Digital Asset Management, Pharma/Healthcare

Why Digital Asset Management is non-negotiable for pharma marketers

Papirfly

6 February 20257 February 2025

8 minutes read

As suppliers of medicine to healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the wider public, pharmaceutical companies must meet stringent codes of conduct in the UK and abroad.

These regulatory requirements do more than set standards for product safety – they also dictate what pharmaceutical marketing can and cannot include. However, compliance isn’t the only hurdle companies in this industry have to face.

Maintaining brand consistency across a growing number of channels. Scaling content to meet the expectations of global audiences. Standing out to top candidates in a competitive market. These are all essential duties any promotional team must accomplish.

Challenges that pharmaceutical marketers face - Rules, budget, time, consistency, identity, assets and collaboration - Papirfly infographic image

To help you keep on top of these challenges as a pharma marketing leader, Digital Asset Management (DAM) tools can help you and your team work smarter, not harder.

But what exactly is DAM software, and how can it support your corporate branding, distributed marketing and employer branding efforts? In this article, we’ll explore these questions in more detail and explain why DAM platforms are a critical investment for modern pharmaceutical marketing teams.

What is Digital Asset Management?

Digital Asset Management is the practice of properly managing your digital assets, so teams in your organization can easily find, share and retrieve the content you’ve invested time and money creating.

This is key to keeping your marketing efforts structured and your operations efficient, but managing this responsibility manually can be a huge burden for your teams.

Digital Asset Management software acts as a centralized repository where you can store and organize your entire library of sales presentations, digital files, videos, artwork and more in one accessible location.

This single source of truth for your pharmaceutical brand simplifies the process of coordinating content, maintaining brand consistency and meeting compliance.

4 core principles of DAM software for marketing content creation, storage and access

Want to learn more about Digital Asset Management and the helpful features these platforms provide? Check out our comprehensive guide on DAM.

6 reasons why DAM tools are an essential investment

Now you know what DAM platforms are, let’s explore why they should be a core part of your marketing toolkit.

1. Streamlines compliance-critical processes

From hefty legal fines that squander distributed marketing resources, to reputational damage that undermines both customer and candidate trust – the cost of non-compliant pharmaceutical campaigns can be substantial.

The marketing materials your pharma company shares must meet strict regulatory compliance to ensure your corporate brand, distributed promotions and talent acquisition efforts are effective and appropriate.

This means more than creating content with the right disclaimers, warning labels and side effects. It’s essential that finished assets are delivered to the right audience at the right time.

But with potentially hundreds of pieces of content to coordinate between dozens of regional marketing teams and a growing roster of platforms, it can be easy for mistakes to emerge.

3 ways a bad advertising campaign rollout can breach pharma marketing regulations - Papirfly

This is why a dedicated DAM for marketing is an essential solution for professionals across the pharmaceutical sector.

Rather than requiring your people to spend hours trawling through messy servers to find the promotional materials that fall in line with the latest advertising standards, DAMs’ centralized repository makes locating compliant, up-to-date materials easy.

High-quality DAM solutions also come equipped with version control. This helpful feature ensures you and your teams can only access the newest version of a file, further reducing the potential for compliance-breaking mistakes to rear their head.

In addition, some regions require brands to regulate their own pharmaceutical marketing. As part of this process, regulatory bodies may occasionally request to see copies of your content.

In these situations, DAM can also prove a valuable tool. By making every digital file instantly accessible and appropriately tagged, you and your teams never have to let these ad-hoc duties slow down your marketing operations.

2. Boosts pharmaceutical marketing efficiency

From recruitment assets that attract top talent and distributed marketing campaigns that make sales worldwide, to corporate branding initiatives that communicate trust and consistency, pharmaceutical brands today are expected to deliver a huge amount of marketing content.

With no signs of this trend slowing down, getting the most out of your limited marketing resources is becoming more important for teams around the world.

However, as pharma compliance tightens, improving the efficiency of your operations shouldn’t mean cutting corners or doing less marketing. Instead, it’s about streamlining processes, improving productivity and reducing costly bottlenecks.

A powerful Digital Asset Management platform is essential in your bid to unlock true marketing efficiency.

A DAM’s centralized library drastically reduces the number of hoops your people have to jump through to find the marketing collateral they need. This can save your internal team countless hours in the long run – time they can spend on work that really matters.

Digital Asset Management - It takes teams 9 hours per week to search and find files and assets - Source: ProProfs

If you coordinate promotional material with teams in multiple regions, you’ll also know first-hand how much time and energy it takes to organize this huge volume of content. That’s on top of the hours spent scouring email chains and setting up file sharing links to ensure marketers abroad have access to the materials they need.

This isn’t just a huge distraction for your people. Relying on systems like email clients and messaging platforms to manually coordinate asset delivery can bottleneck the launch of campaigns and open the door to efficiency-sapping errors.

Thankfully, most well-equipped DAM software feature brand portals. These customizable hubs can be structured to include key information about a particular campaign, or serve up localized materials on a silver platter.

This can drastically minimize the likelihood that mistakes creep in when collaborating with your people and reduce the number of steps involved in getting campaigns out the door. This added capacity lets your personnel focus on reaching candidates, making sales or strengthening your overarching brand.

3 ways DAM can boost marketing efficiency for pharmaceutical companies

3. Lays the foundation for complete brand consistency

When healthcare professionals (HCPs), customers and candidates feel they can no longer trust you, they won’t hesitate to look elsewhere for products or jobs.

Achieving complete brand consistency should be high on your list of priorities to protect your bottom line, optimize your talent acquisition efforts and safeguard the reputation you’ve invested so much time and energy building.

But as a brand that operates in dozens of regions, promotes countless products and employs hundreds of people, you know that aligning every sales presentation, letterhead, logo and asset – both internally and externally – is easier said than done.

With an endless stream of global campaigns to deliver, recruitment efforts to support and an international identity to nurture, your team probably doesn’t have time to check every asset going out against the latest brand guidelines.

Thankfully, the right DAM software can help you deliver truly unified marketing. Not only can these solutions give your teams instant access to your latest on-brand marketing assets, but when integrated with a dedicated brand portal, they can house everything that defines your brand identity in one accessible location.

From style guides and mission statements to templates and more – these customizable hubs can serve as a single source of truth for anybody in your organization, allowing them to truly understand what makes your company unique and reflect these values in every asset you produce and share.

4. Helps deliver rebrands with greater efficiency

Refreshing your pharmaceutical company’s identity is an incredibly lengthy and costly undertaking.

Done well, a successful rebrand can grow your business and pave the way to good fortune. But if poorly executed, you risk alienating customers, confusing candidates, hurting sales and damaging your all-important corporate image.

In an industry that witnesses more rebrands than most, any solution that can lay the foundation for positive outcomes and save your marketing department precious resources can’t be ignored.

The pace of pharmaceutical company rebrands - 31% rebranded after a merger or acquisition between 2014 & 2018 - Source: FiercePharma

Dedicated DAM systems play a crucial role in simplifying the coordination of these materials. Firstly, by having a central repository where every new asset is stored, you make it much harder for outdated collateral to re-emerge during the all-important rollout. This can minimize confusion among professionals and prospective customers, and lay a solid foundation for your new brand to grow.

On top of this, access control allows you to lock old branding away after a refresh or make certain items accessible only to certain regional teams. This ensures only your refreshed identity is promoted across your marketing channels, so you can achieve complete brand consistency without complication.

When you combine the many benefits of a DAM with on-brand content creation tools, you’ll have everything needed to ensure your next rebrand rollout sticks the landing.

5. Overcomes asset overload

Whether your marketing efforts focus on professionals looking to buy medicine or top candidates searching for new opportunities – you know that modern audiences expect more content from brands than ever before.

Content demands stat - 85% of brands create more content year on year - Source: MarketingWeek

While delivering this amount of marketing collateral is tough, effectively managing these materials is a challenge that only gets harder as your content libraries grow.

With hundreds if not thousands of sales presentations, recruitment adverts, brand videos and more to manage, keeping this mountain of collateral usable for your team is an overwhelming task for even the most orderly departments.

To ensure every marketing material you share is compliant and can reach your target audiences as quickly as possible, Digital Asset Management systems are an essential investment for today’s pharma marketers.

DAM platforms feature smart upload functions that make it possible to upload digital files in bulk. As a result, your creatives don’t have to waste time getting the content they create into company repositories.

On top of that, smart tagging features and powerful search tools reduce the effort and complexity associated with finding files internally, even if you have teams located abroad.

When you combine these features with a customizable brand hub, getting localized recruitment and market materials into the hands of your overseas colleagues becomes much more straightforward.

6. Fosters international collaboration

Finally, if your pharmaceutical brand operates in multiple territories, chances are you have teams in those regions to localize and distribute your core marketing materials.

This is a fundamental part of building trust with recruits, HCPs and other types of customers in different countries. But for your efforts to truly succeed, effective collaboration is essential.

When internal communication is unclear, it doesn’t take much to imagine how this could result in marketing materials that breach regional laws. Or how poor collaboration could lead to off-brand recruitment assets going live across the wrong channels.

To help your teams bridge this divide and foster the spirit of collaboration internally, DAM software can be a game-changing tool:

Brand portals act as a single source of truth for your brand, allowing you to get everyone across your organization on the same page when it comes to marketing
Having a centralized repository of assets breaks down the barriers attached to sharing materials, streamlining the process of collaboration
Access restrictions allow leaders to control what materials can be retrieved, giving everybody complete confidence in what they share
Version control presents teams anywhere with the latest version of an asset, making it easy to work on projects between divisions

It doesn’t matter if you cooperate with other departments on recruitment materials, distributed marketing content or corporate branding assets; in our view, DAM software is fundamental to great collaboration across pharmaceutical marketing teams.

Digital Asset Management: A foundational tool for today’s pharma marketers

Resonating with customers worldwide. Appealing to 21st-century talent. Building a reputable corporate brand. With strict pharmaceutical advertising standards and an ever-changing world of marketing to navigate, achieving success in the pharmaceutical industry is no easy feat.

To help you navigate this complex web of marketing challenges, DAM software is quickly becoming a core part of many pharmaceutical brand’s toolkits.

With the ability to streamline compliance-critical processes, maintain brand consistency worldwide, unlock pharma marketing efficiency and more – we hope this article has helped you understand what Digital Asset Management is, and why this form of brand management software is fundamental to achieving your goals both now and in the future.

Discover the ultimate Digital Asset Management & Content Creation platform at Papirfly

Table of contents:

What is Digital Asset Management?
6 reasons why DAM tools are an essential investment
Digital Asset Management: A foundational tool for today’s pharma marketers

Energy and Utilities

The power of purpose: Using sustainability to build brand trust in the energy sector

Papirfly

3 February 20254 February 2025

7 minutes read

Trust is a precious commodity for the Nordic energy market.

A mix of historic fossil fuel usage, volatile energy prices and negative news headlines mean the modern energy sector is less trusted by the public when compared with other industries.

With the landscape for energy providers more crowded than ever before, establishing a credible, trustworthy brand identity offers a significant competitive advantage to secure long-term customer relationships.

In this ongoing battle, integrating sustainability storytelling into your corporate branding is one of your most powerful weapons to build trust with your key stakeholders.

As Nordic consumers’ buying habits and lifestyles become more and more entwined with their social and environmental responsibility, energy brands that reflect this in their own messaging can make strides in retaining the confidence and loyalty of their customers.

In this article, we’ll explore how sustainability storytelling builds trust, examine key strategies for incorporating sustainability into your brand, and highlight how Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems ensure consistent, impactful communication.

The tight relationship between sustainability and trust

As the urge to be more socially and environmentally responsible becomes embedded in our culture, this is reflected in people’s purchases and their perception of brands.

In the Nordic market, sustainability is a key factor in consumers’ buying habits. A survey conducted by BCG demonstrated that 58% of consumers report that sustainability aspects are important decision-makers when purchasing a product, while 40% of customers in Finland say most of their purchases are sustainable.

Furthermore, 92% of global consumers say they trust brands that are socially and environmentally responsible, while 88% are more likely to stay loyal to companies with dedicated Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives.

For Nordic energy companies, the demand is especially intense. With the region viewed as frontrunners in the global transition to renewable, green energy, and subject to some of the most ambitious frameworks and guidelines related to sustainability, there is an even greater expectation that these brands make this a central part of their brand identity.

Sustainability storytelling allows your energy company to connect emotionally with your customers. Powerful, purpose-driven narratives that highlight progress, challenges, and impact can humanize your brand, resonating with audiences to build ongoing loyalty and advocacy.

Authenticity and transparency: The cornerstones of effective sustainability branding

Before we discuss ways to harness the power of sustainable branding, for this to succeed, authenticity and transparency are non-negotiable. Nordic consumers are more skeptical and informed than ever, and they are quick to identify greenwashing – a marketing practice where companies exaggerate or falsify their sustainability strategies.

Brands that are not accurate or authentic in their sustainability storytelling are more scrutinized than ever before. Global energy companies have discovered this in years past, and their relationships with consumers has suffered as a result.

To avoid this pitfall, any branding or marketing that evokes your commitment to sustainability must be backed by real, measurable actions. Transparency is the key: openly sharing progress, challenges and results not only builds credibility, but also strengthens relationships with customers who value honesty over perfection.

3 ways to make sustainability central to your energy company’s corporate brand

1. Develop your sustainability narrative

A powerful sustainability narrative is foundational to a brand’s identity. This narrative should not only communicate your company’s commitments but also provide a roadmap for achieving them.

For example, your energy brand could articulate its role in “enabling the world’s transition to clean energy through innovation, transparency, and partnerships.”

3 tips to develop your sustainability narrative

This sustainability narrative becomes the cornerstone of all communication efforts, reinforcing your brand’s purpose and setting the tone for external messaging.

Remember – this must be authentic. Empty claims in your sustainability storytelling will be picked apart by today’s savvy customers:

Show how your sustainability efforts align with your core business values
Be specific with your sustainability targets and initiatives
Openly acknowledge areas for improvement rather than hide them
Ensure the message resonates with the needs of your customers

2. Publish transparent signals of your sustainability commitments

Trust is built on transparency. In the energy sector, where skepticism can run high, it’s essential to go beyond generic claims by publishing detailed and verifiable data across your marketing channels.

Keep in mind that only 15% of Nordic consumers say they find it easy to evaluate the sustainability performance of companies. So, the more accessible you make this information, the more trusted your brand appears when compared with less transparent organizations.

This can take many forms:

Sustainability reports that show your progress toward net-zero goals, including reductions in carbon emissions
Financials illustrating your renewable energy investments and operational efficiencies
Independent third-party certifications and standards, such as the Nordic Swan Ecolabel or ISO 14001
Reports demonstrating the environmental credentials of your partners and suppliers

Look at Tesla as an example. Their annual Impact Report very clearly and visually expresses their company’s social and environmental milestones. It’s also formatted to meet the demands of their various audiences – from the full, in-depth reports required by investors and regulators, to top-line infographics and graphs for their everyday consumer.

3. Create education content to become a sustainability thought leader

Educational content allows energy brands to position themselves as thought leaders in sustainability.

It showcases that your commitment to sustainability is more than an obligation – you are going the extra mile to empower others with knowledge and guidance that will help them be more socially and environmentally responsible.

Examples of educational content include:

White papers and case studies that showcase successful sustainability projects, offering insights into the challenges, solutions and measurable outcomes.
Podcasts or video series featuring experts discussing industry innovations, best practices, or the latest trends in sustainability and renewable energy.
Infographics and visually engaging graphics to explain complex topics like renewable energy technologies, decarbonization strategies, or the science behind carbon capture.
Interactive tools such as online calculators or interactive dashboards that allow users to assess their carbon footprint or explore the impact of renewable energy solutions.
Educational blogs and e-guides answering audience pain points such as “how to transition to green energy” or “steps businesses can take to reduce emissions.”

6 more examples of sustainability content

By investing in high-quality, educational materials, your energy brand can become a go-to resource for insightful content around sustainability. This familiarity and reputation fosters trust, setting your brand apart from competitors who aren’t as prolific on this topic.

Ensuring a consistent commitment to sustainability with Digital Asset Management (DAM)

While authenticity and transparency are the foundations of effective sustainability storytelling, another vital quality to consider is consistency.

Brand consistency is essential to build trust with today’s customers. Any discrepancy or deviation from your core identity – particularly when relating to as hot a topic as sustainability – can lead people to question the authenticity and credibility of your messaging.

With today’s energy companies often fragmented across numerous regions and needing to be present on multiple marketing channels, maintaining consistent sustainability messaging can be a big challenge. If one team is not up-to-speed with the latest brand guidelines or using outdated materials, it can cause unwanted confusion among your customers.

With this in mind, investing in a Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution can empower your teams to stay consistent at every touchpoint.

Create a single source of truth for your sustainability storytelling

By giving your professionals instant access to pre-approved, fully compliant assets, a DAM system ensures everyone in your team can immediately see how your sustainability messaging should be communicated. This helps stop future assets straying from these examples, making it a go-to reference guide for your content creators.

Furthermore, combining your DAM with a brand portal unlocks another level of control. Housing your brand guidelines, sustainability statements and everything else that defines your brand culture in one place, this cloud-based platform educates your teams on how to present your brand on all channels.

Categorizes an unlimited number of assets in one accessible space

A high-quality DAM platform enables you to capture, organize and distribute all your digital assets in one place. Rather than content being lost in messy email chains or cluttered servers, teams can locate, use and publish the exact materials they need when they need them with little effort.

This not only greatly enhances the cost efficiency of your marketing operations through smart uploads and AI-driven tagging and search. This streamlined communication keeps your regional teams on the same page with your sustainability storytelling, stopping inconsistencies from diluting your message. Structure inspires consistency; consistency generates trust.

Prevents outdated materials from reaching your audiences

Your sustainability metrics, targets and initiatives are always evolving, and it’s crucial that any old or out-of-date materials are kept out of circulation to prevent claims of greenwashing.

Through version control, DAM systems give you full access to an asset’s history and any changes it has undergone. This means your teams only work from the most recent version of any asset, so only accurate, authentic and provable sustainability impacts are showcased in your marketing.

Enables more localized, personalized campaigns

If your energy brand operates in multiple regions, you may understand how challenging it is to make sure your localized marketing campaigns do not spill over into the wrong channels. With a strong DAM system, flexible access control allows you to govern what assets are available to particular users, ensuring they only publish on-brand content relevant to their unique audiences.

This, combined with on-brand content creation tools that make localizing assets a seamless formality, means you can hone your campaigns to the specific needs of each target audience, making them more likely to resonate and deliver a healthy ROI.

5 ways DAM systems can benefit energy marketers

Elevate your sustainability-focused branding with Papirfly

As energy brands face a more ever more congested and competitive landscape, you can no longer simply rely on the necessity of your products and services. You need a brand that is strong, distinct and, above all else, trustworthy to set yourself apart for your customers.

We hope this has demonstrated the importance of aligning your branding with sustainability to build consumer trust.

At Papirfly, our market-leading Digital Asset Management solution is the ideal place to begin showcasing who you are as a brand, your sustainability story and the organization of the right brand assets for each user to get one fully-aligned your message across – helping your brand speak authentically, transparently and consistently to maintain loyalty with customers old and new.

See how Papirfly can transform the power and purpose of your energy brand!

Table of contents:

The tight relationship between sustainability and trust
Authenticity and transparency: The cornerstones of effective sustainability branding
3 ways to make sustainability central to your energy company’s corporate brand
Ensuring a consistent commitment to sustainability with Digital Asset Management (DAM)
Elevate your sustainability-focused branding with Papirfly

Brand management

5 ways manual content creation is killing your automotive marketing ROI

Papirfly

31 January 20253 February 2025

9 minutes read

An expansive approach to content marketing is more important than ever in your automotive marketing strategy.

With the average car buyer spending close to 15 hours researching potential vehicles across multiple channels (2022 Car Buyer Journey Study by Cox Automotive) and the competition for their attention incredibly fierce, a diverse content portfolio across each customer journey stage is key to driving traffic through your doors.

Beyond guiding prospective customers on the path to securing car sales, the strength of your content is equally essential to:

Stand out in the crowd: Cut through the noise and position your dealership as the go-to destination in your market
Lead the conversation: Showcase your expertise in electric vehicles, autonomous driving, and sustainable mobility to become the trusted voice customers turn to
Build lasting relationships: Create meaningful connections that keep customers coming back for their second, third, and fourth vehicles

While the demand for content continues to surge, keeping your marketing ROI healthy is crucial. With automotive leads now costing an average of $250 each (Liontreegroup, 2022) – a number that’s climbing – marketing teams face mounting pressure to optimize their spending while meeting consumers’ growing appetite for information.

Here’s your challenge: Manual content creation eats into your profits. Beyond the obvious costs of time, software, and labor, hidden expenses lurk beneath the surface. Brand inconsistencies, varying content quality, and campaign delays all chip away at your marketing returns, creating a costly cycle that’s hard to break.

Below, we break down 5 ways that persisting manual content production is hurting your ROI – from the obvious to the more subtle – and explore how on-brand content creation software can revolutionize the cost efficiency of your marketing operations.

1. Content production becomes time-consuming and resource-heavy

Above all else, relying heavily on manual content creation methods means you spend more on your marketing operations:

Hours producing individual assets from scratch
Money hiring specialist in-house creatives or outsourcing work to an external agency
Licenses for design software, video editing tools and other content creation platforms

When you consider the significant volume of content you must generate to nurture discerning car buyers at each stage of the customer journey, these costs can very quickly pile up.

This puts more pressure on your marketing campaigns to drive leads and car sales to make up for the substantial investment you and your team have made preparing them.

2. The scalability and diversity of your content is limited

The immediate costs of manual content production may be the clearest impact on your marketing ROI, but it also has wider ramifications on the volume and reach of your content.

Research shows that today’s car buyers devote more time and use more channels in their search for their ideal vehicle than ever before:

The days of buyers simply browsing car dealerships are long gone. To grab your audience’s attention and cut through the noise, providing a truly multichannel marketing experience is crucial, across both online and offline channels.

Relying on manual content creation limits your ability to meet this demand. With only so many hours in the day and resources available, this approach forces you to be more selective over what channels you focus on – meaning you miss opportunities to engage potential customers.

Meanwhile, your competitors with more automated content production are better placed to dominate search results, social media feeds, advertising space and beyond. This can cause your market share to plummet, hurting the power and performance of your marketing efforts.

Furthermore, with your time and resources tied up in creating your routine assets, this could be preventing your brand from harnessing more innovative types of automotive marketing, such as:

Augmented reality (AR) test drives
Virtual reality (VR) showrooms
AI-powered car configurators
Interactive video content

By automating the production of your day-to-day, standard content, you free up the capacity and funds to jump on these powerful trends.

3. Personalizing and localizing collateral becomes more complicated

As well as customers requiring a wider range of content to guide their choice of vehicle, they are also far more expectant of personalized customer experiences:

Car buyers also prioritize different qualities when researching vehicles. For example, according to research from Kantar, US and European consumers focus on cost and reliability, while in China, they rate driving performance and fuel efficiency higher.

The more your marketing campaigns are tailored to the specific needs and nuances of your dealerships’ local markets, the more likely they are to resonate with your target audiences, encourage more clicks, and drive dealership visits.

However, manual content creation makes this extremely challenging to fulfill. Depending on how many demographics your models appeal to and the scale of your dealership network, this can make it impossible to properly adapt assets on time and on budget.

The result? More generic, one-size-fits-all campaigns that fail to connect with customers, leading to low engagement and conversion rates.

4. The time-to-market for your campaigns and promotions significantly slows

Next, the time-consuming nature of manual content creation does not only elevate production costs – it also creates delays for your campaign execution.

Whether you’re developing promotional materials for a new vehicle launch or a time-sensitive campaign in one of your regional dealerships, creating this content from scratch can significantly slow down the process, as well as require more thorough proofing and amends.

With so many options available for modern car buyers, any slip in the efficiency of your marketing can mean a missed sales opportunity. Buyers who may have been interested in your new model may have moved onto your competitors by the time your campaigns are underway.

By moving away from manual production and embracing automotive processes, this can empower your in-house creatives and agency partners to create and deliver content faster to your global dealers, who can then localize it for their specific audiences.

5. Inconsistencies creep into your branding and content

Finally, in addition to increasing times-to-market, an overly manual approach to content creation raises the risk of inconsistencies in your branding and content quality.

If your content creators don’t have a firm grasp of your brand guidelines, or simply make a basic mistake, your materials may fall short of your brand’s identity and quality standards.

Consumers should feel confident before committing to such a substantial purchase as a car. Any break in brand consistency can derail your attempts to foster this trust. If your branding deviates from location to location or channel to channel, it projects a disorganized image to your prospects – which could be the difference when choosing between you and your competitors.

If this persists over time, it can dilute the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and lower conversion rates.

Plus, the threat of human error means your marketing leaders must devote more time to review assets before they are published. This additional time and energy also eats away at your marketing ROI, and can further delay your campaigns.

On-brand content creation software: The key to maximizing your automotive marketing ROI

Now you understand how persisting with manual content creation waters down your marketing ROI, it is apparent that a more automatic approach is required to improve the efficiency of your operations, maintain a presence on all relevant marketing channels, and localize collateral for your diverse dealer markets.

That’s where on-brand content creation software can make a massive difference. By placing innovative, accessible design templates at the heart of your content production processes, you can transform your marketing output’s speed, scale and consistency.

Streamlined content creation through intelligent templates

When creating assets from scratch, ensuring that core brand elements, such as logos, icons and color schemes, are correct adds a lot of time to the creative process. Good-quality design templates provide a clear framework that cuts asset creation time from hours to minutes.

This enables you to scale up your content production at no additional cost. As a result, your brand can be present at every touchpoint for today’s buyers, building your familiarity and market share in a customer base spoiled for choice.

With the ability to develop infinite templates across all formats – from online video content and social media posts to brochures, posters and billboards – this technology can significantly slash the costs attached to your content production, boosting the returns generated by your campaigns.

Empowering dealerships to produce their own campaign materials

The accessibility of effective on-brand content creation software means that anyone can use this technology to create high-quality, branded assets, regardless of their design skills.

This reduces your reliance on in-house creatives or external agencies to produce the bulk of your content. Once your templates are set up, front-line employees in your dealerships can use these to quickly generate the required content, rather than waiting to hear back from HQ.

With the routine content of your dealerships taken care of through these templates, this frees up time for your specialist creatives and agency partners to push forward with more complex content, be it AR content, VR experiences, or gamified driving simulators.

Locking down consistency across all assets

Utilizing templates molded to your brand guidelines ensures every asset you produce across all channels aligns with your overarching corporate identity.

The result? Customers can enjoy a more consistent, coherent experience wherever they engage with your brand, establishing the trust needed to ultimately sell cars.

Furthermore, in-built approval workflows directly inform whoever is responsible for signing off marketing materials as soon as they’re ready to review. This streamlined process means campaigns are launched faster, allowing you to better capitalize on market opportunities.

Enabling fast, cost-effective localization and personalization

As noted earlier, modern car buyers place a high value on personalized, localized content. On-brand content creation software allows users to instantly adapt assets to meet this expectation.

Languages can be translated instantly for international dealerships and customers
Templates can be set up with personalization elements – such as spaces for customer names – that can be applied many times over
Localized imagery and designs can be locked down so only relevant examples are available to each region

These dynamic elements mean that content can be adapted for specific audiences in a couple of clicks, rather than paying fortunes on local designers for your individual dealerships.

Consequently, content across your dealer network will speak to people’s precise needs rather than take a one-size-fits-all stance. This helps raise the relevance of your campaigns, increasing the likelihood they drive traffic to your websites, landing pages, and dealerships.

Amplify your ROI with on-brand content creation

With a broad content marketing portfolio essential to stand out in a crowded market and engage customers on their long journey to purchasing a car, taking steps to streamline content production is vital to maintain a healthy marketing ROI.

The power of on-brand content creation in action: BMW

For an example of how on-brand content creation software can revolutionize your marketing ROI, look no further than what it has achieved for BMW.

With an expansive network of automotive dealerships covering countless languages, locations and audiences, the BMW team found that creating content at the required scale was a costly, inefficient process. They struggled to retain their brand identity at every touchpoint, while slow administration left campaigns on hold.

By introducing on-brand design templates, paired with a centralized Digital Asset Management (DAM) library, their frontline workers were empowered to produce localized content without fear of compromising brand guidelines or needing to learn complex design software.

The outcome? BMW’s identity is upheld in all locations. Time to market has decreased. Brand management and sales workflows run smoothly. And, most importantly, their marketing ROI has accelerated to previously unattainable levels.

At Papirfly, our solutions empower automotive brands in the U.S. and beyond to create content at an unprecedented scale, all with consistency at their core.

From on-brand template technology that streamlines content production across all channels to DAM solutions that establish a single source of truth for your brand.

Table of contents:

1. Content production becomes time-consuming and resource-heavy
2. The scalability and diversity of your content is limited
3. Personalizing and localizing collateral becomes more complicated
4. The time-to-market for your campaigns and promotions significantly slows
5. Inconsistencies creep into your branding and content
On-brand content creation software: The key to maximizing your automotive marketing ROI
Amplify your ROI with on-brand content creation

Brand management, Pharma/Healthcare

The cost of non-compliance in pharmaceutical marketing

Papirfly

29 January 202521 March 2025

8 minutes read

All companies are held to strict rules that govern what they can and cannot do. Organizations in the pharmaceutical industry are no exception.

As suppliers of potentially life-saving medicine, pharma companies have a responsibility to not only produce safe pharmaceutical products, but to market these drugs to healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the general public honestly and transparently.

Meeting these rigorous standards is essential. However, when you consider the immense challenges your marketing departments already face – such as growing content demands and ever-evolving brand guidelines – delivering compelling, compliant pharma content is no simple feat.

To help your marketing teams build trust, increase sales and ensure compliance, here we explore the regulatory hurdles your campaigns have to overcome, the potential ramifications of non-compliant marketing efforts on your brand, and a handful of helpful strategies you can use to produce content that is compliant and successful.

What is non-compliant pharma marketing?

Whether your brand works closely with HCPs to get prescription-only medicine (POM) into the hands of pharmacies, or promotes over the counter (OTC) products to target audiences online, your pharmaceutical marketing must meet a series of stringent, self-regulated standards in the UK.

These strict rules are outlined and enforced by several regulatory agencies. For prescription medicine, PMCPA administers the ABPI Code of Practice. For marketing plans that involve OTC drugs, PAGB works to make sure all marketing activity falls in line with their own advertising code.

While there are different guidelines for promoting over-the-counter products and prescription medicine, at its core, compliant pharmaceutical marketing should be ethical, accurate and patient-focused. These principles should not only apply to your social media posts and email campaigns, but also to product packaging, clinical trial data and post-marketing surveillance.

With all of that in mind, what does pharma marketing actually look like when it steps outside of these regulations? While non-compliant content can take practically any form, it’s common to see regulatory bodies step in when elements like side effects are absent on promotional material, usage instructions are unclear, or the trial data used in a campaign was deliberately skewed.

What are the consequences of non-compliant pharmaceutical marketing?

According to a recent research conducted by University of Bath and Lund University academics, there were more than 1,100 cases where pharmaceutical companies fell short of advertising standards in the UK between 2004 and 2021.

These instances do more than simply jeopardize the health and wellbeing of end users. A lack of compliance in pharma marketing poses significant risks to your brand’s reputation and long-term success.

Your brand’s reputation can decline

Reputation is important for any brand, especially one relied on by HCPs and customers to save lives and cure ailments.

Whether your medicine fell short of a patient’s expectations, or news of a compliance breach found its way into headlines, few things can undermine the credibility of your brand more than a damaged reputation. When healthcare professionals, existing customers and your wider public feel they can no longer trust you, they won’t hesitate to look elsewhere to get their pharmaceutical products.

This is all to say that breaching pharmaceutical marketing compliance can quickly erode public opinion in your company, directly affect your market share and undermine your business’s bottom line.

It’s also important to acknowledge the effect a bad reputation can have on your employer brand. If prospective candidates don’t feel able to trust your company due to a poor track record of compliance, it’s likely that your talent acquisition efforts will become less effective.

Your company can face financial penalties

Falling foul of PAGB’s advertising standards or ABPI’s Code of Practice influences more than just your organization’s reputation. In many cases, sub-standard pharma marketing can lead to substantial fines.

While the specific amount varies depending on the type and severity of your collateral’s breach, findings suggest these penalties often reach six figures.

In very rare and serious cases, there have been cases known to cross into the billions. You only have to look back to 2009, when Pfizer pleaded guilty to misbranding Bextra in the US, which landed them a historic fine of $2.3 billion (over €2.1 billion).

When you consider that regional audience expectations continue to grow as marketing budgets shrink, it’s easy to imagine the impact a substantial fine could have on your marketing and overall business operations.

Your products can be recalled

Another notable consequence of non-compliant promotional activities is product recalls.

If your marketing materials or product packaging fails to meet the high bar for compliance in the UK, authorities such as the MHRA may step in to pull your medicine from pharmacies and store shelves. Needless to say, this can have disastrous consequences for your campaigns.

Not only will you have to forfeit any resources you have invested; chances are you’ll need to devote more time and money to rectifying these mistakes, producing entirely new collateral that meets your legal requirements.

3 strategies to deliver successful, compliant pharmaceutical marketing

Now you understand the regulatory hurdles your pharma marketing must overcome, and the consequences of falling short, what steps can you and your marketing team take to deliver captivating, compliant pharma marketing?

1. Invest in ongoing training for your campaign teams

As regulations around pharmaceutical advertising evolve and the marketing landscape shifts, laying the foundation for success in your marketing team starts with the right training.

After all, if your creatives, sales representatives and marketing executives don’t understand the rules their content must abide by, or the best approach to compel HCPs and other customers – achieving true marketing success becomes significantly harder.

However, before you plow ahead and invest in training, it’s first important to gauge the current capabilities of your team. To do this, it is wise to carry out a thorough audit.

Once you have a clear understanding of what gaps exist in your marketing department’s understanding, the next step is to plug in the right training. There are plenty of approaches your pharma company can take here, such as:

Holding compliance workshops when rules change, mapping out how new legislation affects your upcoming and existing campaigns
Investing in online training platforms to make it as easy as possible for individuals across your teams to take on new skills at their own pace
Inviting external experts in to provide talks or guidance about best pharma marketing practices
Creating compliance toolkits your teams can refer to when producing marketing materials

With the right steps, you can upskill your teams efficiently, and create a foundation from which to launch compliant, successful marketing campaigns now and in the future.

2. Regularly engage third-party compliance auditors

Whether your team is in a rush to meet the launch of a new OTC medicine, or prepare materials in time for an upcoming HCP event – the urge to push full steam ahead with your promotional materials can be strong.

However, when your department is ‘all heads down’ and racing toward a deadline, this can leave room for costly mistakes. From inadequate warning labels on boxes to unsubstantiated testimonials on TV adverts, these errors can quickly draw the ire of regulators.

As a result, it can be helpful to consult with third-party specialists before rolling out a new campaign:

When you consider the risks of non-compliance in the pharmaceutical industry, such as reputational damage and financial losses, gaining complete peace of mind before going live can be a wise investment.

3. Adopt the right marketing tools

In the world of pharmaceutical marketing, it isn’t enough to produce compelling marketing materials. You have to navigate strict rules, all while keeping your brand modern, your global audiences engaged, and your efforts on budget.

To help you overcome these obstacles and meet the standards required by UK compliance organizations, brand templating tools can be a game changer.

Instead of requiring your content creators to manually produce the dozens (if not hundreds) of print adverts, social graphics, videos and more that shape your campaigns, on-brand content creation software helps reduce the time, effort and resources involved through the use of smart, customizable templates.

How does this work in practice? While different platforms will vary in features, the core principle is simple – aspects such as imagery, copy and colors can be switched out in a matter of clicks, without altering core brand elements, like logo placement and mandatory disclaimers.

For example, if you needed to produce a wide range of different posters for GP surgeries, pharmacies and retail stores, these tools can empower anyone on your team to put these materials together in a matter of minutes – all with the assurance they’ve followed every regulatory requirement and brand guideline along the way.

Having software that upholds compliance and consistency across your content creation pipeline is a powerful asset for any organization. However, to ensure your marketing materials remain compliant in every campaign, a dedicated Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution is another essential investment for pharmaceutical marketers.

Able to integrate with on-brand content tools and other must-have martech, these platforms act as a centralized library for your digital files and assets, keeping everything orderly and readily accessible at all times.

This functionality makes it seamless to ensure the right content is published at the right time, in the right places. On top of this, incorporating a DAM for compliance reduces the stress associated with finding content that has to be updated in line with post-marketing surveillance.

Additionally, in the UK, regulatory agencies can request copies of advertising materials. Thankfully, with a DAM platform’s robust search functionality, finding relevant assets and fulfilling these requests can become an effortless formality.

Deliver compelling, compliant pharma marketing

If you’re a pharmaceutical company marketing products in the UK, the promotional materials you publish are held to a strict standard of ethics, accuracy and patient wellbeing.

It doesn’t matter if you are promoting OTC medicine to the public, or prescription-only products to HCPs, meeting these stringent codes of conduct are non-negotiable.

With substantial fines, legal action and reputational damage hanging in the balance, navigating this landscape – all while making sales and meeting budgets – demands a considered approach.

We hope the tips and brand management solutions we’ve covered today – from upskilling your digital marketers and sales representatives to incorporating on-brand content creation tools – can help your campaigns enter a new era of compliant, consistent success.

Table of contents:

What is non-compliant pharma marketing?
What are the consequences of non-compliant pharmaceutical marketing?
3 strategies to deliver successful, compliant pharmaceutical marketing
Deliver compelling, compliant pharma marketing

Rebranding

Rebranding success: The pitfalls to avoid for maximum ROI

Papirfly

20 January 202520 January 2025

4 minutes read

Considering a rebrand? For CMOs and brand managers, justifying the expenditure and ensuring a positive return on investment (ROI) is crucial. A rebrand is a big investment in both time and resources, and without the right tools in place, it can easily go off course.

This post highlights the common pitfalls that can derail a rebranding project before it even begins and jeopardize its ROI. Avoiding these mistakes is essential for maximizing the value of your rebranding efforts.

Pitfall #1: Neglecting thorough market research

Understanding your target audience, market trends, and competitive landscape is key to any successful rebrand. Without this research, you risk misaligning your brand with the market’s needs. A well-structured research strategy helps clarify if a rebrand is truly necessary and what areas of your brand may need a refresh. Effective market research might include:

In-depth interviews, surveys and focus groups with your audience to understand the perceptions and experiences of your brand and competitors.
Sales data deep dive to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities to optimize your approach and identify any shortcomings in current market strategies.
Competitive analysis to understand how you compare against competitors across brand performance and marketing metrics.

By conducting thorough research, you can ensure that your rebrand is grounded in data, which is essential for maintaining brand relevance and maximizing ROI. Your insights may reveal that your teams haven’t been able to efficiently understand or deliver your brand, so it may be worth looking at how you can showcase your brand better across your organization. If a rebrand is still the right way to go, then it’s time to ask big questions to leadership.

“Companies that prioritize market research as a fundamental function, rather than a mere expense, have a higher likelihood of thriving amid economic uncertainty.”

Source: Forbes

Pitfall #2: Failing to build a compelling rebrand business case

A successful rebrand needs strong executive buy-in. Without it, your efforts are likely to face resistance. CMOs must present a robust business case that clearly demonstrates the need for a rebrand, its potential impact on brand equity, and its expected ROI. A well-structured business case includes:

Current brand analysis that highlights the shortcomings of your existing brand, such as low customer satisfaction, declining market share, or negative perceptions.
Proposed rebranding strategy that outlines the brand’s new positioning, messaging, and visual identity and how you roll out your rebrand to your company.
Financial projections and ROI that include cost estimations, anticipated revenue growth, and potential customer retention rate increases.

With the right insights, you’ll be able to build a strong argument for your rebrand, ensuring it aligns with broader business objectives.

Pitfall #3: Overlooking internal stakeholders

Employee buy-in is critical to the success of your rebrand. If your team doesn’t fully understand or support the changes, implementation will be slow and inconsistent. To avoid this, take steps to involve internal stakeholders from the outset. This might include:

Surveys and feedback sessions to gather input on the current brand and ideas for the rebrand.
Internal communications campaigns to ensure employees stay informed about progress and understand their role in the rebrand.
Brand ambassadors program that motivates employees to champion the rebrand and helps to build enthusiasm throughout the organization.

When employees feel invested in the brand transformation, they’re more likely to champion the new brand and maintain consistency in its execution.

“With Papirfly, we wanted to make it simple for our people to create material and to be brand ambassadors. It’s easy, fast and it empowers everyone – and we’ve definitely achieved those goals.”

Ci’en Xu, Director of Strategy, Global Employer Branding, SAP

Pitfall #4: Inconsistent brand implementation

Brand consistency is one of the most common struggles during a rebrand. Without a system to manage your brand assets effectively, it’s easy for your messaging and visual identity to become fragmented, leading to diluted brand impact which ultimately impacts the bottom line. The key to overcoming this pitfall is centralization.

By using a centralized platform to manage your brand assets, you can ensure that all materials—from logos and imagery to messaging—are easily accessible, organized, and in line with your brand strategy. This approach allows for:

Seamless access to brand guidelines and assets: Teams across the organization can quickly find and use the latest on-brand materials and messaging, ensuring consistency.
Easier collaboration: Marketing, sales, and other departments can work together with automated asset approval workflows, sharing assets and feedback on one platform, enhancing efficiencies and ensuring everyone is aligned.
Brand performance is easily monitored: Track key metrics and provide insights into brand performance across different channels, allowing for prompt identification and correction of any brand inconsistencies, maximizing ROI.

A system that organizes and showcases your brand assets makes it easy for your teams to execute the brand strategy consistently and efficiently, ultimately ensuring that your rebrand delivers the ROI you expect.

“The new platform was a crucial part in our rebranding process. It’s seamless, efficient, and gives us total control.”

Hannah Myrhed,
PostNord Group Brand & Communication

Pitfall #5: Lack of post-launch monitoring and measurement

Launching your rebrand is only the beginning. To measure its effectiveness and ensure you’re hitting your goals, you need to set up ongoing tracking and monitoring systems. Establish clear KPIs (key performance indicators) such as:

Brand awareness metrics (social media mentions, website traffic,search engine rankings).
Customer engagement metrics (social media engagement, customer satisfaction scores and Net Promoter Score).
Sales and revenue metrics (website conversions, CAC, CLTV, sales growth).

Regularly review these metrics and adjust your approach where needed. A centralized system makes it easy to track brand performance across all channels and identify areas for improvement. This data-driven approach helps you continuously optimize your brand strategy and improve ROI over time

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can maximize the impact of your rebranding initiative. A centralized platform for brand asset management ensures that your brand strategy is executed consistently and effectively, ultimately driving greater market share and recognition.

Learn more about how to streamline your rebranding process and ensure brand consistency across all touchpoints. Explore our rebranding solution.

Table of contents:

1. Neglecting thorough market researc h
2. Failing to build a compelling rebrand business ca se
3. Overlooking internal stakeholders
4. Inconsistent brand implementatio n
5. Lack of post-launch monitoring and measurement

Employer brand

Localized employer branding: Your key to engaging with regional talent

Papirfly

26 November 202426 November 2024

7 minutes read

In today’s highly competitive job market, your employer brand is vital. It’s the key to attracting top talent, retaining your existing employees, and distinguishing yourself against a backdrop of ever-increasing competition.

And, while a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and an authentic, attractive culture are both important parts of a world-class employer brand – for global companies, few things are more crucial to connect with candidates than personalized, localized messaging.

This means more than just writing job descriptions in relevant languages or using local imagery in your onboarding materials. For the best localized employer brand messaging, it’s important to tailor your marketing assets to the cultural sensitivities of local markets.

Imagine you were recruiting candidates in Japan. Because Japanese work culture tends to value collectivism, where a company is often viewed like a family, you would want to create content that centers around your team members and company culture.

However, this ‘team-focused’ recruitment strategy likely wouldn’t spark the same interest with American job seekers. In this instance, you might speak to this region’s individualism by highlighting employee perks, learning and development opportunities, or flexible working options on your adverts.

Respecting a culture’s unique nuances is essential for attracting and retaining top talent. It shows them that your company values their specific requirements, rather than pushing ahead with a generic, one-size-fits-all message for your global workforce.

But what more does localized employer branding do for your company? And how do you actually implement this in your marketing? In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the topic of employer brand localization and show you how to get started.

Why is region-specific employer branding so important?

According to recent figures, as many as 75% of global firms have found it hard to get the right talent through the door. If you’re one of the thousands of employers in this difficult position, you’ll know that long-term vacancies can cost your business dearly in time, money and productivity.

To give yourself an edge in local talent attraction, regional employer branding allows your roles to better resonate with job seekers right out the gate. By wrapping your collateral in imagery or elements that speak to their culture or surroundings, you already demonstrate that your brand aligns with them directly.

This can help you fill your positions up to 50% faster, and boost your chances of securing a quality hire by as much as three times.

Plus, by engaging your existing employees with job materials that reflect their culture and location, you can improve retention internally by as much as 28%. Aside from easing the pressure on your recruitment and hiring processes, engaged workplaces can be 17% more productive and 21% more profitable.

On top of this, localized employer brand content lays the foundation for a more positive global reputation. Even if your internal employees and job seekers aren’t the target audience for your corporate branding, giving these groups a positive experience sends a strong signal to customers, stakeholders and other audiences in these territories.

How do you translate a global employer brand to local markets?

A localized employer brand strategy is a proven way of improving the speed and quality of your talent acquisition efforts. It can also empower your existing staff, enhance productivity and contribute to a trusted reputation.

But how do you unlock the full potential of this strategy? Like any employer branding initiative, the right approach is essential.

Understand your ideal candidates and existing staff

Before committing any time or resources to localized content creation, it’s important to understand exactly who your regional audiences are and what they stand for.

Do you want to appeal to candidates in a brand-new market? Are you trying to counteract high churn in a particular regional office?

Your objectives will dictate the look, feel and direction of your employer brand campaigns, so it’s important you have a clear picture of the employee personas you’re targeting from the very beginning. Without this, it can be impossible to know how to tailor job postings and employee engagement strategies to best resonate with the right people.

Plus, when you consider that every country has their own idea of work, culture, benefits and more, ensuring your adverts, onboarding materials and internal branding pieces are as impactful as possible relies on the insight you gain through these personas.

So, how do you create these crucial documents? At their core, your employee personas should ask:

What region is my audience located in?
What goals and motivations do they have?
What are their key demographics?
What personality traits do they demonstrate?
What challenges do they face?
What do they want/expect from a workplace?

Stay organized with robust Digital Asset Management software

Once you have a solid idea of exactly who you need to target, the next step involved in translating your employer brand worldwide is to prioritize organization.

The last thing you want is for an off-brand job advert to find its way into the hands of a potential candidate, or a new recruit to receive an outdated version of your onboarding package. Why? Because inconsistencies like this can shatter people’s trust, set false expectations, and undermine the good will your employer brand has worked so hard to build.

But, with potentially thousands of assets to organize across dozens of countries, keeping on top of everything can quickly become a full-time responsibility.

Here, a dedicated Digital Asset Management (DAM) system can be really helpful. Acting as a central, digital repository where every asset can be tagged, organized and easily accessed, getting the right materials in front of the right candidates becomes a simple, straightforward task.

Coupled with regional brand portals that house your local style guidelines, EVPs and exemplary assets, your provincial teams can get immediate access to the content relevant to their audience. This makes it faster and easier for your global departments to run effective recruitment campaigns, all while streamlining internal communications.

Invest in on-brand content creation tools

While giving your teams access to the right assets is an important part of delivering a locally-tuned employer brand, if you operate in multiple territories, chances are you’ll have a long list of different audiences to create collateral for – and the time, resources or capabilities to deliver only a fraction of it.

Coupled with the inconsistency that can arise when your decentralized teams begin adapting your core assets (or create their own materials altogether), it’s clear to see how content production is one of the greatest challenges for delivering a locally-relevant, globally spanning employer brand.

And with signs suggesting that the demand for collateral is only going up, how do you and your teams deliver employer branding at scale in the long term?

In our view, the right on-brand content creation tools are invaluable. By giving your central and frontline personnel the ability to swap out things like imagery, copy, colors and more in a matter of clicks, as the core facets of your brand guidelines remain fixed, smart templating technology can streamline production in a big way.

In practice, this means your central marketing departments can prepare core materials on budget for every region, all while your locally-based teams have the tools to create or tailor assets to their target markets without undermining the consistency of your brand.

Plus, with ease of use central to most content creation tools, anyone across your business can produce the materials they need, freeing up your marketers and creatives to focus on fleshing out your employer brand strategy.

Put simply, the right solution can revolutionize the way you deliver collateral to candidates and colleagues around the world.

Inspire your existing employees to become advocates

Another great way to translate your global employer brand to local communities is to use employee ambassadors.

It doesn’t matter if you’re conducting localized hiring drives or spreading awareness of your presence in a new market. The bottom line is, people trust employees significantly more than companies themselves.

So, who better to offer first-hand insight into your workplace than your regional team members? Their unique access and authenticity can demonstrate specifically how your workplace reflects the cultural nuances of the area.

This can give talent a clear picture of life at your organization, form genuine connections with people in the area, and ultimately attract candidates to your career site.

Furthermore, by getting your staff to play a more active role in your employer brand and rewarding their efforts, you can encourage your teams to stick with you for the long term.

Ready to realize the full potential of your employer brand?

As the competition for talent intensifies – and job seekers become increasingly discerning – successfully recruiting and retaining talent demands a local approach to employer branding.

However, with each country having their own cultural traditions and expectations to honor, crafting and coordinating content that resonates with each of these audiences is no easy feat.

By putting the insights we’ve covered in this article into practice, we hope you’ll have everything you need to reshape your employer brand into one that connects with candidates and colleagues from one region to the next.

Table of contents:

Why is region-specific employer branding so important?
How do you translate a global employer brand to local markets?
Ready to realize the full potential of your employer brand?

Content Creation

Storytelling and scalability: Finding the perfect balance in your content creation strategy

Papirfly

25 November 202425 November 2024

9 minutes read

Content production is the beating heart of modern marketing campaigns. The more you can create content that engages audiences, communicates your offering, and features on your most relevant channels, the more success your brand will experience in the long term.

And while there are many moving parts to the content creation process, the foundation for success can often boil down to two main factors:

The most effective content creation strategies understand how crucial both these components are to reaching and capturing the imagination of potential customers. Prioritising one over the other – or failing to fulfil either – limits your marketing strategy, making life more difficult for you and your colleagues.

So, how do you properly balance story and scale in content distribution? In this article, you’ll discover the importance of both pillars and uncover strategies to help you make the best of both worlds.

What is storytelling in marketing?

The world’s most successful brands have a story to tell:

For Apple, it’s a story of challenging the status quo through innovation and creativity
For Dove, it’s the idea that beauty is diverse and should be celebrated in all forms
For Patagonia, it’s making the world a better place through eco-friendly initiatives

These companies, and many more like them, invest a substantial amount of time and resources into crafting marketing narratives that go beyond facts, figures and features. Why? Because what truly captures the hearts and minds of consumers is a compelling story that explains who you are, what you do, and how you can help them.

In a world where you’re competing with dozens, if not hundreds, of companies for people’s attention and custom, your brand story must set you apart from the crowd. When done well, you foster more meaningful, emotional relationships than data can do on its own, speaking to audiences in a way that’s digestible, universal and inspiring.

Take TOMS as an example. Their “One for One” model is built around their founder Blake Mycoskie’s experience seeing children struggling without shoes in Argentina. They consistently publish content that emphasises this altruistic message, helping people understand the vision behind their business.

Why is brand storytelling so important for content creation?

Brand storytelling inspires and motivates people to act

Tapping into people’s emotions through a relatable, empathetic or compelling story helps people get behind your brand. If people understand the narrative behind your products, services and actions, they are more likely to buy into you as a business.

Brand storytelling simplifies complex messages and concepts

A huge part of modern audience engagement is keeping things simple. A well-crafted story makes it easier for people to understand who you are and what you can do for them, and also makes your offering more memorable in the long term.

Brand storytelling enhances people’s trust in your brand

Brands that use storytelling to strengthen their content strategies are instantly considered more credible and authoritative. A story helps to humanise your brand, which in turn creates more trust with customers than speaking to a faceless business.

Brand storytelling stops you from sounding salesy

Fundamentally, storytelling allows you to communicate authentically and empathetically with your audiences. Rather than simply tell them why they should use you, a story presents your offering in a fresh, compelling way that speaks to them on a deeper level.

What is content scalability?

If storytelling is the message at the core of your content, scalability is how you get this message to the masses.

As you might expect, content scalability (or content scaling) refers to how you distribute your content across the numerous channels and formats available to modern marketers.

Content production at scale – while simultaneously delivering high-quality output – is arguably the biggest problem today’s CMOs and marketing leaders face.

But as the range of content marketing channels grows, as well as customers’ expectations to receive content at multiple touchpoints, scalability is something that cannot be ignored.

Effective content scaling means identifying ways to produce content faster, simpler and more cost-effectively, without seeing any dip in the quality or relevance of your assets.

Why is scalable content marketing so important?

Scalable content marketing builds your brand awareness

Maintaining a constant flow of physical and digital content goes a long way to raising people’s awareness of your brand, your story and your offerings. The more you can appear on your audiences’ preferred channels, the more their understanding of your company grows.

Scalable content marketing improves your authority

Similarly, having a consistent and frequent presence on various marketing channels makes your brand appear more authoritative and a “leader” in your space. If you post infrequently or have a smaller presence, that can be a red flag.

Scalable content marketing drives more conversions

Simply put, the wider the spread of your content marketing campaigns, the more avenues there are for customers to engage with your brand. This can significantly boost your website traffic, direct purchases and other conversions you track.

The need to balance story and scale in content creation

As you can tell, storytelling and scalability are both fundamental pillars of success in today’s marketing landscape. However, simply being aware of their importance isn’t enough to achieve the best results – you must balance both in your content creation strategy to unleash your marketing’s full potential.

To demonstrate why, let’s look at what problems can occur when you prioritise one over the other:

Too much story, not enough scale

The art of storytelling requires a great deal of attention and creativity to nail down. However, if you prioritise this over the scale of your content production, it can mean:

You limit the reach of your marketing campaigns, curbing your potential for growth
You miss opportunities to connect with potential customers on certain channels
You fail to convert customers due to a lack of engagement across touchpoints

Too much scale, not enough story

On the flip side, if you prioritise producing content for all channels at the expense of story and visuals:

You risk diluting the impact of your narrative and its emotional impact on audiences
You fragment your storytelling, creating a disconnect that alienates your customers
You produce content that lacks creativity and uniqueness, turning your marketing bland

In a nutshell, both story and scalability must be equally prioritised to make your content creation as effective as it can be. To make this ambition a reality, you need the right strategies behind your marketing efforts.

6 content creation strategies to balance storytelling and scalability

If you are keen to ensure your content marketing tells stories that capture people’s imagination, and that this can be produced efficiently and consistently to the largest possible audience, here are 6 good ideas to help you find the perfect balance.

1. Let your creatives craft the narrative for your campaign storytelling

While story and scale have equal weight in the content marketing spectrum, story must come before scale. As we highlighted earlier, there’s no benefit in creating a tonne of assets if the story behind them doesn’t connect as intended.

So, designate a creative team to nail down the story behind your brand, and the core visuals, copy and imagery that will best communicate that message. How you construct this team is up to you:

Partnering with a marketing agency can be a beneficial first step. Their ability to look at your company from an objective, outside perspective can help prevent any subjective bias from compromising the power of your brand storytelling.

By giving your most creative minds the freedom to create and mould your story, you lay the foundation for content to flow with the right intent.

2. Make your brand story accessible and understandable for all content creators

After you cement the story behind your campaign and establish the templates for conveying it in your content, you must share this with your teams around the world – not just your marketers.

A crucial key to content marketing at scale is giving more people the power to produce assets that reflect your overall brand story (we’ll discuss this further in tip #3). However, if you don’t make this story and its supporting visuals easily accessible, your creators may veer off course, affecting the consistency and strength of your message.

A printed brand guidelines booklet doesn’t cut it in today’s digital-first, globalised world. Instead, an online brand portal and Digital Asset Management (DAM) system can help your people understand the story behind your brand, and reflect it as intended for their own audiences.

A brand portal allows you to present the digital assets behind your campaign in the context of your brand story. This helps your teams engage with and understand your vision, so they can execute content with this direction in mind.

Meanwhile, a well-structured DAM system does more than manage your content and distribute it across your teams. It gives your people a complete overview of your campaign assets and messages, so they can learn from and apply them in future.

Plus, if your DAM solution allows you to categorise assets according to their campaign, location and other parameters, your teams can find and reference these exact examples for their ongoing content creation efforts.

Essentially, the combination of a brand portal and DAM system has the power to educate your entire workforce on your story, which then gives them the power to create content that evokes this message themselves.

3. Harness technology to publish great content at an even greater scale

Of course, not everyone is a skilled designer or evocative copywriter. But the right content creation tools can help anyone produce on-brand, studio-quality assets – and do so at an unprecedented scale.

Investing in template software that provides a safe framework for your users, with the wriggle room to get creative within these parameters, allows you to significantly speed up content production and open this avenue to frontline employees who lack the requisite design skills.

These smart templates do more than make the content creation process smoother and simpler:

Individual teams can personalise and localise content so it tells your story in a way that resonates with their specific audience
Multiple templates enable your marketers to adapt content to different formats seamlessly – video, digital banners, social media posts, posters, etc.
Content stays consistent on all channels through centralised brand governance

Explore the content creation software available and bestow your people with the ability to scale up production to another level, all without compromising the strength of your storytelling or the quality of your output.

4. Coordinate a content calendar that lets your story flow

No matter how strong the story behind your campaign is, or how many people have the tools to produce content at scale – a disorganised campaign is doomed to fail.

Plotting out a structured content or editorial calendar helps you publish content at the right time, on the right channels, to best deliver your campaign’s narrative. More than this, it also gives you an outline of how much content you’ll need for your campaign to guide your creators.

This stops over-scaling from diluting your messages. By spending time on a calendar or schedule for each campaign, you can coordinate your content requirements to deliver the maximum impact for your audiences worldwide.

5. Repurpose content for multiple marketing channels and formats

A smart first step to scaling up your content is through repurposing. This is when you take a central asset and adapt this to other formats and for other audiences.

For example, you may have a 10-page brochure that breaks down your organisation’s mission, vision and purpose. That one brochure could then spin off into:

A series of animated videos for YouTube or TikTok
A collection of carousels for your social media channels
Several blog posts on your website
A group of banner ads with key messages from the booklet

By repurposing, you do more than extend the life of a more comprehensive piece of content. You ensure that everything that spawns from this central point shares the same story, visuals and values on your wider channels, so your brand consistency is never in jeopardy.

6. Prioritise brand consistency at every touchpoint of your marketing

Whatever story you want to tell, on however many channels you want to utilise – brand consistency is key.

Being authentic and constant in how you portray your content’s story is the foundation for building trust with your audience. If any stage in your customer journey breaks, it can make your story feel disingenuous, reducing its emotional pull.

Using content creation tools, such as intelligent design templates, helps ensure that you develop content fitting your brand guidelines and convey your unique creative vision, no matter how much you produce.

Marketing content in balance: Making both story and scale your priority

There is no questioning the value of brand storytelling in making your content as captivating and engaging as possible for your audiences. It’s just as true that without a scalable approach to content marketing, you won’t be able to get that message out at the speed and frequency it needs to succeed.

We hope this article has helped you consider the importance of storytelling and scalability in your content production, and whether you have found the right balance in your organisation.

By taking stock of our tips and strategies, you can take a significant step towards marketing that captures attention, sustains audience engagement, and delivers impact at every touchpoint.

Table of contents:

What is storytelling in marketing?
What is content scalability?
The need to balance story and scale in content creation
6 content creation strategies to balance storytelling and scalability
Marketing content in balance: Making both story and scale your priority

Technology

The future of MarTech: Embracing hyper-personalization and AI-driven content creation

Papirfly

21 November 20245 May 2025

4 minutes read

Papirfly was proud to sponsor ANFO’s MarTech Awards in Norway this November, where we celebrated industry innovation and took the stage to present the coveted Innovation of the Year Award. We were also thrilled to win gold in the B2B Category Award for our 12-year long strategic partnership with our client REMA 1000.

Frank Tommy and Eva-Lill presented a talk on the Future of MarTech, exploring three transformative trends reshaping how brands connect with their consumers. These trends—hyper-personalization, AI-driven content creation, and responsible marketing practices—are not just shaping the future of MarTech; they’re key to thriving in today’s competitive landscape.

Hyper-personalization through advanced data integration

Consumers today demand more than generic messages—they want experiences that feel tailor-made. This growing expectation is driving brands to adopt advanced data integration strategies, enabling deeper insights into customer preferences and behaviors.

Imagine crafting a message that resonates with someone on a personal level—whether it’s a highly relevant email, a perfectly targeted ad, or a unique landing page experience. This isn’t just about adding a name to a subject line; it’s about understanding a customer’s journey, addressing their pain points, and creating content that feels genuinely meaningful.

At Papirfly, we believe that effective Digital Asset Management (DAM) is crucial for achieving this level of personalization. A robust DAM system enables teams to efficiently manage vast volumes of customer data and creative assets, making it possible to create, distribute, and optimize personalized, on-brand content across channels.

Picture this: your campaigns are powered by real-time data, allowing you to adapt strategies on the fly. That’s the game-changing potential of hyper-personalization—a future where marketing connects deeply with individuals and fosters lasting loyalty.

The rise of AI-driven content creation and optimization

The second trend, AI-driven content creation, is no longer a concept of the future—it’s a present-day reality, transforming how brands approach content marketing. AI tools can analyze performance metrics, consumer interactions, and emerging market trends, generating insights that shape content strategies.

Think of the time we spend creating, editing, and optimizing content. AI can automate much of this work, freeing marketers to focus on storytelling and strategic decision-making. With AI, brands can achieve consistent messaging, adapt swiftly to changing market demands, and maximize the impact of their campaigns.At Papirfly, we’re excited by the possibilities AI brings to on-brand content creation. Its ability to process data at scale ensures your messaging remains relevant and impactful, helping brands stay ahead in a fast-moving digital world.

Personalization vs. privacy: Finding the balance

As exciting as hyper-personalization and AI-driven content creation are, they come with a clear responsibility: respecting customer privacy. Brands must tread carefully to balance the benefits of tailored experiences with the need to maintain trust and transparency.

At the awards, we tied these trends to the classic Norwegian folk tale Tre Bukkene Bruse (The Three Billy Goats Gruff) offering a fitting analogy. Each goat represents an aspect of MarTech innovation:

The youngest goat, eager and bold, embodies hyper-personalization, pushing the boundaries of how we connect with consumers.
The middle goat, resourceful and clever, reflects AI-driven content creation, which needs careful guidance to stay on the right path.
The wise eldest goat reminds us of our ultimate goal—building trust and integrity in all customer interactions.

But no bridge is without its challenges, and the troll lurking underneath symbolizes GDPR and other privacy regulations. While these rules might feel like an obstacle, they exist to ensure that data is handled ethically and responsibly. By respecting these safeguards, brands can cross the bridge to customer trust safely, avoiding the pitfalls of shortcuts and data misuse.

The lesson is clear: hyper-personalization and AI can help brands create incredible customer experiences, but only if these tools are used in ways that prioritize transparency, consent, and ethical practices.

Building a sustainable future in MarTech

The future of MarTech is as promising as the bridge in Tre Bukkene Bruse—a path to deeper connections, stronger loyalty, and more impactful marketing strategies. However, crossing that bridge requires brands to navigate the challenges responsibly, ensuring their methods align with consumer expectations and privacy regulations.

Hyper-personalization and AI-driven content creation are no longer optional—they’re critical for brands looking to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. But these innovations must be paired with a commitment to ethical practices. Transparency, consent, and respect for personal data aren’t just compliance measures; they’re cornerstones of trust.

Just as the three goats succeed by balancing boldness with wisdom, brands can navigate the evolving MarTech landscape by embracing innovation while respecting their customers. When done right, the rewards are clear: personalized experiences, loyal audiences, and a sustainable, forward-looking strategy for growth.

With these principles in mind, the bridge to the future of MarTech isn’t just achievable — it’s an opportunity to create meaningful, lasting connections through every piece of content and customer touchpoint.

Table of contents:

Hyper-personalization through advanced data integration
The rise of AI-driven content creation and optimization
Personalization vs. privacy: Finding the balance
Building a sustainable future in MarTech

Retail Marketing

eTail Malmö 2024 wrap-up

Papirfly

15 November 202415 November 2024

4 minutes read

The recent eTail Nordic event in Malmo brought together leading brands and marketing professionals to explore the latest trends driving retail and e-commerce in the Nordics. For brands looking to stay competitive in the evolving retail landscape, here are the key trends that stood out for us as a sponsor.

1. The evolving role of customer experience (CX)

In today’s competitive landscape, personalization and seamless omnichannel experiences have become essential. Nordic consumers expect brands to recognize their unique preferences across both digital and physical touchpoints, fostering loyalty through relevant, personalized experiences. As retailers scale their personalized marketing, however, maintaining brand consistency across all channels can become complex. The focus for brands now lies in refining how they present themselves, by showcasing relevant, on-brand content that connects with their audience instantly and effectively.

2. Sustainability as a core value

Sustainability is more than just a trend in the Nordics; it’s an expectation. Consumers are particularly invested in ethical sourcing and circular business models, rewarding brands that align with these values. As brands weave sustainability into their core strategy—not just their products—they are challenged to convey these values authentically. Effectively communicating sustainability efforts across markets, in a way that aligns with local values, is a critical step in building trust with consumers. Brands that manage to do this with clarity and consistency across channels have a distinct advantage in connecting with the eco-conscious Nordic consumer.

3. AI and automation: Efficiency meets creativity

AI is transforming retail by driving efficiency in operations while supporting creativity in customer engagement. From inventory management to automated marketing, AI enables brands to streamline processes while still delivering personalized, engaging content at scale. For many brands, the challenge lies in balancing automation with a genuine, creative touch that resonates with consumers. AI’s role should be about removing repetitive, manual tasks, allowing marketing teams to focus on what really matters: crafting unique, value-driven experiences for their customers that set them apart in a crowded market.

4. Data privacy and trust

With data privacy being a significant concern across the Nordics, brands must maintain transparency and comply with stringent privacy regulations. GDPR compliance isn’t optional; it’s a fundamental requirement for earning and retaining consumer trust. For brands leveraging data for personalization, this means developing processes that respect privacy while providing value to the customer. Those who prioritize clear, ethical data practices build credibility and loyalty, standing out as leaders in responsible data use—a vital differentiator in today’s privacy-conscious market.

Social commerce is booming, and influencer marketing remains an impactful strategy in the Nordics, where consumers are highly engaged on social media. This trend presents a unique opportunity for brands to integrate social commerce into their e-commerce strategy, creating a seamless customer journey from social platform to purchase. Brands that stay agile in adapting to these changes, whether by leveraging influencers or capitalizing on user-generated content, are better positioned to resonate with the highly connected Nordic consumer. The ability to maintain consistent messaging across these platforms, without sacrificing agility, is crucial.

6. Hybrid retail models

The blending of physical and digital retail experiences continues to reshape consumer expectations. Today’s shoppers want the freedom to interact with brands across in-store and online channels, expecting a seamless, unified journey. As hybrid retail gains traction, brands need to focus on delivering a cohesive experience that meets customers wherever they are, whether that’s through digital signage in-store or a streamlined e-commerce interface. Brands that excel in providing this flexibility create a smoother path to purchase, building stronger relationships with consumers by catering to their preferred shopping styles.

7. Accelerated time to market as a competitive edge

In an environment where trends evolve rapidly, speed matters. The ability to go from concept to execution quickly allows brands to stay relevant and respond to market shifts before competitors. Brands that leverage efficient workflows and adaptable structures are better equipped to bring campaigns and promotions to market swiftly and consistently. This agility not only enhances brand responsiveness but also fosters a deeper connection with consumers, who increasingly expect brands to be relevant, timely, and attuned to current trends.

Future-proofing Nordic retail

The future of retail in the Nordics is an exciting mix of technology, consumer expectations, and deeply rooted cultural values. Brands that can align with these evolving dynamics—particularly around sustainability, customer experience, and data privacy—are best positioned for success. By adopting a proactive approach to these trends and prioritizing authenticity and transparency, brands can navigate the future of retail with confidence. The landscape is dynamic, but with thoughtfulness and a focus on core values, Nordic brands can seize tomorrow’s opportunities and continue to lead in a constantly shifting market.

Ready to see how your brand can stay ahead in the Nordic retail landscape? Learn how Papirfly’s Digital Asset Management & Content Creation suite can help you align with these trends and elevate your strategy.

Table of contents:

1. The evolving role of customer experience (CX)
2. Sustainability as a core value
3. AI and automation: Efficiency meets creativity
4. Data privacy and trust
5. The growth of social commerce and influencer marketing
6. Hybrid retail models
7. Accelerated time to market as a competitive edge
Future-proofing Nordic retail

Digital Asset Management / DAM

DAM New York 2024 wrap-up: key insights and innovations from Papirfly

Papirfly

30 October 202430 October 2024

2 minutes read

DAM NY 2024 has come to a close, wrapping up two incredible days of insights and innovation on October 23-24 at the New York Hilton Midtown. The conference brought together industry professionals and thought leaders to explore the transformative power of Digital Asset Management (DAM) and its central role in modern marketing.

As an exhibitor and speaker, Papirfly was proud to connect with attendees seeking to elevate their content management strategies. A highlight of the event was The Great DAM Bake-Off, where our Head of Product Enablement presented an engaging demo alongside Frontify, Bynder, and Acquia. We were thrilled by the audience’s overwhelming support and especially honored to be recognized by the judges as having the best-looking DAM interface. Winning the audience’s hearts was not only rewarding but also reinforced the value of our innovative approach and user-focused design.

Event highlights and key trends

The conference sessions offered a wealth of insights into the latest trends and technological advancements in DAM. Notably, the increasing role of AI emerged as a focal point. AI-driven asset management is transforming workflows with enhanced efficiency, personalization, and targeted content distribution. Companies like Steg AI demonstrated how AI can streamline workflows, while CI Hub showcased advanced integration capabilities that boost platform productivity. Across these discussions, quality data stood out as a crucial foundation for effective marketing, reinforcing that good data drives better decision-making in the DAM space.

Streamlined workflows for greater collaboration

A recurring theme throughout the conference was the demand for more streamlined workflows and increased visibility across content management processes. Attendees noted challenges like decentralized processes, version control issues, and siloed workflows—roadblocks that can hinder collaboration and delay time-to-market. Revlon’s on-stage discussions underscored the need for a synchronized, transparent content supply chain to overcome these obstacles.

DAM: central to digital transformation

The event reaffirmed that DAM is more than a standalone solution; it’s a vital component in the modern marketing tech stack. For organizations navigating digital transformation, DAM plays a crucial role in aligning content management with overarching brand and business strategies.

For those eager to explore the essentials of DAM further, check out our pre-event article, Serving assets on a silver platter, where we delve into:

The importance of intuitive design for end-user engagement
Techniques to optimize DAM systems for navigation, accessibility, and content delivery
The benefits of integrating DAM systems with other business applications for enhanced productivity

Reflecting on DAM NY 2024

As we reflect on this inspiring event, Papirfly remains committed to helping organizations streamline content creation and management, ensuring on-brand consistency at scale. Thank you to everyone who joined us at DAM NY 2024—we’re excited to continue these conversations and push the boundaries of innovation in the DAM space!

Table of contents:

Event highlights and key trends
Streamlined workflows for greater collaboration
DAM: central to digital transformation
Reflecting on DAM NY 2024