Is it about the brand or about journalism? A content analysis of brand journalism publications

Brand journalism refers to a variety of publications that resemble journalistic media in content and design but serve as strategic communication tools for organizations. This study examines the content of brand journalism publications, with a particular focus on their self-referential nature. Based on an analysis of 2637 articles from 150 German brand journalism magazines, we examine topic selection, references to the publishing organization, the tonality of these references, and resemblance to journalism. Our findings reveal that brand journalism covers a broad range of topics, mirroring journalistic issue selection and incorporating various characteristics of journalistic publications. However, a substantial portion of articles explicitly reference the publishing organization, its products, or its members – primarily in a positive or neutral tone, with almost no critical perspectives. This lack of critical discourse and opposing viewpoints suggests that while brand journalism may resemble journalism in form, its function ultimately serves corporate interests rather than independent reporting. In our discussion, we explore the implications of these findings for the boundaries between journalism and strategic communication.