in Sanoma's network you can reach out to customers who have already bought and start testing what you can achieve by scaling up your customer base," Kojo suggests.

Tips for brand building from Suvituulia Tuukkanen

1. Know who you are talking to.

What is your key target group? Know them. How they think, what they need, what are the obstacles and drivers for buying and what motivates this group.

2. Select a clear message.

There is often a lot to say. The brighter and clearer the message, and the better it addresses the obstacles related to buying, the more likely it is to work.

3. Be persistent and systematic.

When building a brand, metrics tend to move slowly. Do not expect the change in consumers’ minds to happen quickly. It is a good idea to stay on the defined path, but also to constantly test new things and make the necessary corrections.

4. Take care of the overall brand experience.

Advertising and marketing paint a certain picture of what a brand is like. However, brand perception is formed through all touchpoints: online or in-store, selection and pricing, customer service, CRM messages, etc. Brand management must be comprehensive.

5. Measure and understand cause and effect relationships.

Keep your eye on the ball and make sure you have enough data points to know how your brand is developing. The brand could be developing in a positive direction, but the traffic might not increase or the sales could be lagging behind. This is not necessarily due to incorrect marketing activities, it might instead be due to the surrounding market or the actions of a competitor. Traffic could also be at a good level, but brand perception might not be developing in the desired direction, leaving the full potential untapped.

Get in touch >

How is the Finnish consumer doing in 2024?

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 13:05:40 GMT

How is the Finnish consumer doing in 2024? Sanoma’s experts share the latest research

The uncertain times have taken a toll on the trust and wallet of Finnish people and turned the conscious consumer into a wary one. Research shows, however, that the hesitation is not entirely well founded – and the data on Finnish buying habits is also taking an optimistic turn.

Sanoma’s recent webinar took a deep dive into Finnish consumer trends in 2024. In this article, Veera Luoma-aho , Head of Department in politics, business, and economy at Helsingin Sanomat, and Customer Insight Strategist Jaana Jamalainen share the main insights from their fields. Let’s take a look!

The Finns’ plummeting trust in the economy doesn’t match the real-life situation

With the war in Ukraine, inflation, and rising interest rates, the Finnish consumers’ trust in the economy fell into a downward spiral in 2022. Since then, their replies to questionnaires have shown great uncertainty about the future. The twist, however, lies in the discrepancy between those feelings and what really goes on in the economy.

“Consumers communicate a lack of trust when asked about their views on the world and economy, but it doesn’t show up in their buying behavior,” explains Veera Luoma-aho.

Historically, the GDP and the Finnish consumers’ trust in the economy have gone hand in hand. In the past couple of years, the trust indicator has parted ways with the development of the economy. The same phenomenon has been reported in the US.

Feelings may change fast as the economy picks up again in 2024

The Finnish GDP didn’t look too bad at the end of 2023. There is a recession, but it’s short-lived and does not exceed a regular economic cycle. Not all consumers see a change in their personal finance.

“With the inflation and difficulties in certain industries, it is hard to get by for some households and companies. Still, there is no indication of mass unemployment such as during the depression in the 1990s,” Luoma-aho says.

In 2024, the real income of Finnish people will grow as inflation slows down. There are positive signals in the property market and world trade. Changes to the positive can have a big impact on the atmosphere among consumers, says Luoma-aho.

“A feeling is just that – a feeling. When reality and the trust in it don’t match, the positive is that the feeling can change quickly.”

Price will make or break a deal, but there’s more to making wise decisions

There already are signals of the wariness lifting. This can be seen in the biannual Consumer Pulse conducted by Sanoma questionnaire that measures the Finnish consumer behavior and attitudes.

At the beginning of January 2024, 69% of Finnish consumers said they are weighing their buying habits. 63% of Finns are more careful than before when making decisions, and 61% save on some purchases to be able to spend more on others. However, all these numbers are declining, which suggests an air of optimism.

“Generally, Finns want to make wise decisions and understand the benefits of the product or service. More than half of the respondents are increasingly searching for details about what they’re buying”, says Jaana Jamalainen .

What influences the Finns’ buying decisions?

98% of buyers say price is the most influential factor.
86% consider stock availability especially when shopping online.
84% appreciate an easy buying experience in brick-and-mortar stores.
Brand, sustainability, and fast delivery also contribute to decision making.

Sustainability is a given – but the consumer craves more information

A Finnish consumer is a conscious one, and the Finns’ interest in sustainability remains high. More than half of the respondents say they choose Finnish and local products and services, and buying second-hand is on the rise.

As sustainability becomes a norm that can be expected, the consumer pays less attention to it. On the other hand, Finns seem to consider it difficult to find information on the sustainability of brands to support them making well-informed decisions.

“An important point for the marketer is that when a conscious consumer feels like information is hard to come by, there is more work to be done”, Jamalainen says.

Money-saving tactics are on decline as the turmoil settles down

Switching brands to save money has been a visible trend that is now on decline as buying is settling down in all industries. Young people, and especially women, are more likely to both reduce buying and switch from one product to another.

Comparing prices of services has decreased since October last year, and 35% of consumers say they don’t intend to compare any services in the next months. Finns are most likely to assess electricity, phone, and insurance deals before reaching a decision.

Almost a third of Finns have needed to postpone a buying decision because of uncertainty – but on the other hand, 47% say they have been able to make purchases as before. The former number is declining and the latter is on the rise, which shows light at the end of the tunnel for both Finnish households and companies.

In the mood for more reading? Visit our Latest News & Articles on Advertising in Finland!

Finnish media usage is one of a kind

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 13:05:38 GMT

Here’s how to gain the Finns’ trust with your brand

Finland might look like your average Nordic country, but there are tricks to the way we use media and react to new brands. A little extra effort into marketing in Finland might just turn good results into excellent ones.

It’s easy to assume one advertising strategy is enough to cover the Nordics as a whole, but we will stop you right there with one question: are you getting the best possible results by tackling big areas at once?

If your goal is 5% of growth in the Nordics, a little extra focus on Finland could give you 5,2%. The difference between good and excellent lies in that tiny extra push.

We believe taking a closer look at Finland as a market of its own is a decision that will pay off.

Our clients’ numbers reveal that the same tactics that work in Sweden or Norway might not work here. We’ll give you an example: there was a big international online store that saw good conversion in other Nordic countries, but for some reason, with the same actions, Finland was lagging.

Amplify your reach with offline media

Why is this, then? We see a slight conservatism to the way Finns approach media and buying. Research shows that offline media holds its ground in Finland. Going all digital in Finland might not do the trick, while print media or TV will give your brand and message a nice reach and a more attentive audience.

In younger generations, the differences compared to other Nordic countries are smaller, but our population pyramid is very top-heavy and traditions sit tight. Of course, this also means we will see big changes in the coming years.

 Learn more – download our free, research-based guide to Finnish media usage

The biggest factor that makes Finns different from their Nordic counterparts is suspiciousness. For us, it generally takes a little longer to trust new things and offers. Finns like to compare and hear recommendations.

Build trust with localization

When speaking to the Finnish audience, building trust is the key component. This can be done by first getting to know the Finnish market and consumers, then translating and localizing your brand and message to fit the surroundings.

Finnish is a small language but all the more meaningful to its speakers. Domestic media is exceptionally strong in Finland, and even international TV formats see a surge in popularity when they are done in Finnish, with Finnish participants. Finnish music is highly popular compared to domestic music in other parts of the world.

Locality, of course, is a global megatrend but it’s especially apt in the case of Finland. Here is a powerful piece of advice:

Be a boldly international brand that speaks Finnish to your Finnish customers. Apply localization to all other aspects of your brand, too – it’s a big factor for a brand to look like it belongs. Go the extra mile for Finns, and we will reward you with our loyalty. This is what we in Finland call being customer centric!

 Nordic, but different – download our guide to Finnish media usage and make the most of your media presence in Finland!

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These are the marketing trends of 2024

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 12:38:59 GMT

A group of marketing professionals predict what the year 2024 will be like for marketing. The discussions highlight the importance of brand building, sustainability, artificial intelligence and creativity, among other things.

Efficiency makes room for creativity

Sustainability trend: Pure focus on the right things and perseverance in building the brand

Artificial intelligence will democratise marketing communications, the amount of greenwashing will decrease

Following ta rget groups to new channels

A strong brand always succeeds

The renaissance of the Four Ps begins

Growing interest in advertising attention

Sustainability challenges us to think about media choices

Price-driven communication emphasised

Advertising in the land of four seasons – succeed with seasonal marketing in Finland

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 12:57:28 GMT

From inches of snow to the endless nights of summer, all seasons in Finland have their own distinct characteristics. Choose the right media at the right time and you’ll stay at the top of your audience’s mind in any season.

The time of the year affects the way Finnish people consume media, spend their time, and make decisions, which is why making informed media choices is key when advertising in Finland.

“You need to consider the way your main audience consumes media, but also the changes in that throughout the year,” says Sebastian Wikman , International Key Account Manager at Sanoma.

Wikman believes there is still a lot of potential for advertisers to make bold moves in Finland. Seasonal planning is an effective way to tap into themes that the buyer is already thinking about. The seasons in nature and different holidays provide a map to the Finnish consumer’s mind.

The Finnish year in a nutshell:

Q1 : New Year, wellness and new beginnings, Valentine’s Day (celebrated in Finland as Friend’s Day), winter break from school in February, winter sports
Q2 : Easter, May Day, Mother’s Day, end of school year and graduation at the beginning of June, cottage and garden season begins, Midsummer
Q3 : Summer festivals, main summer holiday season in July, back to school in early August, new hobbies and interests
Q4 : Autumn break from school in October, Halloween, Father’s Day, Black Friday, Independence Day on 6th December, pre-Christmas parties, Christmas

Christmas sparks emotions

Although Finns are known for winter sports, a lot of time is also spent indoors during the cold time of the year. That means heightened consumption of slow media, TV, and magazines.

In the dark months, Christmas is a bright beacon for many Finns. It truly is the season of giving, as we not only give gifts to each other but also donate to charities more often than in the rest of the year.

“Christmas is an emotional and atmospheric time. For an advertiser, it’s a great chance to create a recognizable visual and auditory experience through TV and radio,” Wikman explains.

After the Holiday season we welcome the ‘new year, new me’ energy. It’s time to act on your resolutions and start new hobbies. A seasonal quirk is Friend’s Day, the Finnish version of Valentine’s Day, that celebrates friendships above all. Week-long school breaks take place in February and October, a popular vacation time for families.

Easy summer living

Come spring, Finns wake up from their winter slumber and start to look forward to the summer. As soon as the snow melts, the garden and cottage season is in full swing, and the demand for garden furniture, fishing and outdoor gear as well as tools and cleaning supplies goes up – anything that helps shake off the dust of the winter past.

School’s out already at the beginning of June, when we also celebrate graduates. Unlike many other countries, in Finland the school holidays are in June and July, the latter also being the main holiday month at workplaces.

The short summer season invites Finns to live to the max, enjoy, and treat themselves. Many head to one of the over 500 000 summer cottages scattered across Finland. Especially the Midsummer celebrations in late June are a reason for many to leave the city for a couple of days.

“The Finnish way of enjoying the summer often means that TV has less importance while radio and mobile usage are amplified,” says Wikman. “In the summer, radio consumption is steadier throughout the day, compared to the rest of the year when the peaks are at the commuting hours of morning and afternoon.”

Don’t hold back during Q4

The busiest time of the year is, without a doubt, the last quarter. With Black Friday boosting sales and Christmas quickly approaching right after, it’s the peak season for online shopping and digital marketing. Even in a B2B environment, deals are closing and the next year’s budgets are being made, so it’s time to get your say in decision making.

Wikman encourages advertisers to claim their space during Q4 and be strongly visible in all relevant channels. Honing your message for a carefully specified audience will make the biggest impact.

“The last months of the year offer big sales, but all your competitors will also be active at that time. In a loud and crowded market, your message is what makes you stand out. Choosing the right media or an unexpected one will also make a difference,” says Wikman.

3 + 1 tips to stay on top of your advertising game in Finland

Be sure to plan ahead. Turn your attention towards Black Friday and Christmas by the time you’re out of summer holidays. If you’re launching a new brand, allow plenty of time before the main season for the consumer to get to know your product and see it as a viable alternative to what they’re familiar with.
Tailor your message and visual elements to match the season. While you’ll want to stand out from the crowd, meeting your audience where they’re at will make an impact. The mood and behavior of Finns change seasonally, and knowing those changes will help you hit the spot with your marketing.
Keep an eye on the conversations going on. The cycle of planning and executing marketing is getting shorter. Alongside seasonal marketing, being aware of what’s going on in the market allows you to tweak your message and claim new market shares.

+1. Advertising in print will have a big effect. When doing a disruptive campaign or reacting to hot topics, traditional print turns into a fast and reactive media. Finnish people have an exceptionally high trust in news media. Helsingin Sanomat, for example, reaches a vast audience across the Finnish society.

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Case Orion: Sanoma's research data is at the core of marketing

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:46:59 GMT

“It is important to keep up to date with changes in consumer behaviour,” says Tanja Kipinoinen , Customer Insight Manager at Orion. Orion is a globally operating Finnish pharmaceutical company.

What kinds of changes are consumers’ buying habits undergoing? What are the trends in well-being? Where do consumers prefer to buy self-care products?

Insight information produced by Sanoma is actively used at Orion. Orion has purchased studies on well-being, consumption pulse and pharmacy and self-care products from Sanoma.

“We have used all of these internally with different functions. I present the studies, for example, to the sales and management teams. Our sales representatives use these results in the management of B2B customers when presenting Orion or the pharmacy and self-care products market,” explains Tanja Kipinoinen , Customer Insight Manager at Orion.

Customer understanding is crucial

The well-being study deals extensively with people’s perceptions of well-being, as well as consumption habits related to well-being services and products.

“A well-being study contains a lot of information about health trends that are of interest to consumers. We have the itsehoitoapteekki.fi website for consumers, where we produce articles based on the insight. When we produce content for our own channels, we also use it in digital marketing. In this way, we highlight our expertise and familiarity with trends. Insight is also used to support advertising planning.”

The Kulutuspulssi (consumption pulse), a study conducted by Sanoma, examines changes in the purchasing behaviour of Finns, the impact of sustainability on purchasing decisions and the impact of the economic situation on the largest purchases.

“It is important to keep up to date with changes in consumer behaviour. Customer understanding is at the core of our operations. When it comes to self-care products, it is essential to know what consumers think and what interests them,” Kipinoinen sums up.

“The research data produced by Sanoma is valuable to us. We actively utilise it in various operations.”

Tanja Kipinoinen , Customer Insight Manager, Orion

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Hit your targets with data-driven marketing

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 12:39:03 GMT

Expired knowledge is not good for you - yet we let common beliefs guide us all the time in our everyday lives. It’s time to let go of these beliefs and start speaking data.

When did you last check how valid your beliefs about your business are? How well do you know your target groups? What beliefs do you have about your customers and their ways of living and consumption patterns? Do you even know who your potential customers are?

“All of these are questions you should try to answer regularly, and the answers should be based on data. Assumptions are not an effective way to guide a successful business or do impactful marketing”, says Insight Manager Katariina Karine from Sanoma.

As collecting data is a time-consuming endeavor, it’s good to consider whether a partner could lend a helping hand. Sanoma has a long tradition of collecting valuable data for its customers.

"We have a huge amount of information about different industries, target groups, and their media use. All this information is available to our international customers”, says Karine.

Sanoma also provides advertising impact measurements, which make it easier to analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and if strategic goals have been achieved.

"Working with Sanoma guarantees that your marketing efforts are always based on researched information. Therefore, the possibility of marketing failures is small," emphasizes Account Manager Olavi Kajantie .

Dig deeper with data

According to Kajantie, success in the Finnish market requires deep knowledge of the area, as Finnish people differ from their neighboring countries quite a bit in terms of media use. Both Kajantie and Karine point out that commercial radio, for example, has a strong and unique position in Finland, which makes the market somewhat exceptional compared to other Nordic countries.

“When you know the market and consumers' media use, you reach the right customers in the right channels and do more effective and profitable marketing,” Kajantie says.

Sanoma provides its customers with up-to-date information on target groups based on continuously updated analytics. A particular advantage is Sanoma’s knowledge of the multichannel market and the impact of branding.

“The effectiveness of advertising is typically measured by sales or clicks, forgetting qualitative indicators such as brand image. In addition to multimedia studies, our impact studies are available in digital, print, radio, TV, video, cross-media and cooperation campaigns," Karine illustrates.

One audience is not enough

At Sanoma, Finnish media consumers are divided into eight different segments, which, according to Karine, differ greatly from each other.

"Our focus is on demographic data, motives, and attitudes towards media use. The segments can help you know your target groups better and define the best channels and communication angles," she says.

The role of news media is strong in Finland, even by international standards, and thanks to digital growth, its overall reach remains high. This guarantees a safe and respected operating environment for advertisers.

"Commercial radio and television are also still going strong in Finland, which provides interesting opportunities for marketers. There are so many choices for marketing channels in Finland that without knowledge of your target group, you’ll definitely be lost – and probably lose money,” Kajantie points out.

An infinity loop of success

Before starting any marketing efforts in a new market area, careful planning is always in order. At Sanoma, a so-called multi-stage infinity loop operating model helps customers reach their end goals and succeed.

Karine illustrates the process as follows:

"The infinity loop is continuous. Every planning process starts with setting goals. After that, we proceed to form a vision utilizing insight, and consumer and industry understanding. After these steps we start to form a solution, where the strategy and the roles of different media outlets are defined. Only then we proceed to implementation, which includes the media plan."

The final stage of the infinity loop is, of course, measurement and analysis.

“We learn, we implement, and the loop starts again. Each time you learn something new from the data and get to know your audience and the impact of your marketing better.”

Get in touch >>

Brand value is weighed in times of uncertainty

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 06:51:35 GMT

During the pandemic, there was a pressure on brands to be present, whereas now, it’s all about the price. Consumer behaviour in 2023 could be summarized as “price, not presence”, but this would be an oversimplification. The issue is rather creating value and understanding what ultimately produces value, writes Paula Hernetkoski.

More and more consumers find themselves having to consider their spending more carefully. Even those who do not necessarily have to do so, are being more cautious. However, it is too easy to simplify things by focusing on the price. When price becomes more important in making purchase decisions, the importance of brand value as the basis for price also grows. Now more than ever, we need to take a closer look at how value can be created – what different audiences are willing to pay for, what matters in the category and what kind of value gives us a competitive advantage?

Price is often seen as an absolute variable and a rational decision-making criterion, but it is so much more than that. Price plays a significant role in the emotional state created by a brand. The price decision is based on highly intuitive, unconscious decision-making, although we like to explain the decision to ourselves afterwards using rational arguments. A low price can signify responsible consumption in one context, a great bargain in another context, a poor quality in a third context – all for the same person.

The famous words of Warren Buffett describe the situation well: “Price is what you pay, value is what you get”. Whether it’s buying coffee or a new TV, willingness to pay is typically based on highly emotional views about the significance and benefits of the product or service. What kind of status, service experience or sustainability does the brand represent? Can it be trusted in the long run? Does it represent the values I believe in? Will it make my life easier? What will others think about it; will I belong to the group?

Marketing communication plays a major role in communicating these promises. According to a global survey of 350 brands conducted by Kantar in the years 2003−2010, long-term brand advertising that has been proven to increase consideration and preference significantly reduces consumers’ price sensitivity, enabling price increases without having to fear a fall in demand*. The rapid impact of advertising also helps when the competition over consumer spending grows more intense: advertising reminds consumers of the brand, its competitive advantages and user experience, making the brand a compelling choice over competitors, even if the price point is higher.

There is a lot of talk globally about giving price an even bigger role in the marketing toolbox this year. Granted, this is due to a genuine decline in purchasing power, tightening price competition and the demand for transparency in price communication. But at the same time, it all comes down to understanding consumer behaviour. At least seven critical themes have been addressed in the debate.

1. Understand where brand value comes from

The willingness to pay a certain price is a highly emotional decision. Find out what the consumer is actually paying for when they buy your brand instead of other players in the category or potential substitutes. What is the price elasticity of the product or service in different consumer segments and, above all: what short-term and long-term measures should you take to strengthen the brand’s price position? What kind of user experiences or impressions is the brand value built on? How does it stand out from the others? Marketing communication helps to ensure that the brand remains on the consideration list of the category, is familiar − well-known, approachable and thereby easy to buy − and communicates value and differentiation.

2. Provide options

Is there a need to increase the price of your core product or could you provide options instead, such as paid transport, additional services or new package sizes? The consumer will ultimately decide what they want to pay for. This makes the value of different services and product elements concrete and creates options for different consumer segments. However, you should first find out which product and service elements are considered so critical to the core product that without them you will start losing customers or at least credibility in the short term.

3. Reduce the risk of buying

Willingness to pay grows when the perceived risks are lower. Does your product promise sustainable value and a long service life? Lego bricks, Gore-Tex products and strollers that grow with the child are good examples of this. Could you provide a repair service to extend the life of your product or reduce the feeling of risk at the point of purchase by offering flexible terms of guarantee? One particular car manufacturer gave buyers the right to return their car if they became unemployed within a year of the purchase.

4. Identify moments of need

Understand the situations in which your category is most relevant or when it is difficult to replace with anything else. Innovate new services for the moments when consumers are willing to invest, such as the holiday season or major turning points in life. Could you generate more interest through scarcity, special editions or exclusive benefits? Guarantee interest towards your brand through timely marketing communication and activate consumers as the entry point approaches. Engage them later with extra services and additions to the product category.

5. Change the comparison group – increase price elasticity

Significant growth potential lies in between categories. By expanding conventional category boundaries, we can combine various needs and ideally create entirely new competitive advantages, to which the competitors in the category cannot react, at least not very quickly. One example of an easy, quality solution can be found in the market for groceries: the M&S Dine in concept created a new category between store-bought ready-made meals and restaurant takeaway dishes, significantly increasing consumers’ willingness to buy in the process. Now this grocerant trend has also arrived in Finland.

6. Innovate ways to increase purchase frequency

Make use of customer loyalty programmes and engaging communication to activate repeat purchases. Identify new, potential distribution channels and use advertising to inspire new uses for products in addition to the familiar ones. Reward commitment. Look for ways through product and service development as well, such as small service innovations that make the consumers’ life easier or help them start using the product more quickly.

7. Do not allow price promotions to erode your profitability

Price promotions appear to lead to a spike in sales, but this sales effect is often an illusion. Usually, the actual increase in sales in very small, because the majority of the sales volume of price promotions is just subsidising existing sales: you’re giving away discounts to people who would have bought you already or would buy you next week. You may also cannibalize other channels by providing discounts in one channel. Repeated price promotions erode your margins, reduce your pricing power and reduce brand value. According to the estimate of the Nielsen research organization, up to 84% of price promotion campaigns reduce profit**. If you do use price promotions, reward commitment and make sure that you activate new customers and new sales or support e.g. the growth of your market share in the competitive season.

When speaking of purchasing power and price communication, you should also keep in mind that although caution is the word of the day in Finnish buying behaviour, we also see strong polarization in purchasing power: whereas 68% of Finns practice more caution when making purchase decisions, almost a third report that their consumption habits have not changed very much recently. For example, more than a third buys restaurant and café services just as much as before***.

The price strategy is, in fact, customer insight at its best: understanding what creates value for current and new, potential customers. This requires persistence in understanding the needs of different customer segments – what is relevant for the different segments – and often tough decisions about which segment's needs we want to serve in the first place. The meaning of every brand is somewhere between a commodity and a status symbol. It all comes down to differentiation. Truly distinctive products and services are harder to replace, which also reduces their price sensitivity.

Get in touch >>

Sources:

*Raising prices? How advertising strengthens your brand’s pricing power, WARC Exclusive, (September 2022)
**Les Binet, Marketing planning in turbulent times (2022)
***Source: Sanoma Consumer Pulse IV (04/2023)

Finnkino’s multichannel Christmas campaign succeeded beyond expectations

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 11:57:34 GMT

The multichannel marketing campaign reinforced a positive image of Finnkino and increased intentions to visit their locations. Finnkino Ltd paves the way for cultural entertainment in Finland and is the most versatile experience provider. Finnkino has 16 movie theaters in 11 cities throughout Finland, with a total of 113 auditoriums altogether.

Objective

Finnkino’s multichannel Christmas marketing campaign was looking for a broad reach. The target groups were especially those who go to the cinema at least once every 3 months and families with children.

The marketing campaign was two-pronged: the successful launch of a new gift card product and a high volume of sales for the familiar movie voucher product.

Solution

The gift card launch was carried out as a programme cooperation with Radio Suomipop, as the key challenge was to communicate all of the new card’s features and operating mechanisms. Juuso Mäkilähde and Tinni Wikström invited listeners to participate in a quiz in their broadcast, the topic of which was things related to the gift card.

In this way, the gift card’s offerings could be extensively introduced naturally. The contest format expressed the gift card’s key functionality: adding credit to the card’s balance. The marketing campaign was supported by spots on the radio and in Supla. The campaign also included digital advertising and social media visibility.

The marketing campaign for the familiar movie voucher product was carried out in the format of moving pictures on TV and a digital campaign in Sanoma’s network.

The purpose of the “Always the right gift” concept is to highlight how Finnkino’s movie tickets are a good gift for absolutely everyone.

We are very satisfied with the marketing campaign for both products. The gift card campaign was implemented in an innovative way as a radio programme cooperation, and Videolle created a great TV spot for the movie vouchers. Päivi Iisakka , B2C Marketing Manager, Finnkino

Results

The radio campaign reached an estimated total of over one million listeners, and up to 32% of the 25–54-year-old target group. 1,889 listeners participated in Finnkino’s gift card quiz, which is an excellent result. 3,104 listeners visited the campaign website.

The strongest part of the cooperation was how natural it was as part of content. The hosts got listeners to enthusiastically join in on the playful contest, which resulted in more natural and entertaining content. Through the quiz, Finnkino’s themes were highlighted continuously, and the hosts were inspired to otherwise talk about movies. The final result was a highly functional, entertaining and cheerful programme!

According to Sanoma’s campaign survey, Finnkino’s multimedia marketing campaign was well noticed. 61% of respondents had noticed the campaign, and it reached the core target groups particularly well – families with children and those who go to the cinema at least once every 3 months.

Of the advertisements, the TV and digital advertising were noticed the best. Young people recalled hearing the radio advertising significantly more often than the older age groups.

83% of respondents felt that the campaign’s message was clear. Sanoma’s reference figure for similar campaigns is 70%. The campaign was also well-liked: 80% of respondents stated that they liked the campaign. Particular reasons for liking the campaign were the clarity of the advertising, the mood and the idea.

The campaign succeeded especially in having a positive impact on the image of Finnkino and awakening intentions to try out and visit Finnkino. All results exceeded the averages in Sanoma’s data bank.

Our cooperation went very well, all the way from a creative idea to implementation. It was nice to launch the new gift card product with such a fun idea. The marketing campaign succeeded beyond expectations, and we got a great start for a new product. The movie voucher campaign was noticed, and it also activated consumers well. Päivi Iisakka, B2C Marketing Manager, Finnkino

“Cooperation with Sanoma was smooth, project management was good and the attitude was proactive from the very first briefing. It was easy to purchase the parts from the offer that we wished to start taking forward,” Iisakka says.

Päivi Iisakka considers Sanoma’s strength to be its multiple channels.

“Through Sanoma, you also get enough visibility and impressions. Finnkino’s cinemas can be found in all of the biggest cities and visitors come from large areas, so this could almost be called nationwide marketing. Sanoma does not have any competitors that could offer such broad multichannel visibility,” she says in praise.

Finnkino has a small marketing team, so Iisakka also appreciates the production and ideation assistance offered by Sanoma.

“It was important for us that we received very fun ideas in the same package. The marketing campaign worked well and was very successful,” Iisakka concludes.

The campaign was a success by many metrics

32% the campaign reached up to 32% of the 25–54-year-old target group

1889 listeners participated in the gift card quiz

61% of the campaign survey respondents had noticed the campaign

83% felt that the campaign’s message was clear

80% liked the campaign

All results exceeded the averages in Sanoma’s data bank

Get in touch >>

Same same but Different: How to Make Advertising Work for You as Well in Finland as in Other Nordic Countries

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 08:28:39 GMT

We put together 4 things that you need to be aware of when you are planning on growing your business in Finland through advertising. Nail these and you’ll see better results.

International clients advertising digitally in Finland often find that ads don’t convert as well here as they do in other Nordic countries. They come to the Finnish market with the same messages and same channel focus and expect similar results. But Finland is a wild card among the Nordics. Finns behave slightly differently than their Nordic cousins so getting advertising to work requires some tweaks to campaign planning and execution.

First, let us put your mind to rest: Finland isn’t massively different to other Nordic countries. Campaigns and tactics that work elsewhere, can work here as well. Whether you want to focus on television, radio, print or online advertising, it all works. You might have to put a little extra effort into building trust and varying your channel choices and messages, but getting advertising to work in Finland does not require you to plan a completely different campaign.

So, what do you need to know to get advertising work for you in Finland?

Understand Finnish buying behaviour

Finns don’t buy quite the same way as their Nordic cousins. For example, mobile paying here lags behind other countries. Around 55 % of Finns buy from mobile devices in comparison to 80 % of Swedes. Unsurprisingly 25-40 year olds are the most active mobile buyers. After that age group, there is a steep drop.

This is challenging because people above 40 years of age, and especially above 50, have the most time and money to spend. Having a huge age group that does not like to buy digitally is one the reasons why digital advertising does not convert as well in Finland as it does elsewhere in Scandinavia. For the older age group, the purchase journey in digital channels is a lot longer.

This is not to say that conversions from digital channels don’t work. It just means that you need to be aware of the differences and adjust campaign goals accordingly.

Once you understand buying behaviour, you can choose the right channels.

Build trust by using quality Finnish medias

The road to Finnish hearts goes through national media. Finns consume a lot of content in various different formats.

Let's take newspapers as an example. Reading newspapers is a regular activity for over 90 % of Finns, both young and old. Even teenagers read newspapers in Finland. Over half of the population reads them in print format and almost 90 % reads them digitally. Also, Finns typically go directly to the newspapers’ websites to read news, rather than being directed there through other mediums, like social media.

Another anomaly is the radio. Half of the Finnish population listens to commercial radio whilst only about 10-15 % does so in other Nordic countries. Finns have a radio on in their cars, homes, computers, mobile phones etc. Advertising on radio can be a very effective way to reach audiences in Finland.

The unfortunate fact is that when we talk to international clients, radio is rarely part of the channel mix. Clients want to put their budgets into digital advertising because that drives conversion so well in the rest of the northern hemisphere. But we strongly encourage clients to consider other media, because they can bring companies closer to Finns and help them build trust.

And so we come to a key point in advertising in general and programmatic buying in particular in Finland: focus on quality Finnish media. Do your research about where and how Finns consume content and what media companies they trust. Don’t put your money into humbug channels.

Vary your message

What makes your tacts work is your message. The problem often is that companies use the exact same message in every Nordic country. The same message rarely moves Finns.

By understanding that Finland differs as a market and putting a little extra effort into planning and varying your message, you can get bigger gains in Finland.

Generally speaking Finns appreciate facts and values. We are information seekers. We don’t buy right away, we look for information and ask around. If we can’t find enough info, we move on. Right messages in your brand building are crucial.

Value based advertising isn’t necessary, but Finns are used to companies using values in their marketing. But here’s the catch: it has to be genuine. Don’t fake it. If values are a core part of your business, show it your advertising.

Finding the right messages for different markets can be challenging. Find a local partner that can help you to choose resonating messages and channels. This saves you time and effort and who knows, maybe you start to see better conversions as a result?

Keep brand and performance together

This last point follows from all the previous points. Often we find that companies have different people focusing on brand and performance marketing. What we have hopefully shown you in this article that in Finland this doesn’t work. If you’re really hoping to get the most out of your marketing and advertising efforts in Finland, you need to build your campaigns on both.

Part of the reason is that Finland is a fairly small market, so separating brand and performance from each other makes little sense here. Finns trust brands they know. Gaining their trust might take a little more time, but once you have them onboard, they award you with their loyalty. Without a recognisable brand, digital advertising and programmatic buying can be really expensive. That is why building your brand organically in Finland is the foundation for the rest of your marketing and advertising activities.

Final world: do it right and reap the benefits

Our final advice to you is that don’t advertise in Finland just because you have been told to use some of your budget here. Spend money in Finland because you want to grow.

Here’s the kicker: whatever your growth goals are from the Nordic markets, by doing things slightly differently in Finland, you might go over your goals. Finland is the ace in your sleeve that will surprise you if you just take that little extra effort.

Do it right: choose the channels and plan your message right.

Boost Your Marketing Effectiveness with Programmatic Buying

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 08:01:21 GMT

Programmatic buying has solidified its position as an effective way to advertise to the right target audiences everywhere. It's proven to work wonders in Finland as well, as it's a smart way to promote your brand cost-effectively and with brand safety in mind. We picked the brains of Sanoma's experts to give you the lowdown on how to start programmatic buying in the Finnish market.

According to Sanoma's Digital Strategist, Outi Mäkelä , programmatic buying is an excellent way to buy ad space especially when you're trying to enter a new media market.

"Programmatic is your ticket to mastering an unfamiliar territory. From the buyer's perspective, the process is straightforward and simple, provided you lay the groundwork first. All you need to kick off programmatic buying is a buying platform and a banner or video ad you want to showcase across different media," explains Mäkelä.

In a nutshell, programmatic buying involves buyers and media space sellers communicating through platforms rather than face-to-face discussions. The buyer sets the terms for purchasing ad space, and the platform automatically scouts for suitable ad placements based on these terms. The seller defines the available ad inventory: who can buy ads, what media space is up for grabs, and at what cost.

"So, buying is easy. Once you have your ad buying platform up and running, you can theoretically secure media space from anywhere globally. Our team at Sanoma can help you grasp the unique characteristics of this region and advertise effectively to your precise target audience," says Sanoma's Programmatic Manager, Miia Salmi .

Quick Moves, No Targeting Mistakes

According to experts, the perks of programmatic buying include flexibility and cost-effectiveness. You can launch ad campaigns quickly and tweak them on the go.

"The platforms enable you to monitor campaigns in real-time and react if any adjustments are needed. You're no longer tied to slow email conversations for making changes. You have the reins to steer the success of your campaign," Salmi explains.

Flexibility and solid targeting options make programmatic buying a stellar addition to your marketing toolkit.

"Once your marketing goals are clear and metrics defined, you can use programmatic for standalone campaigns and long-term efforts. Extensive targeting options and the potential to use your own data ensure that your ads find the right pair of eyes," adds Mäkelä.

If you're hesitant about nailing down the correct targeting criteria in an unfamiliar media landscape, partnering up is the way to go . Even within Sanoma's ad network, there's an abundance of targeting criteria available. You don't have to master everything on your own.

"You can always turn to Sanoma's programmatic buying team for help—whether it's about targeting, leveraging your data, campaign planning, or ad optimization. We're ready to tap into Sanoma's insight services and even conduct broader audience research if needed," says Salmi.

Deals or Auctions?

Once you have the basics sorted, it's time to consider whether to purchase ads through deals or open auctions. In an open auction, the buyer determines the ad networks where the ad should appear. However, the buying platforms don't consider media quality. If you're optimizing based on, let's say, cost per click, the system will hunt down the lowest cost, regardless of the media environment. On the other hand, deals ensure that ads appear only in high-quality media environments.

" Finland is a bit of an outlier in this sense; deals are very popular here. I usually recommend deals, especially for international advertisers. They come with predefined inventories and streamline targeting," advises Salmi.

Deals also guarantee a brand-safe environment for your ads.

"Remember, Finns place exceptional trust in news media*, and the ads displayed there are considered reliable. From that perspective, deals are a solid choice. They make it easy to advertise your brand in a secure media space. And, of course, you can still opt for open auctions. Many are familiar with them, and they have their own own merits," Mäkelä points out.

A Glimpse into the Future

According to the experts, the future of programmatic buying holds even broader possibilities for multi-channel advertising. Mäkelä and Salmi predict that programmatic buying will expand in Finland, encompassing more audio and radio ads as well as digital outdoor advertising.

"We want to assure our clients that they always have access to the latest expertise and technologies, regardless of their preferred buying approach. Sanoma is the largest media company in Finland and has the nation's most significant digital development resources. Let's start with programmatic and explore other advertising solutions that could suit your business," Mäkelä summarizes.

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* Digital News Report 2023 https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2023

Case Järvikylä – Record sales and visibility with a successful marketing campaign

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 06:26:12 GMT

The front pages brought attention value and the dynamic digital full-page increased the depth of the Järvikylä campaign. Järvikylä is a food brand owned by Famifarm Ltd, which markets salads and herbs.

The goal of the marketing campaign called Kaada kaamos (“Overthrow the darkness”) was toraise people’s awareness of Järvikylä’s herbs and salads and to promote greenness in the darkness of November.

“Järvikylä has been promoting a greener plate for 35 years. With the marketing campaign, we wanted to offer people new ideas. There is no special food-related celebration in November. With the Kaada kaamos campaign, we wanted to promote a healthy diet, and our goal was also to increase sales in the month that tends to be quieter,” says Sini Memonen , Marketing Manager at Famifarm.

Solution

In addition to the cross-media front pages of Helsingin Sanomat, Aamulehti and Satakunnan Kansa, the marketing campaign included a cross-media full-page of Me Naiset and a full page in the Glorian Ruoka & Viini magazine. The dynamic digital full-page carousel and the social media highlight guided people to get acquainted with Järvikylä’s smoothie recipes and the Kaada Kaamos campaign message. At the same time, a radio campaign was running on the Sanoma channels.

Results

The marketing campaign generated more than 7 million contacts. The engagement rate of the dynamic digital full-page carousel implementation was very good: 4.8% of screens were clicked or swiped. Radio brought more attention to the marketing campaign. During the autumn, Järvikylä set an all-time sales record.

“Our aim was to gain wide-ranging visibility, and we succeeded very well in doing so. Radio advertising supported print and digital advertising well. The message gets stronger when it reaches people in different medias. Through Sanoma’s digital channels, our materials got a huge number of views – more than three million in total. From our point of view, this is a tremendous result,” Memonen says.

The dynamic digital full-page carousel ensured visibility

The dynamic digital full-page carousel featured Järvikylä’s smoothie recipes combined with the Kaada Kaamos campaign message.

“The results gave us confidence that our message interests people. The marketing campaign clearly boosted our sales. November sales were at a record high compared to previous years.”

”Famifarm opted for front-page advertising based on previous experiences.”

“You can get great visibility and attention on the front page. The dynamic full-page advertising brought more depth to the marketing campaign by presenting recipeinterested the readers. The dynamic solution also brought traffic to our website and could be seen in the number of visitors. We will certainly continue to carry out such implementations in the future as well,” says Memonen.

“The ad engagement rate of 4.8 was really high, among our best. The campaign metrics were above average in other respects as well,” says Producer Annina Pienimäki from Sanoma’s Data Sales team.

According to Memonen, collaborating with Sanoma is smooth and easy.

“Sanoma offers solutions that suit our needs. The campaign has a good starting point, becauseSanoma knows what could work and provides support for the implementation as well. The dynamic full-page solution was new to us. We received good and precise advice on how to implement it,” Memonen says.

“During the autumn, Järvikylä set an all-time sales record. The Kaada Kaamos concept worked really well, and the cross-media marketing campaign was a successful and stylish entity,” says Mika Halme, Sanoma’s Client Manager of Famifarm.

When looking for good visibility, Sanoma is an easy and natural solution. Cross-media presence is important to us, as the marketing campaign can be broken down into different channels.

The reach figures were wild, the content provided by Sanoma supports our brand image and we reach an interested audience through Sanoma. We are very satisfied. We will continue the Kaada Kaamos campaign and possibly expand Sanoma’s solutions to other marketing campaigns as well.

Sini Memonen, Marketing Manager Famifarm

Interested?

Build your brand. Engage your customers. Make sales.

Digital marketing influences the brand awareness, preference, consideration and intent to buythroughout your customer’s buying process. With Sanoma’s versatile digital marketing solutions, you create and repatriate demand, whether it’s about building a brand, controlling traffic, increasing sales or making additional sales.

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Localised video advertising is a global brand’s best friend

Wed, 10 May 2023 07:50:09 GMT

For global brands looking to enter a new market or expand efforts locally, video advertising is a powerful storytelling device. Yet videos should be carried out with specific target audience tastes in mind and with expertise on the local markets to yield the best results.

Video advertising is a good way for international brands to build momentum and awareness in local markets. Video remains a key priority for marketers , its importance moving at an all-time high.

Doing video marketing locally means replacing generic advertising with highly effective brand messages that speak to local audiences while supporting global strategies. Making video efforts count starts with good, data-based planning and expertise on audience behavior.

International brands should pay attention to certain key things when considering video for local markets.

Localised video advertising often makes for better reach

It’s all about the target audience, and global players may not have the necessary insight when it comes to local consumer behavior. Local partners and agencies, on the other hand, often have essential knowledge about the markets and data on target audiences: what type of messaging works, and which channels they prefer.

“Consumer insight is key when doing video advertising locally,” says Olavi Kajantie , Key Account Manager at Sanoma. “It all starts with defining what types of target audiences international brands need to reach, and how.”

Data about audiences also allows for brands to tie metrics to the overall goals of the video advertising, and to effectively measure and analyse results. The most common metrics are reach, impression and the amount of completions, but every campaign is different and may require specific approaches tied to local audiences – something local partners can help with.

Localisation translates into relatable brands

Authenticity is appreciated by audiences, and utilising local influencers and messaging makes the brand more relatable, even if the brand is already well known. In 2018, Finnish CokeTV was produced for Coca-Cola, featuring locally known vloggers and influencers as hosts of the YouTube show produced across Europe. The channel was extremely popular: it was Finland’s most watched brand content in early fall 2018, and Finland’s results were the highest in a country comparison. Video production of the channel was done by Videolle, which now operates as part of the Sanoma brand.

“Getting visibility locally can be very tied to local tastes. International brands should get creative in how they can reach their audiences,” says Markus Malvisalo , Key Account Manager at Videolle .

Compared to other Nordic countries , Finland as a market has its specific peculiarities and preferences that should not be overlooked. Finnish humour, for example, is a genre of its own.

Local partners can help at every step of the way

Local partners should be included as early as possible in the process, and should ideally support both the creative as well as technical side of production. The best partners can help with all the stages of planning the marketing, including the concept, messaging and distribution of the videos.

Including local partners from an early stage is also cost-effective. “Designing videos with a local approach from the get-go is a much more effective strategy than advertising for globally produced videos,” Kajantie confirms. “Videos designed with the local target audiences in mind produce brand awareness on a different level.”

The role of partners is enhanced when a brand is entering the Finnish market for the first time. For example, Danish car sharing company GoMore expanded its operations into Finland as a relatively new service and employed a multichannel approach with direct access to Sanoma’s campaign support and own channels. This resulted in building top-of-mind awareness on a large scale for the company.

Producing videos locally does not always have to be a massive effort or include shooting endless amounts of material – it can also mean animations with a local partner. “Partners can help brands see the big picture of where to get started locally and tailor video production to small or large needs,” says Malvisalo.

When planning local video advertising, remember the basics:

1) Use a local partner

2) Gain understanding of local target audiences

3) Define key goals & metrics

Want to get started on video advertising in Finland?

Get in touch >>

Interesting story, suitable stars and authenticity – branded content entertainment at its best

Mon, 08 May 2023 11:40:55 GMT

Mutti’s Henri & Sirly Italiassa branded entertainment programme became the second-most-watched food show on Ruutu in November. Distinctive video solutions and strong direction towards the branded content resulted in the desired number of viewers being well exceeded.

Objective

Tomato product producer Mutti was looking for a distribution channel for its Henri & Sirly Italiassa show, where top chefs Henri Alén and Sirly Ylläsjärvi travel to the Italian Food Valley to get to know cucina povera, the cuisine of the poor.

Generally, branded entertainment programmes are carried out at Sanoma in close cooperation with the production company and the show’s collaboration partner. This time, the idea and script for the show were ready.

“We broke down barriers in the sense that this kind of collaboration has not been done before. However, people at Sanoma were immediately open and eager to try new things, which is really great. They saw the opportunities instead of challenges. Sanoma’s team made a fantastic proposal regarding on which TV channels the show would be broadcast, how it would be displayed in Ruutu and how it would be promoted,” says Emma Vuorenmaa , Mutti’s Brand Manager Nordic Countries.

Solution

Mutti’s team realised the show together with documentary director Ada Johnson . The stars of the show Henri Alén and Sirly Ylläsjärvi were also involved in the series’ themes at an early stage.

“Collaborating with Sanoma was natural and easy. This was a new kind of project for us, too. There were a lot of questions, and we received help quickly,” Vuorenmaa says.

The three 7–8-minute episodes of Henri ja Sirly Italiassa were combined into a 23-minute show, which aired on Nelonen and Liv a total of 10 times in November–December. In Ruutu, the show can be viewed one episode at a time. Viewers were directed to watch the episodes by means of video advertising from the Sanoma network. Advertising and brand marketing was targeted at those interested in cooking.

Henri Alén and Sirly Ylläsjärvi played an important role in boosting the popularity of the show.

“When selecting influencers for a collaboration, many factors must be taken into account. It is important to find the people for whom the topic is important and who have good chemistry with one another. Henri and Sirly were the perfect duo for this show.”

Mutti has collaborated with Henri Alén for many years.

“In the past, influencers were selected for individual branded content campaigns. Today, companies are looking for brand ambassadors who really know and love the brand,” Vuorenmaa says.

The series combined food and inspiration with more serious topics, such as food waste and climate change.

Three lessons learned

It is important to find an angle for the branded content programme that is interesting to viewers and fits the brand.

“In our case, cucina povera was a theme that fits well with both criteria. From the viewer’s point of view, the show was interesting to follow, but it was also a way to talk about the brand in an authentic way. Too much advertising content makes a show less entertaining,” Vuorenmaa says.

The second tip by Vuorenmaa concerns the selection of people in the show.

“It’s a good idea to choose people who own the topic they are talking about and involve them in the planning process from the very beginning. At its best, the connection is authentic, much more than could have been expected.”

The third lesson learned from branded entertainment programmes concerns openness.

“In branded entertainment, it is important to be open. Difficult topics should also be openly discussed. It’s also OK to admit that there is not a solution to everything.”

Making branded content entertainment was a positive experience for Vuorenmaa as a whole.

“For this, thanks are due to Sanoma. We got a great partner who made sure that the series got the visibility it deserved,” Vuorenmaa explains.

Key numbers

“The collaboration resulted in a great show. The content was of high quality, and the desired number of viewers was well exceeded. Thanks is also due for the strong direction on the content and the utilisation of distinctive brand marketing video solutions.” Kristiina Ihalainen , Client Manager, Sanoma Media Finland.

100,000 readers of native articles

20,000 viewers of video episodes

466,000 viewers on Nelonen and Liv

The total reach of content related to the show is three million. On Nelonen and Liv, the show reached a total of 466,000 viewers. In Ruutu, the series has been launched 20,226 times. In November, the series was Ruutu’s second-most-watched food programme.

“The desired number of viewers was well exceeded. The results were excellent in light of the figures. Our experience of branded entertainment collaboration with Sanoma was really good. I look forward to seeing what comes next.” Emma Vuorenmaa, Brand Manager Nordic Countries, Mutti.

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Program sponsorship with Diili effectively conveyed Fennia’s message as an advocate for entrepreneurship

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 11:55:43 GMT

Program sponsorship increased people’s awareness of Fennia and influenced the brand’s image. Fennia Group provides risk management and insurance services for enterprises, entrepreneurs and private households.

Objective

The cooperation with Diili aimed at strengthening Fennia’s entrepreneurial image, as the show is strongly based on entrepreneurship and is therefore a natural environment for Fennia’s messages. The show sought a development director for the host company, owned by Jaajo Linnonmaa , and looked to the future, which also supports Fennia’s values.

“We select program sponsorship projects from two perspectives: first, we want to build awareness so that we are on people’s minds when the time comes to think about insurance issues. Second, we also want the sponsorship to fit well with our brand. Diili is very well suited for us, because Fennia has strong roots in entrepreneurship. Diili encourages people to make solutions, experiment and take bold steps forward. This fits well with the message we want to share,” says Selja Kohonen , Marketing Director at Fennia.

All measures taken by Fennia aim to strengthen the emotional bond with its customers.

“If our own customers feel that our message is relevant, at its best, being a part of Diili reinforces the feeling that they have made the right choice,” Kohonen says.

Solution

Program sponsorship with Diili from 22 February to 26 April 2021. The sponsorship included TV tags in the show’s premieres and quick reruns, the Ruutu tag at the beginning of the episodes and in short content, as well as commercial break promotion in Ruutu.

The project also included radio content cooperation in Radio Suomipop’s Aamulypsy from 12 April to 25 April 2021, which included radio content cooperation tags in Aamulypsy, a promotional spot at Radio Suomipop and Supla, a fixed promotional banner in Supla, a cross-screen parade in the Sanoma network and Fennia’s campaign page “What motivates you to move forward in the future?”

Aamulypsy activated listeners to Fennia’s campaign page to tell about their motives and participate in the prize draw of a thousand euros.

Results

Diili reached an average of 822,000 viewers (10+) per week on Nelonen’s Jim and Ruutu. Most viewers were in the target group of women aged 25–54 (Source: Finnpanel Oy, Total TV study, AdEdge VOD, February–May 2021.) During the season, the show was followed with particular enthusiasm in Ruutu. During the season, there were approximately 2.3 million new Ruutu viewings.

According to a program sponsorship survey:

47 per cent of respondents remembered seeing Fennia’s advertising.
78 per cent of the viewers who watched Diili regularly.
67 per cent of people in Fennia’s target group remembered seeing Fennia’s advertising.
68 per cent of the viewers who watched the show at least occasionally felt that Fennia was very or fairly well suited to work with Diili.
80 per cent of people in Fennia’s target group felt this way.

“The show is looking for an entrepreneurial person and, due to the nature of the show, the advertising is suitable for it.”

“A quality atmosphere and a professional connection between the show, the advertiser and even me.”

Of the target group:

39 per cent felt that program sponsorship improved their image of Fennia. The viewers felt that the company had been renewed and portrayed in an interesting way.
58 per cent of the respondents felt that Fennia was a natural cooperation partner. In particular, the entrepreneurial spirit brought Fennia and Diili together.

In the set of different statements, the suitability of advertising for the show rose above the data bank averages.

“Our goal was to increase awareness, and there was some good development in this. Our message about advocating for entrepreneurship was well conveyed. Open feedback was submitted about Fennia being an insurance company that wants to encourage people to see opportunities. We were very happy that the brand match worked. It’s not always obvious that the brand image will fall into place.”

Kohonen is pleased with the cooperation with Sanoma.

“People at Sanoma are proactive and suggest trying new things, which is important. I have so many irons in the fire that I don’t always have time to figure everything out. The understanding of what we are aiming for in terms of brand image has developed through our cooperation. Sanoma offers a variety of solutions for our entire sales pipeline, including both precise and broad solutions.”

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Building a brand sponsorship strategy? Remember these 3 things

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 12:07:16 GMT

Television advertising and total TV continue to grow in importance, and brand sponsorship should not be overlooked as a powerful marketing strategy. While there are various ways to go about sponsorship, deciding on the right program and collaboration form is key.

Brand sponsorship is a highly effective method of emotional marketing and can yield powerful results, when planned well. When you’ve decided to try brand sponsorship , there are numerous options to choose from, depending on whether you want to highlight, for example, reach or target.

Getting started with sponsorship for your brand? Remember these three things.

You don’t need to stick to one channel

A multichannel approach is often most effective, and this also applies to sponsorship. Combining television with digital media, audio and even events can help reach audiences across different touchpoints and purchase stages. Being present in different media can be utilised for creating digital audiences and other valuable data that can be used later in tactical advertising.

Television is particularly effective for building long-term awareness, and reaching masses quickly. You can start from, say, television, and build from there.

Selecting the right program is key for sponsorship success

If you do opt for television, remember this: linking the brand name to a program should be a carefully thought-out process, guided not only by the contents of the program but also its audiences and overall suitability. Making the wrong or ill-informed decisions about programs can, at worst, result in drawback from the audience and the brand’s existing consumers.

Whether it’s business or humourous content, older or younger audiences the brand seeks, there is a range of program alternatives to choose from. Finnish risk management and insurance service provider Fennia opted for sponsoring Diili, the local version of The Apprentice. Fennia’s aim was to strengthen its own entrepreneurial image and thus build the bond with its customers.

You can ride the wave of popular international formats

Global brands need to opt for local approaches in order to maintain competitiveness. Long-term association with a global phenomenon can be an effective way to gain local momentum. Sponsorship in programs such as Voice of Finland and Amazing Race, which follow successful international formats but are tailored to Finnish tastes, are excellent advertising opportunities.

“At Sanoma, we gather a lot of data on which programs produce results and help brands get exposure in just the right places locally,” says Sanoma’s Key Account Manager Olavi Kajantie .

“Frequent presence of the sponsor’s brand on television throughout entire seasons can leave a strong impression on consumers.”

Delivering results with turnkey production

With a dedicated partner, sponsorship is easy to buy and carry out. You can rely on the partner as much as you wish, all the way from project management, coordination and producing ideas. That way you can decide whether to leave the nitty gritty to others or be involved in the different stages. Partners like Sanoma also do long-term follow-up work on results and can measure success at the end of each season.

Kajantie highlights the importance of collaboration and well-crafted sponsorship strategies. “We work together with our clients and help them build lasting bonds with their audiences,” he notes.

Wondering where to get started? Get in touch, and we will help you choose the sponsorship package and the right program for you.

Want to find out more about sponsorship results? See the Rahalaitos success story .

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BookBeat drove brand awareness in the audiobook market with multi-channel advertising

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 07:25:54 GMT

BookBeat invested in multi-channel advertising and increasing brand awareness in a new market. Sanoma has worked as an advertising partner, which has helped the company reach mass audiences.

From tactical to brand marketing, targeting all of Finland

When BookBeat launched its audiobook streaming service in Finland in May 2016, the local audiobook market was nearly nonexistent. In Sweden, where BookBeat also operates, audiobook consumption had already soared and showed great promise.

In Finland, BookBeat opted for tactical advertising and measuring sales from the start. Soon, brand advertising was thrown in the mix to increase the company’s awareness in the long run.

BookBeat wanted to market audiobooks on a wide scale and decided that a multi-channel approach was the best course of action. “Our task was to educate people on the benefits of audiobooks and draw attention to the brand,” says Rosa Bergheim , Marketing Director of BookBeat.

Beginning in 2020, BookBeat has partnered with Sanoma, which provided an extensive channel selection and media expertise guaranteeing major visibility across Finland.

Becoming Finland’s number one audio and e-book service

The company’s advertising has covered Total TV advertising , radio and digital channels and print advertising, including the front page of Finland’s largest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. BookBeat wanted to reach as large an audience as possible, and Sanoma’s channel selection offered an excellent opportunity for this.

“We wanted to be present in quality media and the channels for reaching all Finns. Total TV has been included from the start – it is a very important channel for us, as the share of TV streaming keeps growing,” Bergheim notes.

Advertisements have highlighted BookBeat’s book selection, along with the BookBeat name to the masses. Campaigns have ranged from multi-channel book launches to advertising entire book series and book recommendations. Digital campaigns have included holistic advertising and banners on major Finnish media. Print media have also been an important channel.

BookBeat has been the market leader in audiobooks since its launch year, and collaboration with Sanoma has played an important part in maintaining this position.

“Today, most Finns know about audiobook services, and the name BookBeat. This would not have been possible without mass media,” Bergheim states.

One-stop shop for media expertise and knowledge

The Finnish audiobook markets have grown at an incredible rate in Finland, Bergheim says. BookBeat estimates that at the end of 2016, Finland had approximately 10,000 consumers paying for audiobooks. Currently, over 7% of Finland’s population are estimated to be paying audiobook customers.

This signifies freedom and new possibilities in advertising. “We want to retain our position as the market leader,” says Bergheim “which means we have to challenge ourselves and boldly explore new ways of doing marketing.”

In addition to its significant channel selection, Sanoma offered expertise in media work and has provided training in media buying in Finland and Sweden. According to Bergheim, Sanoma has been a diverse media partner for BookBeat.

“All knowledge about different media is valuable, and we have received much help for planning our advertising,” Bergheim says.

Sanoma’s goal has been to support BookBeat’s extensive marketing know-how in all ways possible. Sanoma’s Key Account Manager Olavi Kajantie lauds BookBeat’s openness towards different advertising possibilities. “BookBeat immediately embraced the multi-channel approach and actively explored different advertising solutions,” he says.

In the future, BookBeat will measure advertising and brand awareness in more detail to examine advertising results on a channel-specific level. “It will be very interesting to follow how campaigns executed with Sanoma affect brand awareness even monthly,” Bergeim states.

— Read more about partnerships in media advertising .

The state of programmatic advertising in Finland - What you need to know

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 09:18:46 GMT

Programmatic buying has taken huge steps forward in Europe and Finland in the last few years. In 2021, programmatic buying took a 57% share of display advertising in Europe (Source: IAB Europe AdEx Benchmark 2021 Report). Finland is seeing a similar trend with advertisers turning to programmatic buying more and more in campaigns.

Programmatic buying options have increased in recent years. In addition to banner and video, for example out-of-home and digital audio are available. CTV (connected TV) is expected to see the biggest growth over the next year. Programmatic Guaranteed has also become a more popular buying method. (Source: IAB Europe Attitudes to Programmatic Advertising 2022 Report)

In Finland, deals are the real deal

In Finland, most programmatic buying takes place through private marketplace deals with publishers, rather than through an open marketplace. As much as 77% of buyers buy programmatic through deals. (Source: IAB Ohjelmallisen ostamisen nykytila ja trendit)

There is a lot to be said about making deals with publishers: it means more control over the list of media selected for campaigns, and that the media are of high quality.

Appearing in the right media environment, one that consumers trust is one of the fundamentals of advertising. This is particularly true in Finland. Finnish advertisers value brand safety, and it is very important to advertise in media and with content that Finnish consumers find trustworthy.

This goes both ways. Our research has shown that Finns place a lot of trust in quality national media and buying intent increases when ads appear in national media.

Proportion that trusts most news most of the time

Source: Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2022

This is the reason why advertisers should invest in making deals in the Finnish market rather than buying programmatic solutions through an open marketplace. Deals guarantee more effective campaigns.

Start from the basics when buying programmatic

Now that we’ve established the importance of trust, it’s time to look at the basics of getting started with programmatic advertising in Finland.

Build trust through consistency

Before you start spending, you need to make sure that the campaign is in line with your overall marketing efforts. Programmatic buying campaigns should provide value for you as well as the customer. Misleading information and brand inconsistency are quick ways to lose potential customers.

Sounds simple, right? It is, when done right. Check that your key messages are in place, your website and other content is up-to-date and of high quality. Remember to have a well-designed customer funnel in place, so that you can reap the results of reaching your audience.

In other words, successful programmatic advertising will only get you so far if your marketing efforts fall short elsewhere.

Remember your target audience

You need to know your target audience to get the results – the more the better. Keep your target audience in mind before selecting the media, as you need to find media whose audience is more likely to resonate with your advertising.

The more you know about your audience, the more specific the details of your campaign targeting. For example, language, area and other key demographics often come to play when designing the targeting of your media spending. Finnish media do often keep close track of their readers and habits of consuming media.

If you want to get really specific, there are many ways to get creative with hyper local advertising. For example, in 2019 the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority carried out an advertising campaign for its kick scooter pilot in an area of Helsinki. The campaign’s social media report reveals that they used hyper local targeting to reach people on social media just when they were visiting that area of the city, gaining a high reach locally. Neat, right?

Use data, the good kind

One very important aspect of programmatic advertising is having relevant data about your target audience, as this can truly skyrocket your campaigns. For one, this will help you identify your audience at different touch points, removing the need to shoot in the dark. Secondly, it will help you tailor messages for efficient results, especially with the right tools.

For the purposes of programmatic advertising, the quality of data is key, but like elsewhere, it can vary greatly in Finland. There are different ways to go about this. You can use first-, second- and third-party data – and you can buy this data from an external party if needed.

First-party data is information you get directly from your customers or owned media, which makes it valuable and reliable. This can come, for example, through download forms or data from CRM tools. Second-party data is similar to first-party data, but from a partner or other platform. Third-party data comes from outside sources, such as media. They usually extract this data in large quantities of data, and hence it’s often more generic.

Tune in to changes in the marketing environment

Advertising is always tied to the current setting, which means that the rules and regulations governing it can change overnight. This sets pressure for marketers to be vigilant (read: compliant), but also to get creative.

Take, for example, browser cookie settings. Google has announced that it will remove third-party cookies in 2024. After this, the ways in which we target online advertising will change. It is also good to remember that the process has already started and the power of third-party cookies has already started to crumble. First-party data is becoming more and more relevant and smart publishers have already started to build their targeting ecosystems around them. Also, contextual targeting is on the rise and will become even more relevant in the future. This means that you should opt for campaign strategies that aren’t too built around certain channels or mediums, or at least allow for some leeway in a highly adaptable environment. This way the smallest changes won’t immediately make you re-examine your approach.

Consider externalising programmatic buying

When it comes to programmatic buying, consider using a third party, such as an agency, to free up time and ensure the right expertise. Plus, it’s always useful to get a bird’s eye view of your efforts.

With agencies or other third parties doing the bulk or all of programmatic buying for you, there are several advantages in terms of technological possibilities, volume-based pricing benefits and centralised know-how. You’ll also get help all the way from planning to execution, making sure you’ve covered all bases.

Start by examining whether you have the required skills in-house, or if you might need to consult an external provider of such services. Like other marketing efforts, programmatic advertising requires enough resources to keep the work going, follow up with the work and make tweaks when necessary.

Want to get started?

Now that you know the basics of getting started, perhaps it’s time to take the next step. With careful planning and some basic understanding of the market, you have a much better likelihood of succeeding in programmatic advertising.

Questions? We’d love to help. Get in touch with us, and let’s talk .

Finland at the forefront of development: New Total TV advertising measurement to benefit the market

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 10:58:17 GMT

The ways of consuming TV content are diversifying, and people are watching increasingly more streaming services. This means that advertising measurement must also develop. The new Total TV advertising* measurement provides the buyers and sellers of advertising a comprehensive view into the results of TV and streaming service advertising campaigns. Standardised measurement, transparency and reliability also enable the use of measurement as the currency of advertising.

The Finnish commercial TV companies MTV Oy and Sanoma Media Finland Oy have signed an agreement with dataBreeders, a company specialised in media analytics, that enables the use of Total TV currency in Finland as one of the first countries in the world already during 2023. The campaign measurement of TV and streaming service advertising provides the long-needed indicators for advertising viewed in the different distribution methods.

In Finland, the Total TV advertising measurement project was launched in 2020, and the development project has been guided by Screenforce Finland. The experts of Pure X Media’s viewer measurement have also acted as an important support.In the future, the development of Total TV advertising measurement will be guided by a cooperative body combining the commercial TV channels of Finland (MTV, Sanoma and Warner Bros. Discovery). Within a commonly established framework, it is also possible for other operators in the TV and streaming service advertising sector to join in.

“It’s wonderful that Finland is acting as a pioneer by implementing the advertising measurement project all to way to the currency. It is important to establish standardised indicators all the way to the campaign level so that the advertising customer can make use of these,” says Tuomas Airisto , Chief Commercial Officer (B2B) at Sanoma.

“Total TV advertising has been shown to be the most impactful form of advertising that creates the most growth. We are already providing these kinds of solutions to advertisers, and people already know how to utilise them. MTV is very committed to developing Total TV measurement in the future as well,” says Sauli Asikainen , Vice President, B2B & Marketing at MTV.

“Standardised currency brings the desired transparency to the market, and we are extremely proud of this development. As our company is currently undergoing an internal transition period due to the merger, we will join the development at a later stage,” explains Elina Valtia , VP Ad Sales & Operations at Warner Bros. Discovery.

In Finland, the content viewer measurement of Total TV has been in use for five years already, whereas television and streaming service advertising are still measured separately. The new Total TV advertising measurement combines different sources of information, the TV audience measurement survey of Finnpanel Oy and the advertising data of TV companies’ streaming services. The results include standardised contacts, reachability as well as replays of the channels and services’ advertising content. The development project demonstrated that the advertising data and TV measurement survey data of Finnish television companies is extremely high in quality.

“Advertising measurement must be of the highest quality: transparent, reliable and homogenous. Thanks to partners like Finnpanel, this is possible. It’s wonderful that we are able to introduce Total TV advertising measurement and the potential currency to Finland among the first countries in the world,” Executive Director of Screenforce Finland Anna Lujanen says.

“We want to thank the TV companies, Screenforce Finland, Finnpanel and Pure X Media for the excellent cooperation. Together we have built a concept that utilises the data of TV surveys and streaming service advertising.During 2023, our partnership will introduce a top-quality system to the Finnish market that indicates the efficiency of streaming service and TV advertising on different platforms,” CEO of dataBreeders Andrea Mezzasalma explains.

Screenforce Finland has four member TV companies and represents more than 16 TV channels, representing almost 100 per cent of Finnish commercial TV operators and corresponding to a total of MEUR 260 of advertising revenue (2021).

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* Total TV refers to video content of TV channels and streaming services on different devices.

What's new in 2023? Sanoma tweaks pricing, introduces new Total TV solution

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 11:19:01 GMT

Due to the global energy crisis affecting printing and distribution costs, Sanoma has had to make certain changes to pricing, which has also brought positive results. Changes in TV advertising have also taken over the Finnish markets. Meet Sanoma’s Total TV solution, which increases total coverage.

The year 2023 will see some changes to the advertising landscape in Finland, and in Sanoma’s products and pricing. The current marketing landscape is not an easy one, but as we have said again and again: marketing counts , even in dire times.

What are the most significant changes to know about Sanoma’s services in 2023?

Sanoma’s Total TV combines TV and video, increases coverage

Starting in January, Sanoma has moved into a Total TV product model, which combines the best parts about tv and video advertising. In Sanoma’s Total TV solution, the masses are captured through linear viewership, while online TV reaches those who watch content outside viewing time. The solution targets audiences aged 25–64 and will increase net coverage by approximately 5–7 percentage points.

The progress of linear TV advertising becoming a thing of the past reflects the ways viewing habits have changed over the recent years. It taps into a whole new world of opportunities. “We have seen the shift taking place extensively in the market, not just in Finland. We are excited about the new possibilities this brings for advertising,” says Sebastian Wikman , Key Account Manager at Sanoma.

Fun fact: Finnpanel, which measures viewing figures in Finland, has also employed a Total TV approach and now provides data on TV and online views in addition to TV audience measurement.

Increases to Sanoma’s printed product and CPC pricing

Due to increased printing and distribution costs, the prices of our printed products have gone up. The moderate increase is approximately 10 per cent and applies to all Sanoma’s printed media. Some of our printed products employ multi-channel advertising and utilise digital media, a strongly growing area. As such, the overall impact will remain low.

“While price increases are always unfortunate, we have also made some improvements to product-specific pricing and seen great results,” Wikman notes.

Sanoma has applied a dynamic pricing model for Sanoma’s cost-per-click (CPC) product: previous fixed prices have been replaced with a price range. This is good news: Sanoma’s client have seen average click prices actually decrease, and our clients have witnessed higher quality traffic, more visibility and more clicks in the campaigns we have carried out. Naturally, campaign-specific factors always impact the final prices.

Customer-friendly approach to all our pricing

When it comes to pricing, Sanoma always applies customer-first thinking to partnerships and pricing. This means, for example, that centralising activities and purchasing several media is reflected in prices, too. Sanoma’s annual contracts bring several benefits to those with long-term goals in mind, while sometimes short-term campaigns work better when entering a new market.

As an advertising partner, Sanoma wants its customers to succeed in their advertising efforts, and pricing is a significant part of ensuring marketing success, regardless of media and channel decisions.

“At Sanoma, we want to look out for our customers and make sure they get the best value for their media buying,” Wikman concludes.

Read more about the Finnish marketing landscape for advertisers.

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Marketer, don’t pull the marketing brake in uncertain times

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:09:51 GMT

The ongoing COVID environment, war, energy crisis and increasing prices are just a few challenges shaping the marketing environment in 2022. As the uncertain market affects customers’ eagerness to make purchases, brand awareness is more important than ever.

The turbulent business landscape influences businesses and consumers alike. Sanoma has surveyed the state of Finns’ purchasing plans in August and October, exploring how they have been impacted by the ongoing fluctuating market. According to the latest results, even 65% of Finns have recently re-evaluated their buying habits in recent months*.

What does this mean for the marketer looking to sell more and stay ahead of the curve in 2023?

Focus on the customer

When making changes to your marketing strategy, the customer should always come first. Harvard Business Review’s study on the previous recession** shows that businesses that succeed amidst economic turbulence have three things in common. Firstly, they ensure the commitment of existing customers while actively seeking new ones. Secondly, they implement a long-term growth strategy and tweak it when required by changes in the business environment. Thirdly, they use marketing as an investment in the customer and brand capital.

While operative efficiency and possible cutbacks are also needed, trust us when we tell you that long-term commitment is key.

Consumption will come in new shapes and forms

Purchasing may dwindle or change course, but it will not die. Certain industries will do better than others, and those with the means to buy will continue to do so. According to Sanoma’s survey, two out of three skimp on something to be able to spend more on something else. Perhaps this something else is an area to be explored*.

Sustainability themes are also increasingly guiding people’s purchase decisions. Even 45% pay more attention to sustainability than a year ago*. Continue to rely on consumption, but use data when implementing changes based on current consumption habits, whether this means tweaking prices or product emphasis, new distribution channels, service development – you name it.

Don’t let your competitors outrun you

When times are bad, reinventing your strategy is a much better solution than pulling the brake entirely. Those brands that stay in the game, are more likely to come out as winners, because dropping advertising from the equation means a drop in the share of voice. This means that catching up with competitors later on will also mean catching up with your previous position in the market.

“We have seen it time and again that investments in the brand always pay off in the long run,” says Olavi Kajantie , Key Account Manager at Sanoma. “This may mean adjusting your strategy according to changes in the market environment. Sanoma is here to help brands discover the latest trends in consumer behaviour, and how to tap into them.”

Looking to optimise your media investments, but you’re not sure where to get started? Remember these three things.

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3 quick tips for boosting your media investments

Increase brand penetration
Expand the client base actively, and ensure that your message reaches large enough audiences. If you must prioritize, prioritize reach over frequency.
Utilize targeting possibilities
Identify the most relevant targeting options with data and/or contexts. Define the most effective messages to fit the current environment.
Re-evaluate scheduling
Explore the following: What are the most critical moments to influence purchase decisions? How to stay salient and Top-of-Mind? How and when can you stand out?

* Sanoma Kulutuspulssi October 2022
** Harvard Business Review – Roaring out of Recession (2010)

Experiences of co-operation between an advertising agency and a media house: Ahooy Creative and Sanoma

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 06:43:19 GMT

What happens when you take professionals from a creative agency with marketing and design know-how and mix them together with media experts and insight strategists from Sanoma? Let’s hear what Kirsi Venäläinen from Ahooy Creative and Satu Raatikainen from Sanoma have to say regarding the co-operation between an advertising agency and a media house.

Advertising agency Ahooy Creative develops brands and builds lasting customer relationships

Ahooy Creative is an independent creative agency, whose clientele includes a wide spectrum of companies, ranging from industrial B2B companies to consumer brands with familiar products you may recognise from store shelves.

Meet Kirsi Venäläinen, Account Manager at Ahooy.

“My responsibility is to make sure things go as planned for our clients, and that our creative team is always up to speed on what we are doing and why. For some of our clients, I also serve as an outsourced marketing manager.”

Instead of individual advertising campaigns, Ahooy focuses on long-term partnerships with a more strategic business model. Co-operation with our clients usually starts with brand development. The aim of marketing, advertising and campaigning may, for example, be set as the enhancement of the value and popular recognition of the brand.

“The actions are usually part of a client’s yearly to-do-list for marketing, and they always aim to reach the strategic or even tactical goals that we have set to reach together.”

Shifting from media purchases towards a more diverse approach

Ahooy Creative and Sanoma crossed paths during the autumn of 2021 when Satu Raatikainen scheduled a meeting with people from the agency. The point of the meeting was to take a look at the research and insight data that Sanoma had collected, and to discuss what kind of support a media house could provide creative agencies in Finland.

“From Satu’s presentation we got a clear picture of the diversity of services that Sanoma could offer. During the discussions, we also learned that the Sanoma team could provide us with research data regarding the behaviour of target groups and how some themes appealed to different demographic groups, for example,” Kirsi explains.

Why does a media house want to help creative agencies plan their selection of media, as well as give them access to valuable research data?

“For us, it is important that agencies get some thoughts, inspiration and tools for their own work. They are free to ask us anything, whether it is about media outlets, target audiences or the data itself. It is great to be able to help other professionals in their fields,” Satu explains.

Good planning and division of labour hold the key to successful co-operation

For co-operation to work smoothly, a clear division of labour is necessary. How does the co-operation between an advertising agency and media house function in the workplace and what does each party bring to the table?

Ahooy is of course responsible for all the campaigns, design, concepts and creative solutions of its clients. Kirsi keeps an eye on the big picture and is in contact with the clients, with Satu and her team jumping on board when their are called on to join in.

Kirsi describes their typical procedure:

“A good work model has been to give Satu a briefing once we know our target audience as well as our goals, and have the team ready to pitch in with some ideas.”

“We tell her about the goals of the campaign, the target audiences and our creative ideas. Satu may give us her proposals quite freely and, thanks to her feedback, our team has also gained more ideas that we can then refine further.”

Co-operation takes places in many dimensions

The planning and execution of campaigns are only one part of their co-operation. The work we do for a customer’s campaign comes in many forms. The final selection of media outlets is a visible form of co-operation — with a lot of knowledge regarding target audiences, data, and even research. Sometimes, campaigns utilise Sanoma’s channels, while at other times different media are used.

“The most important thing for us is to share all available information and know-how, and that we can help agencies serve their clientele better,” says Satu, describing the background to their work model.

This model also receives praise from the other side of the room.

“Satu understands that we also have other partners and that we are constantly comparing. Sparring gives us vision, and the planning phase often leaves you with fresh seeds for ideas that will come in handy with future endeavours,” explains Kirsi.

The client comes first always – even in this co-operation

The most important thing of course is for the client to reach its target audience as accurately and cost-efficiently as possible. Examples and past cases also help clients see new possibilities.

“For many businesses, multi-channel marketing has already become routine. However, if the customer is only getting started with media advertising, we can provide various examples to demonstrate how media and channel design influence a campaign,” explains Kirsi.

“We are now able to provide an even wider variety of options for clients who have decided to outsource both their advertising and media design to us. They have really enjoyed it.”

Co-operation also leads to mutual learning

Regular joint sparring sessions also help ensure the team stays completely up to date with media changes. As for the media house, working with professionals from the advertising agency has clarified the picture of how a customer’s campaign is structured: what kind of work takes place behind the scenes and what sort of information helps a creative team.

Kirsi points out that continuous learning is valuable for all the parties involved.

“Each form of media has its own special characteristics. At Sanoma, we know how and when different trends can be seen and what effect they have, and what kind of solution seems to work best in each specific situation.”

“When you expand your own familiar team with external media design, it helps move the customer’s issues forward much more effectively. At the same time, you also learn a lot yourself!”

Are you interested in the building blocks for insight, research data about media use or the mindset of Finns? Or additional information about megatrends, media costs and different campaigns?

Sanoma has had a significant role in Tokmanni's growth story

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 06:35:54 GMT

The strategic partnership between Tokmanni and Sanoma has developed both of their businesses.

“Huomenta Suomi, hyvin pyyhkii.” (Good Morning Finland, I’m doing fine.) When Finns hear this evergreen song used in Mr. Tokmanni ads , they know who is speaking.

Storytelling is essential for Tokmanni.

“A brand without a meaningful story is just a logo. It is all about leading and influencing with stories or, to put it more eloquently, strategic narrative,” says the marketing and communications manager of Tokmanni, Veli-Pekka Ääri .

“Influencing has always been about stories and will always be about stories. Commercial influencing has been around for only about 100 years. Influencing as a part of leadership has as long a history as humankind and society,” says Ääri.

Tokmanni does not have separate brand, marketing and communications strategies.

“We have a competition strategy which assesses the outputs of all our departments. The key goal of the brand is to communicate the customer benefit in a distinct manner.”

The owned media, the advertising paper Tarjoussanomat and the stores are essential for Tokmanni. Paid media also has an important role in meeting the business goals.

“We need the audiences reached by Sanoma in order to continue and develop the story of our brand.”

Each outlet of Sanoma has its own role in every step of the purchase journey. An ad on IS.fi directs the customer flow to Tokmanni, and television and videos help tell a story of the world’s best buyer, Mr. Tokmanni.

Tokmanni’s main indicator of successful marketing is sales even though the brand’s attributes are also measured.

“Discount retailing is popular culture by nature. Marketing is measured by how many Finns we have attracted to either the Tokmanni stores or the webstore, which means that marketing is measured as through a live show with the number of audience members as the main measurement. Every week we check how well we have done. Depending on the day, it is either great or ruthless,” says Ääri.

Ääri describes the co-operation with Sanoma as a real strategic partnership. Sanoma has had a significant role in Tokmanni’s growth story.

“The co-operation has enhanced both of our businesses. We learn, pilot and take things forward together which is very important for Finnish companies and trade. The consumer always has a global selection on hand via phone. Strategic partnership between a domestic retail business and a domestic media business is a requirement for thriving against global giants.”

With familiarity, management is also easier.

“We need to be so ambitious that the international giants are not allowed to enter our domestic markets too easily. Finns do not benefit from retail or media business becoming a dead zone handled by branches of global businesses. Taking care of domestic trade and media is our common mission,” emphasizes Ääri.

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How deep partnerships can strengthen media advertising

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 11:01:44 GMT

The marketing environment is in a constant state of change, and not always for the better. Having a partner for media advertising means that you are better equipped for adapting your marketing strategy, long- and short-term planning, and making data-based decisions.

An advertising partner will help you plan ahead

Having an established partner for media advertising will make your job in marketing a lot easier. When unexpected and even expected changes take place, you’ll want to have a partner to brainstorm with and help you adjust the marketing course.

“The marketing environment is changing at a rapid pace. We want to understand our clients’ business and set the scene for deep partnerships, which help brands reach their long- and short-term goals at every turn,” says Olavi Kajantie , Key Account Manager at Sanoma.

Partners can help you keep track of the big and small picture at all times. Despite changes in the operating environment, the seasonal rhythm will stay the same. Black Friday and holiday seasons, for example, are peak periods for advertising and should be booked well in advance. A media partner will help you book advertising slots for the seasons and channels of your choosing before media space runs out.

As bleak as it may seem, the gaze in the summer should already be set on the winter and the following year.

Having enough resources brings agility into marketing

Agreements mean commitment both ways, and by this, we don’t mean years-long contracts with no room for movement. At its simplest, having an agreement with your advertising partner means resources at your disposal: external marketers involved in advertising planning, production experts and seasoned analysts can be essential in acing your advertising efforts.

On the other hand, a partnership allows for flexibility, especially if the partner has an extensive media toolkit at their disposal. Sudden changes in the operating environment may require rapid adjustments in your marketing strategy. This may look like changes in advertising channels, such as shifting the focus from radio to native, opting for new media or re-allocating resources entirely. Shifting the marketing strategy is much a better option than wasting money on the wrong channel or plans that no longer pay off.

Having resources available also means analytics and data-driven advertising. Receiving data about your target audiences and changes in the marketing environment (even mundane cookie trends ) in real time is key and will help you adjust your strategies accurately. Advertising partners can provide excellent data you might not otherwise access.

Advertising pays off, even in uncertain times

Uncertainty has unfortunately become the new norm, applying to the marketing environment.

Yet the need for advertising does not subside in hard times, quite the contrary. If Covid-19 taught us something, it’s that creating a permanent mindset for marketing agility is the necessary, modern marketing approach that can help keep brands afloat from year to year.

“The marketing environment keeps changing rapidly, which sets challenges for advertising” says Sebastian Wikman , Sanoma’s International Key Account Manager. “The brands that continue to advertise when possible are the ones that make it.”

If you are not that familiar with the Finnish market, we have news: Finland as a marketing environment is unique from other Nordic countries – same same but different . Sanoma is here to help with the different.

Advertiser, read more about Finland as a market .

Targeting audiences after third-party cookies

Mon, 30 May 2022 14:29:22 GMT

If your company has relied heavily on third-party cookies for marketing analytics and targeting your audiences, now is the time to re-evaluate your approach. There are still plenty of ways to reap those digital advertising efforts and find out what makes your buyers tick.

Many brands are forced to re-shape their marketing tactics, as the post-cookie era may take its toll on certain personalized advertising and targeting efforts. It certainly may require an examination of the types of data, audience segmenting and targeting measures carried out by brands.

“Digital marketing as we have known it for years will change, but not drastically,” says Heidi Kurppa , Key Accounts & Digital Specialist at Sanoma. “In a way, the shift from third-party cookies means a return to basics, having a different approach to targeted advertising, especially in brand-related activities.”

The shift is not really new news, since Firefox and Safari have already made their cuts, but it looks like Google’s plan to kill cookies will finally happen by the end of 2023.

The role of first-party data becomes more pronounced

Now, more than ever, it is crucial to gather and utilize CRM data at companies. This rings especially true for brands doing marketing for online stores. Even without third-party cookies, CRM data provides quality information about target groups, allowing the creation of, for example, lookalike audiences of prospective customers. Of course GDPR sets its standards for collecting and using data.

You do not need to produce this data yourself – media houses can also help you out. For example, Sanoma provides extensive first-party data on Finnish consumers that can be used for targeting particular audiences across different media.

Find new ways to analyze and measure data

Measuring digital marketing in the post-cookie era will look somewhat different. It may be time for brands to revisit analytics, especially if it has relied heavily on third-party data. The data is still out there, it just needs to be mined differently. It may be a matter of trial and error, finding the best channel to reach good ROI.

Studies are still an excellent way to analyze the effectiveness of marketing efforts. Marketing impact studies can measure the effects of single campaigns, how they reach people, increase interest and activate purchases. Or consider buying tailored studies that can be wrapped around your particular needs.

A more profound way to study effectiveness is with ROMI (return-on-marketing-investment). In ROMI modeling, the core is to find out the base-line of sales, which reveals what would happen without marketing. The modeling also points out the most effective channels and visuals. Compared to marketing impact studies, ROMI modeling requires a heftier budget and long-term commitment for the best business impact – it’s a tool for continuous learning and improving.

Utilize contextual advertising for reaching target audiences

Contextual advertising is a great way to target and match relevant ads with the right environment. You’ll want to place your ads in places where the content is just right, and keywords and metadata are your friends in making this happen. This can mean game ads for gaming-related articles or sites, and so on. A dog owner might see an ad for a leash after buying a collar.

Tip: utilizing taxonomies or categories to sort out interests allows for highly effective contextual advertising possibilities based on automation. Taxonomies enable classifying content in a way that reaches specific audiences instead of broader ones.

Adjust your strategy along the way

It’s all about finding the right strategy for your particular digital advertising strategy. The digital environment is constantly changing, and we need to adapt along with it.

Finnish audiences also have their particular quirks brands should keep in mind. We can’t stress this enough: Finns value trustworthy media . Helsingin Sanomat trumps social media every time when it comes to conveying your messages and having your audience convinced.

Sometimes it’s best to strengthen the brand before moving forward, Kurppa notes. “Removing third-party cookies can brutally reveal how strong the brand is, how far they make it in the consumer’s consideration stage,” she points out. “If the brand is not strong enough to support tactical results, increasing brand awareness and preference may be the next step.”

If you’re looking for new ways to target audiences or utilize data, we’re here to help. We’ve helped big and small players establish campaigns across our channels and beyond.

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Find out how Clarins reached its target audience through a multichannel campaign .

F-Secure’s campaign highlighted the importance of cyber security in everyday life

Mon, 23 May 2022 07:15:03 GMT

Multimedia campaign gained widespread visibility and increased purchase intention

The advertising was memorable, and over half of those who saw it considered purchasing cyber security products.

The goal of the campaign

The goal of the extensive multimedia campaign was to reach a large number of Finns, leave a memory trace and increase top of mind awareness. Another key goal was to remind Finns of the importance of cyber security. The tactical angle of the campaign was focused on selling the F-Secure TOTAL product.

The cyber security company F-Secure is well-known in Finland.

“Despite our high brand awareness, this year we felt the need for a wider campaign solution to remind consumers of the importance of cyber security in everyday life. One of our goals was to reach the target group of 25–54-year-olds as efficiently as possible,” says Digital Marketing Manager Iida Lehikoinen from F-Secure.

Excecution

Cooperation with the Vain elämää TV series had a wide reach among various age groups from different parts of the country. The Audion etusivu (Audio Front Page) agreement, spot campaign and radio content cooperation guaranteed radio exposure. There was a CPC campaign in the Sanoma network and a native campaign on IS.fi.

Radio hosts emphasised how a large part of our life, such as work, banking, shopping and social media, happens online and is worth protecting. The radio content cooperation involved Radio Suomipop , Aito Iskelmä and Me Naiset Radio channels . Additional promo spots were heard on Radio Rock and HitMix channels .

The Audio Front Page was in use on two days during the campaign.

“It was easy to start doing this when Sanoma provided us with a good and comprehensive suggestion to suit our needs. The campaign also extended to our own social media channels and search engine advertising,” says the Senior Specialist of Digital Marketing Sara Harilainen from F-Secure.

Results

Vain elämää reached a weekly average of 666,000 viewers (10+) on channel Nelonen between 24 September and 17 October. On video on demand service Ruutu , the clips had 764,693 starts . The promotional video for F-Secure got 1,136,749 views on Ruutu. The video campaign reached a wide range of age groups: Premium Impact reached the younger audiences, while Premium Reach was for the older audiences.

The native articles on IS.fi reached nearly 52,000 page views . Seven out of ten of those exposed to the advertising read the article at least partly, and half of the respondents felt like they belonged to the target group. The content was seen as interesting and informative. The advertiser also stood out well in the content. The impression of F-Secure was improved for half of the respondents.

The message of the result-based CPC campaign was interesting to readers. The click-through rate was at a good level, and the campaign had good visibility in the network.

According to brand tracking research, F-Secure’s brand awareness increased from 91% to 93% during the campaign. Every fourth respondent remembered having seen advertising for F-Secure. This number grew by five percentage points during the campaign. Over half of those who had seen the advertising said they were considering a purchase based on it.

“Awareness can no longer grow much further, but the research also included other indicators, such as purchase intention. Over half of those who had seen the advertising said they were considering a purchase based on it,” notes Harilainen.

The research showed that reliability and high quality were seen as F-Secure’s most pronounced qualities. According to the research, F-Secure is superior in awareness, consideration and preference in the competitor field.

“It seems that the advertising has been memorable to viewers, which is of course a very positive thing. The coverage of the campaign was one of the most important factors, and it matched our expectations quite well. We were able to reach our target group efficiently throughout Finland. When over half of those who had seen the advertising said they were considering purchasing cyber security products, it indicates that we were able to increase the understanding of the importance of cyber security in everyday life,” says Lehikoinen.

The tactical part of the campaign was focused on selling the F-Secure TOTAL product. Traffic to F-Secure’s consumer website grew by 29% and the number of new visitors by 28% compared to the previous period.

“The biggest growth was in direct traffic, which grew considerably more than it did at the same time last year. Therefore, the campaign appears to have had a positive impact on the number of visitors,” says Lehikoinen.

Cooperation with Sanoma was seamless for the whole time

“Everything was made as easy as possible for us. They were flexible and reacted to changes. The advantage of working with Sanoma is that it makes it possible to get an entire palette of different media from one place. It makes our job considerably easier. The research side is another absolute advantage. Where there is an extensive awareness campaign, there must also be measured results,” says Sara Harilainen.

“Throughout the campaign, a proactive approach was taken to ensure that everything was progressing. The production help provided by Sanoma was one of the reasons we chose them for this campaign,” adds Iida Lehikoinen.

Marketer, Should You Try Brand Sponsorship?

Mon, 02 May 2022 08:48:20 GMT

Sponsorship can be a powerful tool for boosting brand awareness and engagement, but it requires commitment. Sponsorship is the right strategy for your brand when you have certain long-term goals in mind and you are able to build it with the right tools.

There are numerous ways a brand can go about sponsorship to stand out or boost marketing efforts. Visibility through tv sponsorship, for example, is a way to reach audiences quickly and with precision. Television, radio and social media are the most consumed media by Finns – they watch television about 2 hours and 50 minutes per day.

“Television is the most effective media, but you also need the courage to invest time and money in it,”

Television is an excellent avenue for marketers. “Television is the most effective media, but you also need the courage to invest time and money in it,” says Merita Lantto , Creative Strategist at Sanoma.

When may sponsorship be a better option than other options, such as in-stream or spot advertising? First make sure you can check these 3 questions.

1) You can organically link a brand with a programme

Popular format tv shows, like Big Brother or Voice of Finland, provide a great channel for embedding a brand’s name or message. Sponsoring a programme has huge potential: a vast audience, guaranteed to sit in front of the tv at a particular moment, consuming every word on the screen. Branding or product placement in the midst of it all can be highly effective.

However, the programme needs to be just right for the brand – it should never be forced. If the connection is not clear in the viewer’s mind immediately, it isn’t there, and can even harm your marketing efforts.

So, make sure that the show is selected just right. You may consider having a creative partner involved in the process. “If the client’s brand is not suitable for a certain format, we as professionals will always tell the client,” Lantto notes.

2) You are in it for the long haul

Advertisers know that unless the world turns upside down in one day, brand awareness does not happen overnight. This applies here, too. Building the brand and reaping the results through sponsorship requires time and enough monetary investments. A minimum budget for producing desirable results, say 20,000 euros, may be too high for smaller companies. On the other hand, the results of brand differentiation through sponsorship can have immeasurable value.

One of the reasons television and radio are so effective is that they are built around repetition. Having your brand displayed week after week to a huge number of viewers yields all types of results, in the short and long term. Sponsorship is very different from spot advertising and cannot include tactical messages, such as product descriptions or price – as such, it’s all about persistence.

3) You want to market with emotion

According to Lantto, audiovisual marketing is the most effective advertising solution, when it comes to consumers’ media behaviour and appealing to their feelings.

Television is one of the best ways to do this, since it includes moving image and audio. If a brand latches onto particular format tv shows or themes, such as interior design, there is already a format in place designed to prompt a reaction, move the viewer. Another option is to build campaigns around a particular target audience, say women aged 25–54, which then determines the shows that are included.

People who watch their favourite sports team or show with dedication time after time will most likely already have a strong emotional bond with it. For a marketer, this is a delicious opportunity to tap into that dedication, get the brand across as a sponsor or launch a product. When you throw some radio into the mix or include a consumer competition, chances are it won’t go unnoticed.

Range of television advertising opportunities

If you don’t quite have the budget for it, or you want to reach your target audience with a particular product via television, you might want to skip sponsorship and go for spot advertising instead. If you do decide on sponsorship, there are different ways to build successful campaigns.

Sanoma is happy to help you in getting started or offering different sponsorship models. It’s important to make sure you reach your audiences with just the right channel mix and strategy.

Sanoma integrates creative solutions in all different media categories. “We can combine a creative idea across media and through multiple channels, such as television, radio and native advertising – helping to produce an even stronger sponsorship campaign," says Sebastian Wikman , International Key Account Manager at Sanoma.

Planning on a new advertising strategy? Find out more about Finland as a market

Long-term sponsorship campaign bears fruit

Mon, 02 May 2022 06:09:40 GMT

Rahalaitos embraces programme phenomena insightfully.

For a long time, Rahalaitos has used very tactical and result-driven marketing.

“TV has been our main media since the beginning because of its accessibility and effectivity. It has helped us grow our recognition and positively affected our business growth,” says Jaakko Sipola , the CEO of Rahalaitos.

“Our way of marketing is the constant coverage strategy. We started pondering how to have long-term effects on certain audiences in a cost-efficient and new manner.”

Rahalaitos decided to test how sponsorship campaigning could support tactical marketing.

“Even though sponsorship campaigning is not a tactical marketing tool per se, but rather a way of brand building, we wanted to bring a more tactical view to it. We tried it out and had good results.”

For Rahalaitos, the basis of choosing programmes is accessibility and positive programme context. The chosen programme phenomena have been, for instance, Vain Elämää , Selviytyjät Suomi (Survivor) , James Bond movies, The Voice of Finland and Big Brother Suomi .

“We want to connect our brand with the programme and we find it to be most natural with big entertainment and reality programmes.”

Choices are also based on the length of the show run and internet coverage, which can direct visitors to Rahalaitos’ website.

In Big Brother 2019, Rahalaitos brought in its own currency "rahna". Big Brother housemates gained rahna from viewer votes, by taking part in Daily Tasks or by selling goods to other housemates. This attached the brand to the programme content in a fun and memorable manner.

“This small element created a positive connection between us and Big Brother. At the time, we had a good growth phase, which was steadily strengthened by cooperation.”

This year, Rahalaitos works with Arman Pohjantähden alla and Farmi . There are also new cooperation plans for the autumn.

“These programmes fit well with our thoughts on suitable context and style.”

Rahalaitos plans the marketing and makes the related media decisions itself.

“As we have no third-party help with planning, a direct connection with media is especially important to us. It is very important that the contact person at Sanoma understands our business and our way of marketing. Sanoma’s offers to us are thought out and customized for us, which makes the decision making easier. Moreover, programme sponsorship solutions are packaged to include everything. Sanoma’s help with planning and executing a creative solution has made things easy for us.”

The profiles and coverage of Sanoma's TV programmes fit the needs of Rahalaitos.

“Our aims are a large target group and sufficient coverage. We have felt that we get them through Sanoma.”

Rahalaitos has taken a creative and insightful control of the content of programme phenomena in its own sponsorship bumpers. This creates a strong memory and attaches the brand to the programmes’ themes and values.

Examples of Rahalaitos’ programme sponsorship bumpers

Selviytyjät Suomi (Survivor)

James Bond movies

The Voice of Finland

Attach the story of your brand to this year’s most interesting programme phenomena.

An impressive multi-channel campaign produced excellent sales results

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 08:31:45 GMT

The cosmetics brand Clarins successfully reached its target audience through the Me Naiset product family.

The Goal of the Campaign

The goal of Berner Oy’s multi-channel campaign for the cosmetics brand Clarins was to reach as many new consumers as possible using different channels.

“Another aim was to do a brand refresh and update the brand’s image. The effectiveness of a campaign increases when people hear about it on the radio, read about it, come across it through digital channels, social media or the brand's own customer channels. Digital channels are good for reaching younger consumers, and we also boldly tested the radio, which is generally an unusual choice for marketing selective cosmetics,” says Brand Manager Tanja Hovi from Berner

Execution

The multi-channel campaign included promotional spots and on-air promotion on Me Naiset Radio ’s morning and afternoon shows, fixed promotional box on audio content service Supla , a campaign site, CPC ads, two native articles at IS.fi (8–28 November 2021), IG Live on Me Naiset Radio’s Instagram with the host Jenni Alexandrova , two social media posts on Me Naiset Radio’s Facebook page as well as a full-page advertisement and a sample in Me Naiset magazine and an advertisement in Gloria magazine.

The hosts of Me Naiset Radio directed listeners to the campaign site and instructed them to participate in the giveaway of Clarins products. The hosts discussed, for example, how they use Clarins products in their own skincare routines and gave practical tips.

Jenni Alexandrova also guided listeners to Me Naiset Radio’s live broadcast on Instagram, where Clarins’ skincare expert and Jenni shared tips on how to use Clarins products.

Results

Me Naiset Radio’s campaign was very successful. The hosts were genuinely excited about the campaign, which was prominent in the on-air promotion. They had acquainted themselves with the subject, tested the products in advance, and they talked about them naturally.
The views of Clarins’ campaign site and the number of participants in the giveaway were much higher than Me Naiset Radio’s average.

The reach of the IG live video massively exceeded the average of a commercial publication. Jenni Alexandrova also posted stories with links to Clarins’ live broadcast on her own and on Me Naiset Radio’s Instagram page. The feedback on the IG live was extremely positive. Everyone who commented on the live broadcast mentioned that they learned something new.

According to the advertising impact study, the native articles at IS.fi were successful in reaching the target audience, as nearly nine out of ten skimmed through the articles and over eight out of ten considered themselves as the target audience.

According to Category Manager Kirsikka Nyqvist , the idea behind the media choices was to seek an element of surprise.

“The totality goes well with our campaign. We are very satisfied. Not just in terms of commercial key figures and results, but in how the brand has evolved in the minds of consumers.”

The campaign met all visibility targets.

"With some channels, we even exceeded the target. Our personal goal was commercialisation, which we were highly successful in obtaining."

The campaign strongly directed customers towards the websites of Sokos and Stockman, two of Berner’s important clients. Article content was created for customers, from which consumers were smoothly directed to e-commerce sites. During this time, brand events were also organised in the stores.

“When comparing the campaign period to the rest of last year, it stands out in terms of sales and clicks. Our main goal was to get consumers acquainted with the products and for them to become interested in the brand. We were extremely successful in achieving this goal: many consumers found their way to the store and the products during the campaign. Double-digit development figures are an indication of commercial success,” says Hovi.

Tanja Hovi considers the multi-channel aspect of the campaign to be Sanoma's strength.

“Consumption is made easy for customers. The campaign was successful in combining several different channels. The needs and wishes of customers were heard and there was a strong desire to respond to them.”

Breaking the Sturdy Walls Between Sales and Marketing

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 10:42:55 GMT

Although sales and marketing operate as different functions, their goal is the same: attracting new business. When both operate seamlessly together, they can boost the business with their particular expertise. Yet too often the reality within companies looks different: silos, unshared information and untapped potential.

As a salesperson, I encounter sales and marketing interaction every day. My clients and colleagues often work around marketing, and while roles vary between organizations, the problem is universal: sales and marketing are not integrated closely enough.

The goal of both sales and marketing is to sustain business, even if they go about it in different ways.

Building awareness of the brand and reaping profit from those efforts is no easy task, let alone when department’s aren’t speaking to each other enough. Sales and marketing misalignment is already costing businesses a lot, an estimated 1 trillion in dollars per year. Not tapping into key information from both departments translates into losing business – and major opportunities for engaging clients.

Same job, different tools

With the purpose of generating business as the primary driver for both functions, sales and marketing share the same goal. Both do this by communication, but with key differences.

Whereas marketers often communicate to the masses, the salesperson appeals to the individual. A content marketer produces and plans stellar content and campaigns, proof of brand to persuade prospects. Salespeople draw on building relationships and finding the keys to a problem. If either end is not successfully part of the process, the stack may collapse.

Despite the different approaches, the endgame is the same: the most common measurement of success for content marketing programmes is Total Sales (Hubspot, 2020).

Both need each other

While it makes sense to boost sales and marketing separately, the fact remains that they need each other. Both sales and marketing professionals have their niche tasks – an excellent marketer may not be the best salesperson, and vice versa.

A marketer can give you more than a generic buyer persona – they can tell you exactly what is driving an existing or prospective client. By surveying client purposes with Jobs to Be Done studies , for example, marketers can guide salespeople into offering solutions instead of products. Salespeople, on the other hand, can tell you how they closed the deal, or what the client’s wishes are at the moment of purchase.

By sharing their valuable know-how, the marketer and sales rep can contribute to the business while improving and mastering their own game.

Meeting (somewhere) halfway is key

Working from these two different starting points means that there needs to be a common ground somewhere in between. In practice, this common ground can look different with each case, and it can be far from the middle, when it comes to the sales journey.

Collaboration means more than meetings. It means recognising where the other must step in during the funnel and how. Working towards your respective strengths, but also getting out of your comfort zone. Reversing roles: putting on the sales hat and doing marketing for the individual, or remembering that the brand image can be more subtle than the sales pitch. Sharing information, especially the silent kind and even just sharing your daily problems.

Let’s face it: there is no one way to win a client. But if there was a magic recipe for boosting business, it might be this: have sales and marketing teach each other and use the tools at their disposal. Both can work their magic in mysterious, important ways while providing significant, perhaps even surprising value to each other.

Thinking of boosting your advertising? Read more about how to make advertising work for you as well in Finland as in other Nordic countries .

Author

Olavi Kajantie
+358 50 590 782 8
olavi.kajantie@sanoma.com

Book a meeting

Five reasons Helsingin Sanomat is the leading media choice in Finland

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 14:46:56 GMT

Introduction:

Ads appearing in news brands are increasingly perceived as trustworthy and high quality by readers. According to IPA databank study 2021, campaigns using news brands are 74% more likely to deliver market share growth and 58% more likely to deliver profit.

This is true for Finland as a market because Finns consume a lot of content, primarily through national channels.

The Finnish audience share a few common traits, such as the tendency to explore issues from various perspectives, research, gather information, and make comparisons multiple times before making a purchase decision.

That said, the way to Finnish hearts is through national media — Helsingin Sanomat in particular.

We put together five reasons Helsingin Sanomat is the leading media choice when you plan to grow your business in Finland through advertising.

1. Helsingin Sanomat reaches 18% of the Finnish population with purchasing power every morning.

Helsingin Sanomat provides advertisers with a reliable media environment across print and digital that reaches more than one million consumers with high purchasing power in a single day.

Let’s put this in perspective:

The United States of America has a population of 330 million people. On the other hand, the New York Times has an average readership of 8,4 million people each day. That figure is equivalent to 2,54% of the total market.

Despite Finland’s smaller population of 5,5 million people, Helsingin Sanomat has an average daily readership of over a million people. Thus making up for 18% of the total market in Finland.

2. It is the only subscription national newspaper and has a growing base of over 400,000 subscribers

Helsingin Sanomat is the only national subscription newspaper in the country. Reuter’s Institute’s latest study reveals that 20% of the Finnish population subscribes to a news publication — in which 48% of the above subscribe to Helsingin Sanomat .

On top of that, the print edition reaches readers early in the day before they make any daily purchase decisions. Thus allowing advertisers to make an influence in the readers’ decision-making process.

3. A multiplatform with over 2 million mobile visitors per month

Finns spend an average of 8 hours a day on different media. While paper editions are read primarily in the morning, Finns spend the rest of the day consuming content on other platforms.

To fulfill their thirst for gathering information, Helsingin Sanomat has a multiplatform that reaches its readers via different devices around the clock — including repeated advertising messages across various channels.

For example, Helsingin Sanomat reaches a total of:

Over 2 million monthly unique visitors on mobile;
1,601,000 monthly unique visitors on desktop; and
Over 380,000 monthly unique visitors on the tablet.

4. The place to be: Helsingin Sanomat’s front page has always been an ad

Helsingin Sanomat allocates its front page as an advertising space instead of a cover story — a one of its kind approach.

Being on the front page of Helsingin Sanomat means:

Ads reach a large audience first thing in the morning before they make any purchase decisions; and
Ads are delivered to the readers’ doorstep and across multiple digital channels.

The front page cover story is the driving force behind newspaper sales for most print media. Helsingin Sanomat’s readership subscription model eliminates the need to compete for sales based on content attractiveness.

5. Helsingin Sanomat has a nationwide brand trust score of 81%

As mentioned before, a study has shown that campaigns using news brands are 74% more likely to deliver market share growth and 58% more likely to deliver profit.

Helsingin Sanomat has been a pioneer in quality journalism since 1889 and is a much-anticipated friend in the morning. It is a highly trusted media source with a close relationship with its readers nationwide.

Our research data shows that approximately 64% of Helsingin Sanomat readers displayed a positive attitude towards advertising as they find it beneficial for them.

Final thoughts: the Finnish audience loves Helsingin Sanomat. It’s your gateway to their hearts.

To sum it up, Helsingin Sanomat is the leading media choice when growing your business through advertising for five reasons:

Helsingin Sanomat reaches 18% of the Finnish population with purchasing power every morning.
It is the only subscription national newspaper and has a growing base of over 400,000 subscribers.
A multiplatform with over 2 million mobile visitors per month.
Helsingin Sanomat’s front page carries a full-page ad. It’s the first thing the readers see.
Helsingin Sanomat has a nationwide brand trust score of 81%.

Do it right: choose the channels that best reach your audience.

Book time with sales

Newspapers and Yle are the most reliable online news media in Finland

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 11:39:34 GMT

Finns consider the digital services of public brodcasting company Yleisradio and newspapers to be the most reliable online news media according to the Suomalaisten uutismedia 2021 survey, which was commissioned by News Media Finland and conducted by IROResearch.

The reliability of different online news services was surveyed for the first time. Yle (Yleisradio) and newspapers were also considered better than other online media in terms of quality.

Finnish respondents evaluated their trust in online news services on a scale of 1 to 10. The final score for Yle’s digital services was 7.9, while newspapers received a score of 7.6. MTV’s digital services were in third place with a considerably lower score of 6.9. Fourth and fifth places were taken by journals (6.4) and free newspapers (6.3). Social media services received the lowest scores, with TikTok (2.2) and Jodel (2.3) at the very bottom.

Yle dominates the results particularly among people aged over 65. Among the youngest respondents, those aged 15–24, the online services of newspapers are as trusted as Yle, with a score of 8.2. The digital content of newspapers is considered to be as reliable as their printed content.

Almost three quarters of respondents (64%) mention that trust has become an increasingly important factor in their own use of media. The importance of trust has increased the most (70%) among people aged 15–24.

Over 70% of respondents aged over 15 consider the digital publications of newspapers to be as reliable as their printed publications.

Yle’s digital services and newspapers are also the most high-quality news media online

News Media Finland has surveyed people’s perceptions of the quality of various news services for many years. As in previous years, the digital services of both Yle and newspapers are considered to have the best quality.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Yle’s digital services received a score of 7.8 from Finnish respondents aged over 15, while the digital services of newspapers received a score of 7.5. MTV’s digital services were in third place, with a score almost an entire point lower (6.7).

The ranking of the highest rated media services was the same in quality as it was in reliability. Social media services received the lowest scores in both quality and reliability.

Yle and newspapers also excel in strengthening democracy and freedom of speech

Respondents were also given an open-ended question on which news media services strengthen democracy and freedom of speech. Yle and newspapers received the most praise. The most commonly mentioned newspaper was Helsingin Sanoma t.
Many respondents felt that all reliable, high-quality, diverse, independent and impartial media strengthened democracy and freedom of speech.

Newspapers are seen as acting the most responsibly

Respondents also evaluated the behaviour of different media in terms of environmental liability, financial accountability, social responsibility and corporate social responsibility. First place was shared between printed and digital newspapers. Among Finns, 58% said both printed and digital newspapers act responsibly in at least some of these areas.

Change has introduced significant new opportunities

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 10:43:26 GMT

In this article based on our survey, we dig deep into the behaviour and values of the Finnish consumer through the following themes: online shopping, sustainability and plans for the future.

We are currently living in a world that is undergoing great changes at an increasing pace. Transformative powers affect the market as a whole, but they also influence companies’ daily operations. It is self-evident that the greatest factor that has expedited changes is the pandemic that has pestered us for over two years now. The word ‘change’ may have some negative connotations but change also presents opportunities to those who have the courage to take action and review their operations from a new perspective. For instance, there may be new target groups and potential customers available, or even completely new market areas. Seize the opportunities!

Senior consumers have found their way to online shops

The growth in online shopping was already significant before the pandemic but the rate of change has accelerated during the pandemic considerably. Of all respondents, 31% say they have shopped more online in the past year compared to 26% in the previous year. In other Nordic countries, the growth has been even greater, and in Sweden, for example, the corresponding figure was 47% (source: eComm Next/ Online Shopping Survey).

In 2020, over 70% of Finns said they had shopped online in the past four weeks. In younger age groups, active online shopping was even more prominent: up to 84% of those under 50 said they had shopped online in the previous weeks. When more purchases are made online, this also raises customers’ level of expectations in relation to functionality and reliability. In payment methods, in particular, security is highlighted instead of ease and speed that were emphasised before. During the pandemic, senior consumers have also found their way to online shopping. As older age groups have been recommended to stay at home and self-isolate, this isolation has led them more actively towards online shopping. For online shops, this means a new active audience with purchasing power. Their needs and purchase path differ significantly from younger consumers, which means that these senior consumers cannot be encountered in the same way as younger ones. Younger target groups value the opportunity for climate compensations and different payment methods, for instance, whereas Finns over 65 value the reliability of the online shop and a technically easy purchasing situation. Online shops also open up a new, wider market to marketers. Previously, customers may have stopped by a brick-and-mortar shop in a certain location but orders can be placed via an online shop from all around Finland and even further.Foreign online shops are preferred when the price is more affordable, the product is not available in Finland or when delivery from abroad is cheap. Finns most often use Chinese, German and British online shops.

Consumers demand sustainability actions instead of sustainability talk

People’s values usually change very slowly and over time. Now, due to the pandemic, we can see at places a more rapid change in values. What is noteworthy is that values are not age-related. It may well be that your target group in terms of values is much wider than you might have thought. Sustainability has long been a megatrend in both Finland and internationally but now, for the past two years, its significance has increased even further and transformed more from words to actions. In the past year, the significance of sustainability has been even further emphasised, and almost half pay more attention to the matter than before. Especially in the age group of 16–24, the significance of sustainability is remarkable. Sustainability can be seen, in particular, in favouring Finnish products and producers as well as supporting local entrepreneurs and products. During the darkest hour of the pandemic, we saw several movements or projects aimed at supporting small-scale business owners and highlighting local operators.

Finns plan their future with a positive attitude

Uncertain times and having to cancel plans, such as holidays abroad, have resulted in consumers accumulating some savings. According to Sanoma’s survey, 29% have accumulated some savings during the pandemic. The plan is to keep these savings for a rainy day and invest in stocks and funds but also use them for travelling abroad. In all, 60% of the respondents believe that their life will return to normal in 2022. A fifth of the respondents says that Covid-19 no longer affects their daily life. This means that the general outlook towards the future is fairly positive, and travel plans are already being made for the coming summer.

For some, the uncertainty caused by great changes may be paralysing. However, I wish marketers would have to courage to see the change with an open mind and look for opportunities instead of threats. Could there be a new, wider market leading to a path of growth? Or does your brand have elements that strongly support sustainability, which could make you stand apart from your competitors and create value in young, demanding, consumers? A competent and diverse marketing partner who knows the market like the back of their hand can also be a great sparring partner. Now is not the time to stop marketing!

What are the keys to your company winning in the great state of flux? You know your pull factors, we know the Finnish media market and consumers. Let’s make this year a success together!

Sources:
https://www.thinkbox.tv/news-and-opinion/opinion/buying-habits-are-changing-more-than-ever-you-should-invest-in-advertising
https://www.paytrail.com/raportti/verkkokauppa-suomessa-2020
The effects of the coronavirus on the Finnish consumer – Sanoma 10/2021
eComm Next / Online Shopping Survey 2021 / Posti

Sanoma’s survey: Almost one in four Finns are planning on travelling abroad in 2022

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 08:40:05 GMT

People are still cautious and have mixed feelings about travelling. On the other hand, there is wanderlust and great enthusiasm in the air.

The survey conducted by Sanoma investigated the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the free time and consumption habits of Finns.

Consumers still have mixed feelings about travelling. Some are worried or fearful and still take a cautious stance, particularly towards travelling abroad. On the other hand, wanderlust and daydreams about travelling are beginning to take over the minds of consumers.

Consumers estimated that over the next six months they will be spending more money particularly on restaurants and cafés as well as on domestic and international travel.

One fifth of respondents had already travelled or are planning to travel abroad by the end of this year. Almost one quarter believe they will be travelling abroad in 2022.

“The COVID-19 epidemic has introduced new demands for the marketing communications of travel organisers. In addition to offers, customers would like to receive communications about practical arrangements, such as the COVID passport, and more detailed information about the health safety of the trip,” explains Tiina Kosonen , insight strategist.

29%
have saved money during the pandemic.

33%
of respondents are planning on using their savings to travel abroad.

30%
of respondents say they have travelled more domestically than before.

“The domestic tourism boom does not show signs of stopping and will continue to bear fruit in the upcoming years. Most people who travelled more domestically during the COVID-19 epidemic are planning on continuing to travel more around Finland in the future,” Kosonen says.

Consumers view travelling within Finland as safer, less expensive and easier than travelling abroad. The beauty of the Finnish nature, a desire to support Finnish entrepreneurs in the tourism sector and the sustainability of domestic travel were also common reasons given in the survey.

The target demographic of the survey was Finns between the ages of 16 and 74. The overall number of respondents was n=846. The information was collected from Sanoma’s Suomitutka panel in September 2021.

GoMore teamed up with Sanoma to enter the Finnish market

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 11:00:35 GMT

In 2020, Danish car sharing company GoMore expanded its operations into Finland and wanted to enter the market with a bang. They considered several options, and ended up with Sanoma’s advertising solution to reach broadcasters.

GoMore is a Danish car sharing company, providing a platform for private people and companies to rent cars. It has operations in Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain, and recently Finland.

In late 2020, the company had a simple goal: reaching its target audiences as quickly as possible while also establishing itself as a relatively new service in Finland.

Different options for entering a new market

As a herald of change and virtually non-existent local business, GoMore knew it had to make an effective start. “We wanted to reach critical masses quickly and cost-effectively, and communicate our competitive edge in a new market,” says GoMore’s Market Manager Boris Perkiö , who headed the new market launch.

“Sanoma’s core is in providing direct access to its own channels”

They had broadcasting advertising in mind, and there were different ways to go about this. One was to enter the market through an advertising agency. Another was to approach broadcasters directly. Sanoma provided a hybrid model, offering campaign support, along with direct access to its channels.

“While we did have experience of entering new markets, we were an unknown player in Finland, uncertain of what was to happen,” Perkiö points out.

“Sanoma’s core is in providing direct access to its own channels, which were optimal for reaching our target audience,” says Perkiö.

Advertising for the masses

Key Account Manager at Sanoma, Olavi Kajantie , has been actively involved in designing and executing the campaigns together with GoMore. “We considered different options, as we wanted to provide GoMore with just the right channel mix and messaging for reaching their audience,” Kajantie says. “A television and video-on-demand solution seemed like a good fit.”

The collaboration resulted in a launch of extensive advertising campaigns, the first kicking off at the start of 2021. Sanoma was involved in both designing and implementing campaigns.

The campaigns incorporated both linear and streaming television advertising. Most were segmented into periods of a few weeks, with one also spanning the entire summer.

At the time of writing this article, three campaigns have been carried out. One more campaign is set to take place towards the end of the year.

Results in important metrics

Expectations for the advertising efforts were high. “During the first year, when the turnover is very low, it is a question of life and death whether these campaigns succeed.”

As an online platform, GoMore measures all activities. One key metric is conversion. This includes conversion in new registrations – i.e. the share of visitors to the website registering for the service and becoming a member at GoMore – as well as the share of these persons taking action, such as creating a new car profile.

“Conversion rates during the campaign periods doubled in comparison to the reference period”

Perkiö reveals that conversion rates during the campaign periods doubled in comparison to the reference period. Comparing a three-week campaign period with a reference period with no ongoing advertising revealed at least a 100% increase in new user registrations, new car profiles and rental bookings.

Long-term and side effects

While long-term and indirect effects will be combed more closely after the first year, Perkiö points out that visibility has clearly peaked during campaigns. Appearing in mass media resulted in reporters contacting the company, along with cities, which have included GoMore in development workshops together with public authorities.

“We have been able to bring a new way of owning cars into the Finnish mindset on a large scale”

This means visibility in just the right public discussions for the company, which also had a need to educate Finns in a new sharing concept.

“We have been able to bring a new way of owning cars into the Finnish mindset on a large scale,” Perkiö points out. “It appears that our mass advertising efforts have truly paid off in this sense as well.”

The cumulative effects of the campaigns have also been notable. “The first campaign did well, but we had nothing to compare it to. With the following ones, we noticed that each campaign has performed better than the previous one.”

What’s next?

GoMore commends Sanoma for providing a framework for long-term collaboration in the Finnish market. “They has truly been able to see beyond the first year,” Perkiö says. “This is a long-term partnership, and we need collaborations like these entering a new market,” Perkiö states.

The final campaign takes place in November, after which it is time to do an inventory of results – and lay down a path for the year 2022.

Kajantie from Sanoma is very pleased with the collaboration with GoMore this year. “The results so far have been very promising, and we are looking forward to building on the work in the future.”

According to Perkiö, GoMore is now looking for more creative ways to communicate its car sharing mission to even larger audiences and keep up the great momentum in the market. Now GoMore is exploring the possibilities of utilising Sanoma’s advertising channel mix even more extensively.

“We have noticed that there are also other interesting advertising possibilities that we can carry out cost-efficiently with Sanoma. Now we have plenty to build on.”

Getting started with advertising in Finland? Read more about how to grow your business in Finland .

Build Your Brand 101: Advertising Solutions for Different Steps of the Buyer's Journey

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 07:27:42 GMT

What are the best soluti ons we can offer that help build your brand at different stages of the buyer’s journey? Read our article to find out.

We recently surveyed more than 300 digital marketing campaigns to find out the concrete effects of brand marketing at different stages of the buyer’s journey.

In short, we found out that brand marketing has a clear positive impact on sales at every step of the buyer’s journey, regardless of what stage the customer is in or how well known the brand is to begin with.

Thanks to our research, we are now increasingly interested in focusing on brand marketing during each phase of the buyer's journey—especially the final steps—with a strong focus on sales and making customers stick.

In this article, we’ll go through some of the solutions we can offer that help build your brand at different stages of the buyer’s journey, as well as some common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Let’s get started!

Building your brand to new levels

Before you do anything, it’s important to understand how well your particular brand is already known in the market. Large, global brands are already familiar to most consumers, and thus by focusing on making your customers stick and strengthening your brand will eventually yield results.

However, if your brand is not well known, more brand-building is required. Sometimes this takes a while, and no brand is built in a day. The process may take a longer time but it’s worth it.

Due to this, it’s a good idea to divide your brand marketing goals into short-term and long term goals. What is realistic in the next few months, and what will take more time to accomplish?

If you’re building your brand from scratch, it might take a long time before your customers will start recognizing your brand. Even if your brand is well known somewhere, you will need to focus on building your brand first if you wish to enter a new market like Finland.

Your product exists to help your customers

Whatever your product is, the ultimate goal is that it solves a problem. Figuring out what that problem is is up to you, but by building your brand, the desired result is to be the brand that comes to mind first when a customer wants to solve a specific problem.

A very well-known example of this is Google , where the brand itself has become so well known that it’s already the solution to the problem. How? You don’t search for answers on Google, you google the question. The brand itself is the answer, and comes to mind first thing.

Not every brand can become Google overnight, but you do want to be the brand that comes to mind when your customer wants a solution. The better they know your brand, the higher the chances are of you being that solution. For example, if your customer wants to buy a new television set, which store will they go to? In that store, which TV will they pick?

The difference is simply whether your brand is top-of-mind or not. If it’s top-of-mind, it’s the first thing that comes to mind when your customer is looking for a solution. Otherwise it’s one option among others, and the competition is tougher. Which one are consumers going to pick?

Let’s go through what kind of advertising solutions we can offer to support all your marketing efforts and build your brand while you’re at it.

Advertising solutions for the awareness stage

At this stage of the buyer’s journey, your customer is aware of the problem they have, and is thinking about solving it.

During this stage, it’s a good idea to focus on the problem-solving aspect and offer your customer relevant information that will actually help them with whatever challenge they are facing.

One useful solution for this is native advertising . In native advertising, the layout of your advertisement resembles the newspaper’s editorial content and is placed in between news stories. The ad can also be displayed between articles of a similar theme so that you’ll know that the reader is already interested in the topic.

This way, you have the opportunity to share stories in an already reliable newspaper environment, and you have space to promote your product’s problem-solving qualities.

Another thing you can try is different types of display advertisements , including conversational display ads (a form of chatbot-type ads that will e.g. ask a customer a relevant question and direct them forward for answers).

We offer a large variety of data-driven targeted solutions that can be used to reach a certain target group, as well as target group packages. Display ads work well at this stage of the buyer’s journey because you can show them to those customers that you know are already interested.

Instream advertising , similarly to native advertising, is another option focused on storytelling. In these types of ads, you can present the problem-solving aspects of your product in audiovisual form—and by combining pictures and sound, you can build and strengthen the mental image your customers have of your brand and product.

Advertising solutions for the consideration stage

At this stage of the buyer’s journey, the consumer evaluates the different options that are available to them. If your previous marketing efforts have paid off, your company is hopefully among the options that come to mind during this stage.

It is a good idea to focus on higher viewability and more frequent ads during this stage to ensure that your message is conveyed and your brand is on your customer’s mind when they’re thinking about potential solutions.

Consider doing web display ads and banners for special offers that interest your customer and target them with relevant content and offers.

Another thing you can try is outstream video advertising. Similarly to instream video mentioned above, an outstream video means video advertising displayed in a banner spot in the entire high-reach Sanoma network.

Outstream video advertising is perfect for increasing the coverage of your video advertising, but it’s a good idea to use it to remind your customers—that already have you on their mind as a potential solution—that you have exactly what they are looking for.

Advertising solutions for the decision stage

At the decision stage, the buyer has decided on a solution category, but they still need to make the final decision to buy. They’re looking to gain confidence in their decision.

A very good way to catch your customers when they’re just about to make a purchase decision is retargeting display solutions .

A lot of consumers may see your ad somewhere but even if they click on it, they might not be ready to make a purchase decision then and there. With r etargeting and remarketing campaigns , we can actually identify users that have visited your website before, and offer them customized ads and offers to support their purchase decision.

Through us, your ads can be displayed throughout the Sanoma network, which consists of trusted quality platforms that reach a wide audience within Finland.

Additionally, our survey showed that the further your customer is on their buyer’s journey, the better customized and targeted content generally supports their purchase decisions.

Something that is also good to keep in mind is that Finns consume a lot of media . While in Sweden only around 20% listen to commercial radio, in Finland the respective percentage is closer to 50%. Also, according to research from 2018, 58% of Finnish people own a TV set and watch television broadcasts on a regular basis.

Thus, in addition to digital marketing, traditional marketing channels like television or radio advertisements are an excellent option for brand-building at all stages of the buyer’s journey, and can make a huge difference.

Advertising solutions for the customer relationship management stage

Your customer has already bought something from you. So, how can you keep them happy and motivated to buy again, or even better, buy more?

In addition to other types of advertisements they see on the daily and the ones we’ve already discussed, we can use your CRM data (including email addresses and phone numbers) and model it against our users. This way we can target your customers through our network and offer them even more relevant content .

This content could then be regular display ads, conversational ads, videos, or anything you can think of, and whatever best suits your product and your customer’s interests.

3 common mistakes and how to avoid them

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1. Choosing the wrong channels

Maybe you have a brand-new, awesome product that you’re selling on the shelves at a store.

Finns love listening to the radio, so you decide to launch a radio campaign to support your sales. However, your product is brand new. Do people know what it looks like? The truth is that they don’t, and hearing the name of your brand on the radio might not be enough for them to buy.

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The best way to go about this would be to support your launch with audiovisual ads, for example digital display ads or informative native advertising articles where your potential customers can both get to know your product as well as understand its value.

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2. Keeping brand marketing separate from other efforts

Sometimes we run into situations where our customers have planned their entire campaigns beforehand, and are keeping their brand marketing separate from their other marketing efforts.

Finland is different from many other markets even in the Nordics, and Finnish consumers behave in a very specific way. As experts in the field, we have a lot of hidden knowledge about which channels work best and in what situations.

It would be ideal to be able to plan these efforts in cooperation to ensure that everything we’re doing is working towards the same goal. This means combining the right channels at the right time, and making sure that all brand marketing efforts are aligned with the rest.

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The ideal situation would be to go for a multi-channel approach from the get-go, and give brand marketing efforts the right kind of push at the right time.

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3. Focusing too much on the segments that already know your brand

Building your brand in segments that are not familiar with your brand can give you a significant sales boost.

For example: You have done a survey to find out which segments of your target audience are already familiar with your company. You then center all your efforts around that specific segment to make the most of it.

However, wouldn’t it be a good idea to boost your brand awareness within the segment that doesn’t know you yet?

In this situation, we can collect a lot of data from your website to better understand how your customers behave when they buy your product. This way, we can target specific customers with the kind of information that is actually interesting and relevant to them.

We can also run the data through your CRM to remove all existing customers, and offer new customers even more relevant, targeted marketing.

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Build your brand among those that don’t know you yet, and also market to those that do know you by offering customized content that is relevant and interesting.

Whats Next?

In this article, we’ve only touched on the tip of the iceberg when it comes to brand marketing and all the solutions available at your fingertips.

Every company is different, and different rules apply. For example, we would need to know the layout and UI of your webstore, how your specific customers behave, and so on, to fully understand what advertising solutions we can recommend.

We have the same goal: to boost your sales. We’d be happy to help in figuring out how to do that together.

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