Avid Collective, a hub for native content in Australia, recently hosted its inaugural financial masterclass in partnership with Are Media. The event, held at Hotel CBD in Sydney on 15 August, saw over 40 attendees from media agencies including UM, Wavemaker, and OMD. The panel discussion centred around the use of native content to foster genuine connections with audiences.

The strategy team from Are Media discussed how finance brands can leverage publishers' understanding of consumer trends. The panel also highlighted the importance of advocacy through branded and native content for finance brands seeking to build trust and relevance, and to empower audiences through education.

"We know that when finance brands partner with trusted lifestyle publishers, they are creating content that showcases the real life value of their product. Financial services and products aren't necessarily top of mind for consumers. By integrating into cultural and behavioural moments through native content, finance brands can create memorable connections through storytelling that aligns with consumers’ everyday conversations," said Leah Stalker, Head of Direct Advertising Partnerships at Avid Collective.

The Q&A session featured Trent Peppercorn, Head of Media brands' Content Studio, and Leah Stalker. Stalker presented Avid Collective’s ‘Role of Native Content’ framework. Ezechiel Ritchie, General Manager at Avid Collective, commented on the success of the event and the insights gained.

"When we kicked off our masterclass series with travel in June, we were blown away by the response of attendees on the night, and that was no different this time around for finance. We were thrilled to hear so many incredible insights from our panel and have such a robust Q&A that centred around trust and connection with audiences," said Ritchie.

Avid Collective plans to continue the rollout of their masterclass series, which it says has proven beneficial for brands within key verticals.