Trustmedia Beyond Advertising EN

Beyond Advertising

Engage

Connect

‘Going beyond advertising together, for beyond expectations results’

Advertising is going new ways. Yesterday, interruption with messages perceived us noise, today: information matching both the title and the reader’s DNA. Advertising is increasingly top of the funnel, aimed at building authority and thought leadership. With content that addresses readers’ concerns. Trustmedia leads in setting new communication and advertising trends. As a multidisciplinary marketing partner, we help advertisers and agencies achieve their goals by giving access to the De Tijd | L’Echo community, of which we are part, and offering a wide range of services highlighted in this magazine. Our titles bring authoritative content, while connecting you with our readers. In a high-impact manner, in a relevant and high-quality context. Who are these readers? 70 percent of Belgian decision-makers, across all sectors. A target group of influential entrepreneurs, investors and wealthy consumers, of whom no less than a quarter are under 35. Via our range of brands and platforms, Mediafin’s titles reach more than 2 million individual readers every month – a readership attracted by our honest

journalism and growing year over year. As reflected in our name, quality and trustworthiness are part of Trustmedia’s DNA. As advertisers, you’ll find that the combination of quality content – in print and online – with the right target audience pays off. The way and the context in which your message is delivered are further guarantees of brand safety. Trustmedia does more than just offering online and offline media space. It goes that extra mile, beyond advertising: i.e. creating, planning and rolling out strategic campaigns. With results beyond expectations. How do we do that? We develop an understanding of your strategy and objectives. Advise you on your communication plans. And guide you through the steps necessary to achieve your ambitions. You can rely on our specialised services and expertise to carry out your marketing project in an integrated and efficient manner, in the knowledge that, as a growth company, we are fully committed to digital innovation. More than half of our business now comes from the innovative services in which we have invested heavily

in recent years – such as Content Republic, News Services and the Bepublic Group. Whatever we do, what drives us is the achievement of your goals. To this end, we enter into close partnerships with our customers, while using the most appropriate services and know-how time and time again. In this magazine you’ll learn more about the various ways in which we support you. Rest assured, we will help you choose the right tools from our range. Just as we at Mediafin and Trustmedia make key choices every day, making that bond between our readers – your customers – and our media brands ever stronger. We look forward to serving you – also beyond advertising.

HANS DE RORE, MANAGING DIRECTOR TRUSTMEDIA

hans.derore@trustmedia.be

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 3

AMMA: MEDIA SALES HOUSE OF THE YEAR

Due to the corona crisis, the hunger for credible business & finance news was particularly strong in 2020. For Belgium’s enterprising community, the leading business media De Tijd | L’Echo were a real guidance in understanding the concrete consequences for society, business and the economy. More than ever, Trustmedia became a true partner for the Belgian business community through all our channels. Trustmedia realized its ambition to support their customers, as advertisers and entrepreneurs, where possible. Thanks to this impact on the advertising market in 2020, Trustmedia received the golden Amma Award for ‘Media Sales House of the year dedicated players’. Its market support during the Covid-19 crisis was specially awarded too: the ‘Lock Down? Stand Up!’ dossier, received a silver Amma ‘Media Resilience award’. This free platform gave companies that selflessly helped other companies during the corona crisis the opportunity to put their initiative and services in the spotlight. The upmarket lifestyle weekend magazine Sabato was also nominated in the ‘Media brand of the year’ category. In barely 12 years, Sabato, the upmarket lifestyle weekend magazine of De Tijd | L’Echo, became the benchmark in its segment. Sabato presents itself as a fully-fledged magazine, with its own brand identity and strategy. Sabato looks for inspiring and fascinating stories and trends in innovative and creative ways. For Trustmedia, these AMMA awards and nominations are strong encouragement to press forward with its ‘beyond advertising’ strategy.

NOMINATION Media Brand of the Year

New communication and advertising trends What do you want to achieve with your communication? Do you want to connect your brand with Belgium’s top investors, seamlessly integrate your story into the right context, offer your employees permanent access to quality and reliable news and/or strengthen your reputation? Together we determine your communication path. Our best people and progressive services allow us and you to grow in a complex, changing world in which only quality counts.

Engage

Connect

Yo communi

Your ambition

Connect — go for multimedia adver tising in De Tijd and L’Echo and connect your brand with the unique community of Belgian decision makers, investors and the most powerful consumers.

Engage — engage your

target audience with your story using the highest level native content, published in the trusted context of De Tijd and L’Echo.

‘The combination of quality content - in print and online - with the right target audience gives real value for your advertising investment.’ Hans De Rore, Managing Director Trustmedia

Inform Inspire

our ication

Inform — give your employees the ultimate professional tool: access to the content of De Tijd and L’Echo with a corporate licence tailored to your company.

Your results

Inspire — strengthen

your reputation and position your organization as the expert in your field thanks to PR with real news value.

6 —11

1 8 —19

A huge appetite for high-quality and reliable content

1 2 —14

Strong cooperation in our partners’ words

1 5 —17

Media agencies on Trustmedia’s quality and creativity

A powerful reach for your story

26 —27

Golden days for innovative journalism

20 —2 5

Facts & figures: De Tijd, L’Echo and Sabato

28 —29

The foundations of perfect storytelling

3 0 —31

Creative during Covid

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 5

32 —33

Co-creative with content

3 4 —35

‘A podcast is much more than a long commercial’

3 6 —37

Surf on a future-proof data ecosystem

4 0 — 43

The increasing importance of events and livestreaming

3 8 —39 Journalism to generate business success

‘Communication needs to be in the cockpit more than ever’

4 8 — 49 50 51

Our promises at a glance Pioneering new forms of co-creation Our team

4 4 — 47 Cover image: Marco Mertens — Design & Production: Trustmedia, +32 (0)2 422 05 11, info@trustmedia.be — Legally responsible publisher: Peter Quaghebeur, Havenlaan 86c, box 309, 1000 Brussels

A huge appetite for high-quality and reliable content TRUSTMEDIA’S BUSINESS PARTNERS DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RIGHT MESSAGE IN THE RIGHT CONTEXT WITH LUC SUYKENS, NEWLY APPOINTED VICE-PRESIDENT OF UBA.

THE ESSENCE —— A dvertisers also benefit from De Tijd and L’Echo’s well-heeled readers’ trust in their news providers. —— T he digital charter guarantees brand safety by focusing on visibility and engagement.

—— B randed content strategies bring readers into contact with brands in a natural way.

SVEN LYBAERT, HEAD OF DIGITAL & AGENCIES — sven.lybaert@trustmedia.be

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 7

Sven Lybaert

Luc Suykens has been a leading figure in the Belgian marketing world for three decades. At the beginning of January 2021, after 32 years as Procter & Gamble brand vice-president, he took over the presidency of the United Brands Association (UBA), the Belgian organisation of and for brands. Like no other he follows and predicts trends and evolutions in the advertising world and for several years has been a firm believer of contextual targeting, an advertising method focused on content. ‘Contacts between advertisers and target groups are becoming scarcer and therefore more valuable’, says Luc Suykens. ‘People have become a lot more selective, with very different viewing, listening and reading habits. On the other hand, we know a lot more about these consumers due to all kinds of data and measurement methods.’ Through optimally aligning content with context, brand ads can reach their intended audience in a more targeted way than ever before.

Ready for the future Omni-channel presence is crucial’, says Sven Lybaert, head of digital & agencies. ‘Brands need to be visible to their target audience with

quality content around the clock: whether on paper, tablet, smartphone or computer.’ Mediafin has known this for over twenty years: in 1995 De Tijd was the first Belgian newspaper with its own news website. And in 2010, the newspaper pioneered a paywall for reliable, quality content with an exclusive character. Because readers have to register, this has been the source of a wealth of relevant first-party data for over eleven years. ‘Mediafin has never had to call upon thirdparty data’, Lybaert stressed. ‘More than 90 percent of our readers are subscribers, with nearly all of them logging in digitally. That has given us an enormous competitive advantage’. A further advantage: due to its strong focus on first-party data, Mediafin will not be negatively impacted when third-party cookies disappear in the near future. ‘We’re ready for the future.’ Moreover, De Tijd | L’Echo has a premium readership, featuring a mix of entrepreneurs, investors and high-end consumers. As a result, the quality of the leads is very strong. ‘Contact moments between our readers and advertisers are by no means rare’, says Geert Spapen, business partner finance. ‘In

fact, we’ve never had as many print readers, surfers and subscribers as we do today. As one of the few traditional media titles, we have been growing rapidly for several years. And we intend to increase our market share. That too makes us unique within the media landscape.’

Digital Charter Quality and quantity come together at Mediafin, in a nice context with quality contacts. But people still need to have time to absorb the message, especially online. ‘How does Trustmedia go about linking this challenge to brand safety?’, wonders Suykens. ‘Here again, we are very ambitious’, says Lybaert. ‘We are strongly committed to visibility and engagement. To this end, we launched our cost per hour model back in 2015, working with specialists recognised by the Media Rating Council.’ For example, advertisers only pay if their banner is actually seen. ‘We remain the only media company guaranteeing 100 percent visibility for banners and 100 percent human traffic.’

‘When brands add nuance to their story, they can use advertising to change behaviour, to create new habits.’ Luc Suykens, Vice-President UBA

‘We remain the only media company guaranteeing 100 percent visibility for banners and 100 percent human traffic.’

In 2017, Trustmedia incorporated these guarantees and philosophy into a digital charter which has been continuously fine-tuned since then. ‘For us, these are no empty promises. We mean what we say’, Lybaert insists. The digital charter also guarantees brand safety, engagement and 100% visibility. For example, a bank’s advertisement or branded content will never appear next to a newspaper article with critical or negative news about the financial sector. ‘We’ve invested in AI technology that proactively watches over the context in which ads appear.’ The digital charter also guarantees user privacy, with all personal data securely stored and transmitted in accordance with GDPR guidelines.

High-quality content Belgian readers trust De Tijd | L’Echo more than any other media, according to a study by Kantar TNS. And this trustworthiness also radiates onto advertisements. ‘In these times of fake news, that counts for a lot in terms of brand safety’, Ruth Stevens stresses, B2B business partner. ‘To maximise advertisers’ brand safety, we’ve developed comprehensive branded content strategies. With us, readers come into contact with brands in a very natural and informal way.’

‘Thanks to well-designed branded content strategies, readers can connect with brands in a natural and informal manner.’ Ruth Stevens

Meaningfulness By using branded content, brands and companies can also show themselves from a different side. This approach fits in nicely with the marketing industry’s ecological transition. Advertising is sometimes dismissed as the cause of the sustainability problem, as an accelerator of unnecessary consumption. But Suykens sees it differently. ‘Brands can use advertising to change behaviour, to create new habits. By presenting their story in a very nuanced way.’

Companies can make people aware of certain sustainability solutions and thus trigger evolutions. And that requires meaningfulness and context. In that respect too, readers are potential customers with a great appetite for high-quality and reliable information. Stevens agrees. ‘Just about every company can put over its story, philosophy and ambitions to our readers in a sophisticated manner through branded content. Companies can show how they operate, and how they intend to achieve certain objectives such as sustainability.’

Content Republic & creative studio are examples of the individual creative cells at Mediafin, each with their own project managers, art directors, creative directors, designers and webmasters. They work with editors and photographers to tell inspiring stories. ‘The team turns out high-quality and newsworthy content – clearly defined and labelled as Tijd | Echo Connect or Partner Content,’ says Stevens. Stories from brands and advertisers are seamlessly integrated on the website and in the newspaper, both in look & feel and tone of voice. ‘On average, the reading times of these branded articles are just as long as those of a traditional editorial article,’ says Spapen, ‘meaning that our native content is not ephemeral but qualitative’. RUTH STEVENS, BUSINESS PARTNER B2B — ruth.stevens@trustmedia.be

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 9

‘Take for example a developer wanting to build a new apartment block’, says Davy Sablon, business partner real estate, art, education. ‘That company has the opportunity to optimally profile itself through our content supplements. With native content it can highlight its development philosophy, revealing why the company makes certain design and construction choices, reaching out to potential buyers, investors and worried local residents alike.

B2B and B2C The quality and reliability of Mediafin’s news brands, and its unique branded content approach lend themselves perfectly to both B2B and B2C campaigns. Or to a blend of the two. ‘Many advertisers within the financial sector, for example, make a mix’, says Spapen. That’s not surprising: Just think of the many entrepreneurs who build up capital both through a company and privately. Or fund managers: they want to convince intermediaries such as brokers and banks, as well as staying top of mind with end customers.

DAV Y SABLON, BUSINESS PARTNER REAL ESTATE, ART, EDUCATION

davy.sablon@trustmedia.be

‘A real estate company can use our content supplements to optimally profile itself, highlighting its development philosophy, revealing why the company makes certain design and construction choices, and reaching out to potential buyers, investors and worried local residents alike.’ Davy Sablon

And ultimately, in the evening every B2B contact is just a private consumer who views our media from that angle’, Spapen explains. ‘That’s why we offer broad advertising options. Sometimes with the accent on B2B, but in many cases also with a greater focus on B2C. We reach a very wealthy readership with a huge appetite for investing.’ Trustmedia offers specific solutions and successful initiatives which are unique to the market. Not just through publications or online visibility, but also through events and fairs. ‘We cover the entire spectrum,’ Spapen tells us. ‘We organise Finance Avenue for individuals, for example, while for fund professionals we offer the Fund Insiders Forum.’

Premium target group High-end media can also give brands a complementary reach, notes Suykens. ‘If you want to build up a brand, you have to have reach.’ Reaching the initial 40 to 50 percent of your target audience is relatively easy. Reaching the last 20 to 30 percent is the hardest bit, but the most valuable. The more premium the target group, the more complex it becomes to reach them, and the more important context becomes. Sabato is the perfect medium for that’, states Eva Bohez, luxury business partner. ‘It’s not just a glossy magazine with nice pictures and quality content – we are market leader, by the way – but a complete lifestyle ecosystem.’ Sabato’s growth is the perfect proof that it pays to put the customer first: especially in digital times. ‘However much our readers are specialists in their professional field, in their private lives they need a reliable lifestyle and entertainment guide’, says Bohez. The luxury brands featured in Sabato and on sabato.be know that they are playing to a high-end public with money to spend. They address them in a stimulating and reliable environment, both in print and digitally. ‘They recognise in Sabato the professionalism that guides their

EVA BOHEZ, BUSINESS PARTNER LUXURY — eva.bohez@trustmedia.be

professional lives, but in an aspirational b2c context. Sabato speaks the same language as its advertisers.’ Davy Sablon confirmes that Sabato was also an important medium for real estate and art advertisers. ‘They see it as a form of luxury experience. As a way to reach out to wealthy decision-makers in their private lives. And also as a well-designed strategy aimed at reaching different people in a family.’ This is often important when investing in real estate and in art. Bohez also highlights the broader Sabato experience. ‘With unique and exclusive products you can only

‘Sabato speaks the same language as its advertisers. Readers recognise the professionalism that guides their professional lives, but in an aspirational b2c context.’ Eva Bohez

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 11

‘On average, the reading time of the branded articles is just as long as that of a traditional editorial article, meaning that our native content is not ephemeral but qualitative.’ Geert Spapen

GEERT SPAPEN, BUSINESS PARTNER FINANCE — geert.spapen@trustmedia.be

buy through the magazine. With events and specials such as Sabato De Luxe, Sabato Zomer and Sabato Knokke, where display and content campaigns come together in perfect symbiosis. And through tools like the Sabato Resto Finder to find highly rated restaurants nearby.

Reference in their field Advertisers can further boost their quality and return through creating a bridge between print, digital and content. Digital advertising is often done from a performance marketing strategy, Suykens notes. ‘That’s mainly about buy now or buy tomorrow. But people buy brands for the story behind them, for what a brand stands for and what it does for them.’ For the latter – highlighting the advantages of a brand or what makes it distinctive in the market –, print is probably better suited.

‘Those wanting to generate income quickly only go for digital. But if you want to build a long-term brand career, you have to create valuable moments, for example through print. Even better is an optimally balanced and-and story spread over time and using different media channels.’ For this purpose, Trustmedia has recently built new conversion models. ‘Brands have to be built so that they arouse people’s interest’, says Lybaert. ‘We’ve set up some ten test campaigns in the first half of this year. Together with advertisers we’ve analysed them in depth. As a result, we’ve further expanded and strengthened the ways through which we can measure the impact of digital campaigns.’ This sounds as if there is a ready-made solution for every advertiser. Finally, advertising companies can also build their and-and story through thought leadership. ‘We also offer this as a solution’, Stevens concludes. ‘It goes a lot further than branded content. It’s all about companies launching innovative and sometimes ground-breaking ideas, opening up or even leading a market or social debate’. This way they get seen more as a reference in their field, something that also strengthens their brand.

Strong cooperation in our partners’ words

GEORGES PAGALIS, MEDIA & DIGITAL PERFORMANCE MANAGER AT BMW

BMW: ‘Creative proposals tailored to our needs’ BMW and Trustmedia have been partners for years. Working together, they have already developed advertisements, native articles and content hubs such as The World of Tomorrow or The Power of Choice. ‘Being present on both the paper and digital platforms of De Tijd | L’Echo is important to us’, says Georges Pagalis, media & digital performance manager at BMW. ‘With online possibilities constantly expanding, we regularly receive original proposals, such as one recently about a digital video format (outstream video) that we could link to a TV campaign.’

‘Trustmedia understands our needs. This comes as no surprise: we ourselves are a premium car manufacturer, just like De Tijd | L’Echo are premium media targeting a “higher” market segment. The match makes sense. The creative proposals we receive are always tailored to our questions and needs – no standard quotes, but original proposals leaving room for discussion. This flexibility is very much appreciated.’ Georges Pagalis sees the transparent and smooth communication as an additional asset. ‘The relationship of trust we have with Hervé Dumoulin, our regular contact person at Trustmedia, enables both sides to quickly test ideas. We can call or whatsapp each other at any time, without scheduling official meetings. That makes everything a lot more human, while also allowing us to respond immediately to last-minute opportunities.’

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 13

KRISTOF SCHELLEKENS, MARKETING MANAGER AT TRIPLE LIVING

Triple Living Real Estate: ‘Always interested in testing new opportunities’ Trustmedia is a mainstay of real estate developer Triple Living’s media plan. ‘We want to be top of mind with real estate investors’, explains marketing manager Kristof Schellekens. ‘With regard for our top projects, there’s a clear match between De Tijd | L’Echo readers and our target audience. We want to communicate each project launch through Trustmedia products. That’s how we always manage to reach investors in search of opportunities.’ Triple Living consciously chooses a multimedia approach. ‘We think it’s important to have a permanent presence on multiple platforms’, says Kristof. ‘In line with needs, we match our real estate projects to the various channels. In most cases, we use print to build up awareness. With online files, we target concrete requests from investors. As regards banner campaigns, we like to keep the scope broad, as every De Tijd | L’Echo reader is potentially interesting.’ ‘Trustmedia listens to us advertisers. Our contact person likes to think along with us, regularly developing new proposals in addition to a number of standard offerings. Over the years, the range of solutions has grown, meaning that we now have many more opportunities to advertise online. We also like to know what Trustmedia has in the pipeline. We are always interested in testing new opportunities.’

KBC: ‘From snackable to in-depth content’

JO DEJONCKHEERE, BRAND AND MEDIA STRATEGIST AT KBC

For its brands, KBC uses a range of communication tools to get its message across. ‘When targeting investors and entrepreneurs, we often work with Trustmedia’, says brand and media strategist Jo Dejonckheere. ‘We want to both inform them and meet their needs as well as possible. We do that through classic advertising, though native content is often a more suitable solution. This allows you to tell stories, transfer knowledge and differentiate.’ ‘We’ve already released content dossiers on wealth management and sustainability, as well as a Fast Forward series addressing the needs of entrepreneurs during the Corona pandemic. Moreover, the possibilities offered by Trustmedia are increasing.

A livestream and podcast series is soon to be rolled out. The different media formats allow us to bring all grades of content, from snackable to in-depth.’ ‘Young investors are also increasingly finding their way to De Tijd and L’Echo’, says Sarah De Pauw, head of marketing at KBC’s online investment platform Bolero. ‘We’re trying to reach this target group mainly via digital channels. The wealth of options offered by Trustmedia opens many doors, and the “100% viewability” guarantee is an important asset. Ideas are also often tested proactively, as was recently the case with our smart investment assistant Matti. I think it’s important for you yourself to be inspired.’ The target groups and segments defined by Trustmedia are based solely on first-party data from its own subscribers. ‘That too is a key added value’, says Jo Dejonckheere. The data is very reliable and Trustmedia knows exactly what readers are interested in, and in what way the information should be provided to them. This means that in native campaigns you can achieve good results in the number of reads and time-on-site.’

‘Ideas are often tested proactively. I think it’s important for you yourself to be inspired.’ Sarah De Pauw, head of marketing of KBC online investment platform Bolero

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 15

MEDIA AGENCIES ARE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT MEDIA PARTNERS FOR THEIR CLIENTS. AS INTERMEDIARIES THEY KNOW THE MEDIA MARKET BETTER THAN ANYONE. THEIR ESTEEM FOR TRUSTMEDIA IS THEREFORE RECOGNITION INDEED.

Media agencies on Trustmedia’s quality and creativity

BERNARD COOLS, CHIEF INTELLIGENCE OFFICER SPACE

FRANÇOIS CHAUDOIR, CEO AT SPACE, PRESIDENT AT UMA (UNITED MEDIA AGENCIES)

‘Audience quality and a safe environment’ Premium press titles face a real challenge: to supply the best local, independent journalism at a time of fake news and globalisation. François Chaudoir, CEO of media agency Space, believes readers and advertisers can help these titles rise to the challenge. ‘Trustmedia ensures us a quality audience, excellent media and a safe environment for brands.’ In his role as President of United Media Agencies, François Chaudoir always emphasises the strengths of Belgian media agencies and how essential they are to advertisers. ‘As part of our ecosystem, Trustmedia connects brands with highly qualified consumers who have major purchasing power. These connections are made via both online and print media channels.’ Although digital media monopolise the time people spend engaging with media overall, the challenge is to target your communications. That way you will reach the right audience but won’t seem intrusive. As Chaudoir puts it: ‘Trustmedia’s digital approach and audience take us much further in terms of our brand conversion processes.’

‘Successful digital transformation’ Bernard Cools, Chief Intelligence Officer at the media agency Space, associates Trustmedia with these qualities. ‘In a long career, I have yet to encounter a media sales house that pays more attention to brand reliability or has a clearer value proposition. Its name is really fitting!’ Space is an agency which has been successfully incorporating digital media for a few years now. The transition to digital is certainly a challenge for this sector. ‘The way to face it is with a hybrid approach. Trustmedia is among only a handful of media sales houses who have really rocked their digital transformation.’ The quality of the context makes all the difference in advertising. In other words, ads placed in reliable media are themselves seen as more reliable. It’s a halo effect which Bernard Cools can see at work with Trustmedia: ‘They identify their targets perfectly and ensure a high-quality context. With Trustmedia, we can relax in the knowledge that our clients’ ads will benefit from great performance.’

What the Chief Trading Officer for GroupM, Sergio Ferri, appreciates in these days of disinformation is Trustmedia’s serious, professional attitude: ‘We don’t prioritise the number of ‘touch points’ we provide for our clients, but we do prioritise quality. Trustmedia guarantees me relevant targeting and a well-informed audience looking for verified information.’ So although Sergio Ferri is keeping an eye on competition from the Big Five tech giants, he believes conventional media can and will still hold their own. ‘My clients soon realise how successful their content can be when it’s placed in the relevant media. In the surroundings of L’Echo or De Tijd, whether online or in print, their messages are amplified.’ Sergio Ferri and his team describe the experts at Trustmedia as ‘ultra-professional, super-reactive seekers of creative solutions. Lots of agencies claim to be ‘your media partner’, but there aren’t many who actually fulfil that role. We talk solutions with Trustmedia, and it’s all completely transparent.’

SERGIO FERRI, CHIEF TRADING OFFICER AT GROUPM

‘This Belgian team fits the medium like a glove’

SUZANNE STROOBANTS, CEO MINDSHARE BELGIUM

‘Our customers want to reach a highquality audience’ As part of a global network of media agencies, Mindshare Belgium forms the link between Trustmedia and advertising companies in our country. ‘In the past, we’ve worked together for Delhaize, Facebook, KBC, Volvo and the Flemish Government ’, says CEO Suzanne Stroobants. ‘Our clients often want to reach out to a high-quality audience of business profiles and opinion and policy makers. De Tijd and L’Echo are just the right channels.’ ‘Our longstanding collaboration has developed into a partnership in which the teams have full trust in each other. Trustmedia staff are close to our customers and know what they want. Depending on the campaign, they come up with more traditional or creative proposals, both online and on paper. For KBC, for example, this led to the creation of original content.’

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 17

JULIE WIJNS, MANAGING DIRECTOR PARTNERSHIPS & INVESTMENTS AT MEDIABRANDS

‘Trustmedia knows the history of our customers’ Mediabrands acts as an intermediary between advertisers and Trustmedia. ‘We draw up media plans for our customers based on their objectives’, explains Julie Wijns, managing director partnerships & investments, ‘and then look at which channels best fit them. Media titles like De Tijd and L’Echo are very important for certain advertisers because of their specific target groups.’

MARTINE WINNEPENNINCK X, HEAD OF INVESTMENT AT OMNICOM MEDIAGROUP

‘Proactive and present in the market’ Omnicom Mediagroup works with several brands on the Belgian advertising market. ‘We’re constantly looking for the best media mix for our various clients,’ says head of investment Martine Winnepenninckx. ‘For companies like Telenet Business, Mercedes, Keytrade Bank and AG Insurance, the De Tijd and L’Echo publications are the channel of choice. But the optimal combination differs with the KPIs of each individual campaign. Everything is customised.’ ‘Starting from the specific customer briefing, we work out a concrete project with the appropriate media partners,’ marketing intelligence director Remi Boel confirms. ‘We’ve had good experiences with Trustmedia: the commercial team is proactive and present in the market. Our partnership has already led to several interesting projects, both paper and digital, ranging from native advertising to an original podcast series.’

‘Our collaboration with the people at Trustmedia has lasted for years. We very much appreciate the fact that Trustmedia staff are always willing to think out of the box with us. Both we and the advertisers appreciate the low staff turnover, as it means that Trustmedia is familiar with the history of our customers, an important asset.’

REMI BOEL, MARKETING INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR AT OMNICOM MEDIAGROUP

Golden days for innovative journalism

ISABEL ALBERS IS GENERAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF DE TIJD AND L’ECHO

isabel.albers@mediafin.be

OPINION

In line with our ‘professionalism’ DNA, we at the editorial staff like to rely on factual charts. One of the charts that makes us happy is the one showing the number of subscribers. Our subscriber base has been growing steadily for the past ten years, and last year it even experienced double-digit growth, allowing De Tijd to top the news brand growth charts for the past decade. In the French-language newspaper market – a much more difficult market for a long time –, L’Echo has also shown strong growth for the past three years. And this in a landscape where small media titles supposedly had no future. Ten years ago, dancing in front of a video camera was still a teenage pastime and Tiktok had not yet arrived. Instagram had been founded a few months earlier as a runaway student idea. Today, the two of them have billions of users. Ten years ago, ‘Gafa’ was still a dog’s name. High-brow newspapers in our niche were toppling, like the Financial Times Deutschland. Global brands like The Washington Post and also media houses were going from one round of layoffs to the next. Paper subscriptions were in decline and people were unwilling to pay for digital news, as free channels were emerging everywhere. Ten years ago, many in our sector quietly believed that newspapers would not last another ten years. But the picture in 2021 is completely different. It’s dawning on us that the ‘free news’ broadcast through social media is disinformation, that deepfakes or fake news without sources are almost indistinguishable from an authentic photo or a verified report, that

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 19

‘We write for people with an entrepreneurial spirit, for initiators wanting the world to move forward, people who look for solutions, who believe in the future.’

supposedly objective ‘posts’ by influencers are not independent at all but are paid for by whoever wants to steer the news in their direction. It is also dawning on us that the Gafa dominance is taking on very unhealthy forms. A counter-movement is emerging. Ten years later, journalism is also about Jeff Bezos, the icon of the new world, who bought The Washington Post and made the newspaper more prosperous than ever. Highquality news brands are growing again and top news desks are recruiting worldwide. The pessimism experienced ten years ago has given way to a renewed confidence in the news business. No one is talking about the death of the newspaper anymore. And the best news of all: the brands committed to journalistic quality are the ones on the rise. The form in which our journalism reaches the reader is a question that has gained prominence at the De Tijd | L’Echo news desks. The answer is as challenging as it is simple: use whatever format your reader wants. We want to reach our readers where, when and how they want. Our morning newsletters reach more than 250,000 readers every day. The De Tijd explainer for corona statistics was consulted more than a million times in just a short space of time. We have a presence on every platform, from an Instagram story to a YouTube channel. Digital subscriptions have achieved double-digit growth. Even our

condemned-to-death paper version improved slightly last year, for the first time in a decade. Our podcast series De Tijd Vooruit, L’Echo Hors Pistes, De Beurs van Tegenwoordig and L’Echo Tracker are attracting a new target audience. And there are new projects in the pipeline. The new shapes and forms serve one purpose: to boost the impact of our own unique ‘broadly-based’ business journalism in Flanders and French-speaking Belgium. But we won’t manage that with just a beautifully working app without unique content. The more noise there is, ranging from the antics of Lee the Kitten to real fake news about, say, the presidential election, the more convinced we are of our mission to be the “quality filter”, clearing away the noise to reveal the bare facts. In doing so, we start out from a broad objective perspective. We write for people with an entrepreneurial spirit, for initiators wanting the world to move forward, people who look for solutions, who believe in the future. People who want to be informed about the complex world in a smart, no-nonsense way. For these people, we select the essence that makes the difference – each and every day. From policy, geopolitics, entrepreneurship, investing, personal finance to the themes of our time: health, disruption, the transformation of capitalism. Information with voice and authority, without mixing fact and opinion. The fact that this journalism is so appreciated, purchased and read is the greatest motivator for our 170-strong editorial team, day in, day out.

Reliable information brands for quality readers De Tijd 8,73 L’Echo 8,51 VRT NWS 8,21 Trends / Tendances 8,17 Kanaal Z / Canal Z 8,15 De Standaard 8,10 Radio 1 8,10 La Libre 8,09 Le Soir 7,88 Canvas 7,82 Radio 2 7,81 één 7,79 Knack 7,76 L’Avenir / lavenir.net 7,75 La Une 7,75 Le Vif 7,75 La 1ère 7,71 StuBru 7,65 Belang van Limburg 7,63 RTBF.be 7,59 Humo 7,55 Gazet van Antwerpen 7,52 Het Nieuwsblad 7,49 LN24 7,48 VTM 7,43 Vivacité 7,42 RTL Info 7,40 De Morgen 7,36 Metro 7,31 Bel RTL 7,22 RTL Tvi 7,19 Het Laatste Nieuws 7,14 NewsMonkey 7,06 Google 6,89 LinkedIn 6,89 La Dernière Heure 6,53 SudPresse 6,44 Twitter 6,00 Facebook 5,67 Score per news brand out of 10

Business newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo are strong growers in the Belgian newspaper landscape. The growth comes after a successful subscription strategy and the new readers’ noticeable need for reliable reporting. The business newspapers continue to focus on meeting readers’ interests with well-selected topics and quality, insightful journalism. The numbers (left) show that entrepreneurial readers in today’s complex world rely on reliable journalism.

Both Reuters Media Report (2019) and the Kantar Trust Survey (2018) already proved that De Tijd and L’Echo hold their own in the Age of Information. The Trust Survey (2021), conducted by international research agency Kantar in collaboration with Trustmedia, proved that De Tijd and L’Echo are widening their lead in the Age of Information. De Tijd and L’Echo are seen by Belgians as the most credible news brands. Of all media, Belgians have the most confidence in the news of De Tijd and L’Echo. Professional, quality news media such as De Tijd and L’Echo easily beat user-generated content such as social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) and search engines (Google).

‘Of all media, Belgians have the most confidence in the news of De Tijd and L’Echo.’ Source: Trust in News, 2021, TNS Kantar, n= 2980 Belgian consumers, 39 news brands

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 21

Evolution of the paid circulation (2008 = coefficient 100) 125

120,3

120 115 110 105 100 95 90 2008

2014

In recent years, the paid circulation of De Tijd and L’Echo has increased by more than 20%.

Not only the presentation of qualitative, accurate facts, but also the selection of newsworthy items, the providing of background and context, the rapid information gathering the reporting independent of business and political interests also contribute to this confidence. Like the similar Trust Survey in 2018, the Trust-study again showed showed that trust in a news brand also implies trust in its advertisements. Both strongly correlate. In other words, Trustmedia lives up to its name in the Belgian news landscape. The advertising context it provides and the trust in its news brands also spill over into the advertisements themselves. De Tijd and L’Echo are not only loved by the Belgian population and so-called love brands, they also create the right context/environment to make love brands grow for their advertisers.

2020

We don’t blame you for putting us aside after just one sentence, two paragraphs or ten minutes. It means that you’ve seen something that makes you think, that inspires and oxygenates you, that gives you an idea. And of course you want to get started with that idea right away. We fully understand that. More than that, we see it as a compliment. So don’t just keep reading us, but put us aside too.

Decision makers Thanks to its editorial strategy of adding new layers of content, De Tijd and L’Echo are reaching more and more decision makers. These content layers both enrich the experience of existing readers and attract even more new readers.

Investors Entrepreneurs Tech & Digital HR & Health

De Tijd and L’Echo: a powerful target group of readers De Tijd and L’Echo allow advertisers to reach sought-after target audiences: decision makers, affluent consumers and investors.

DECISION MAKERS Community of active entrepreneurs

90% of top level decision makers use De Tijd and L’Echo for professional purposes Selectivity index 403 This makes De Tijd and L’Echo the most selective Belgian newspapers for upper management

De Tijd and L’Echo reach 67% of C level managers/ decision makers in Belgian companies

2 out of 3 are professionally active. Most professionally active readers profile of all Belgian newspapers (selectivity 130)

De Tijd and L’Echo reach young entrepreneurs: 1 out of 4 readers is under 35 years old

Our websites tijd.be and lecho.be boost the printed and digital newspapers’ reach by 60% to 602,000 daily contacts

The readers of De Tijd and L’Echo own 39% of Belgian financial assets 1 in 2 readers of De Tijd and L’Echo are among the wealthiest 10% of the Belgian population

AFFLUENT CONSUMERS

Community of consumers with exceptional purchasing power

1 in 3 readers own at least one investment property

9 out of 10 readers of De Tijd and L’Echo invest

7 out of 10 indicate having grown up in an aboveaverage wealthy family

(5x more than the average Belgian)

INVESTORS

Investor community with a diversified portfolio

Readers are 4 times more likely to have a second residence compared to the average Belgian

Sources: CIM 2020; De Belg en zijn Geld 2018; Passie Onderzoek; DSM 2018

1 out of 5 managers and entrepreneurs who read De Tijd and L’Echo have at least 3 cars (7x more than the average Belgian)

lifestyle for the new generation

The readers are gourmets; 53% of the readers regularly buy wine for their wine cellar or wine collection

Sabato readers are bon vivants and are willing to spend up to 4x more in different sectors fashion art & culture interior & outdoor travel gastronomy...

—— —— —— —— ——

Sabato readers have, 3x more than non-readers, a second home (in or outside Belgium)

7/10 Sabato readers own a valuable watch

Selectivity index 288 This makes Sabato the most selective Belgian magazine in the highest social class 1

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 25

‘Sabato has not only outgrown the segment of newspaper magazines, it also leaves all other magazines behind.’

An undisputed market leader

Sabato not only receives strong appreciation from the reader, high-end luxury advertisers also see the magazine as an indispensable basic link in their communication plan.

Sabato, a strong brand

Thus, in 2020, Sabato has grown into the absolute market leader in the field of advertising revenue among newspaper magazines.

Its recent AMMA nomination for the title of Media Brand of the Year also proves that media experts appreciate the magazine’s efforts and continuous renewal.

No less than 31 percent of all campaign spending is allotted to Sabato, twice as much as to the number two.

Sabato 31%

Other newspaper magazines

Sabato, number 1 of all magazines The fact that Sabato has outgrown the newspaper magazine segment is clearly evident when we consider the total magazine segment. With the continuous growth of recent years, Sabato has also overtaken all other (nonnewspaper) magazines.

Sources: CIM paper + digital 2020; Passion research 2019; MDB based on gross advertising revenue; exclusive inpaper (own media) campaigns

TRUSTMEDIA’S CONTENT REPUBLIC DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN NATIVE ADVERTISING FOR OVER FIFTEEN YEARS, INITIALLY AS A PIONEER, YET STILL JUST AS CREATIVE, DISTINCTIVE AND INSPIRING – WITH FORMATS OPTIMALLY DESIGNED TO FIT YOUR MESSAGE. CONTENT REPUBLIC DELIVERS AUTHENTIC AND COMPELLING CONTENT TAILORED TO THE OPINION-MAKING DE TIJD | L’ECHO READERSHIP.

THE ESSENCE —— C ontent Republic delivers customization with a creative approach. Each target and audience calls for a specific approach. —— T he content strategy is defined together with the customer.

—— U sing branded content, the customer builds trust, strengthens its brand story and asserts authority.

TOM MICHIELS, DIRECTOR CONTENT REPUBLIC — tom.michiels@contentrepublic.be

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 27

A powerful reach for your story Native advertising has been around for years. A cross between journalism and marketing, it offers readers relevant content in a high-quality context, in a narrative form matching the DNA of the medium and its readers. It beefs up brand stories and perpetuates thought leadership, says Content Republic director Tom Michiels, describing the department’s mission and approach. ‘Content Republic starts by asking the question: What does our customer want to achieve and how can we help him? We enter into a dialogue to understand his needs and wishes, together mapping out a route from the idea to its realisation. This way we help our customers build up trust, strengthen their brand story and gain authority. In other words, native advertising complements traditional advertising campaigns.’

Journalistic approach ‘You can think of us as a creative consultancy firm. Creative, because we translate objectives into powerful formats with smart, inspiring, engaging and hard-hitting stories. Consultancy, because we both thoroughly research our customers’ target audience and know our readers inside out. We know what content connects with our readership of entrepreneurs, decision-makers and wealthy consumers, allowing us to respond proactively to their needs.’ ‘Starting from a journalistic approach, Content Republic uses storytelling to bring in the client content. Together we look for inspiring stories, and then come up with a content plan for the conversion.

We always do this with a creative approach, meaning that we captivate our readers with unexpected, striking formats. For example, a theme magazine or a series in De Tijd | L’Echo, supplemented with an online hub in which our customer plays out his expertise in a multimedia way. We also use technology to beef up his messages. Think podcasts, livestreams, text-to-speech, augmented reality ... In short, strong content coupled with the powerful multimedia reach of our media titles.’

Ondernemers helpen ondernemers

CONTENT REPUBLIC WINS PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL B2B AWARD

Het coronavirus heeft de economie in zijn greep, maar de Belgische bedrijven laten zich niet doen. Ze zijn creatiever en weerbaarder dan ooit en tonen dat ze samen sterk staan. Talloze belangeloze initiatieven van ondernemers om andere ondernemers te helpen steken de kop op. Met ‘Lock Down? Stand Up!’ willen wij daar ons steentje aan bijdragen: wij zetten uw initiatieven in de verf voor onze twee miljoen lezers uit de Belgische business community. Wilt u uw hulp aan andere ondernemingen in de kijker zetten? Neem dan contact op via standup@tijd.be of surf naar tijd.be/standup.

As there is no blueprint for branded content, Content Republic always delivers tailored solutions, Michiels adds. Moreover, we use the editorial tone of voice of De Tijd | L’Echo, while at the same time respecting our customers’ identity. They are partners with whom we enter into a long-term relationship in order to achieve long-term, measurable results. Our project managers and creative studio closely monitor the entire campaign to ensure a smooth process from start to finish. With targeted and hard-hitting activation campaigns, we bring the right profiles to our customers’ stories.’

Denmark’s Native Advertising Institute presented Content Republic with the gold award for Best Native Advertising B2B Program in January for its ‘Lock Down? Stand Up!’ platform highlighting the projects of 200 Belgian entrepreneurs who offered free help to the business community during the first lockdown. Through the De Tijd | L’Echo websites, 250,000 readers found their way to the free platform. That same platform also won a silver award from among the Belgian AMMA Awards presented by CommPass. For more than 2 decades, these have been the annual media awards for the best campaigns, most striking concepts and organisations with the best media expertise.

The foundations of perfect storytelling FROM THE FIRST PLAN TO THE FINAL EVALUATION ... CONTENT REPUBLIC TOGETHER WITH CREATIVE STUDIO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN IN NINE STEPS.

The backbone of a successful campaign

Every goal and every target audience requires a different content approach

Why is the book sometimes better than the movie? Sometimes the book is better than the movie. And vice-versa. How come? A story often better reveals itself in a certain format. Whether you opt for written content, an infographic, video, audio or interactive online content, we write your story. We come up with a strong substantive concept and structure your message so that it reaches the right people at the right time and in the right medium.

After the intake interview, in which we discuss the communication goals and the substantive protagonists of your campaign, a timing follows. This guarantees a smooth turnaround and is, together with the content plan, the backbone of a successful campaign.

What do you want to achieve with the native interviews, podcasts or live streams? Do you want to upgrade your brand, put a product in the spotlight, inform your customers or perhaps attract talent? Together we determine your content strategy: every goal and every target audience requires a specific approach. It is useful to carefully think this through from the start.

Think about the architecture behind the story You wouldn’t build a house without a plan, would you? This also applies to any form of communication. Whether newspaper article, a pod-cast or an online long read, the most important thing is a wellthought-out building plan with solid foundations. The secret? Know what the reader, viewer or listener expects and what excites.

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 29

Designers create the perfect emotion The designers not only rely on their eyes, but also on their ears. They listen to what the customer has to say, immerse themselves in his story and then create the very best design for it.

Every designer in the Creative Studio has his or her specialty: web, print, infography, magazine or mobile... Sometimes functional, sometimes playful. And occasionally over the top. Because it is possible, or because we are convinced that we can create the perfect emotion with your logo, colours and fonts.

Reading is back from never gone Are long articles still relevant in an age of manageable information and short attention spans? Absolutely! Long reads enrich the story in a dynamic way. See it as the best of both worlds: depth in the information in an easily manageable way.

Importance of targeted traffic campaigns

Time to give life to your story Our editors and photographers will contact your experts and the other discussion partners. Your campaign is now taking shape in word and image. After the feedback round, the material is ready for the next step: design!

Targeted traffic campaigns ensure that your message is heard, read or seen by the right audience online. With banners, social media posts and newsletters we generate a greater reach and improve your online reputation.

Results and KPIs Figures and conclusions are an integral part of a content process. Each content project is evaluated together with you. The reporting provides insight into the results and shows you which KPIs have been achieved.

Creative during Covid

CONTENT REPUBLIC’S JOURNALISTIC APPROACH GIVES ADDED VALUE TO A CAMPAIGN, AS TWO LEADING PLAYERS TESTIFY.

AN VAN DE VEKEN, BRAND POSITIONING MANAGER AT TELENET BUSINESS

Telenet Business: ‘Both the content and the context are just right’ Corona year 2020 was an exceptional year. It quickly became clear at Telenet Business that ‘working differently’ and ‘doing things differently’ would become the new norm. ‘Together with advertising agency TBWA, we immediately started thinking about how we could guide and inspire entrepreneurs through this new reality’, says brand positioning manager An Van de Veken. ‘Complementing the #samenerdoor campaign, this led to content initiatives, the De Verderkijkers podcast series, ... In these, we let entrepreneurs speak, not so much from a technological, but from a human point of view. That broader view can

inspire others. Thanks to Content Republic’s journalistic approach, the content was very newsworthy.’ It was a conscious choice to select Mediafin as our media partner’, says An Van de Vaken. Both the content and the context are right. De Tijd not only boasts great credibility, but also has the right target group for our campaigns and initiatives. With paying readers, the content has more “clout”, it’s put over with more commitment. We also see this in the results of our initiatives. These are possible thanks to the combination of the right context and content on the one hand, and the engagement of the target group on the other.’

Access to a valuable audience ‘The interaction between the three of us was excellent’, confirms TBWA account director Aubry Crock. ‘We gained access to a valuable audience who ‘take the time’ to go through the paper. Entrepreneurs are not a very broad target group, and the volatility of the traditional media makes it difficult to reach out to them in a qualitative way. But thanks to the cooperation with Content Republic, we’ve managed to achieve just that: Telenet Business has been able to further develop its brand strategy, and most importantly to establish a “human brand”.’

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 31

bpost: ‘You have to be visible throughout the year’

L AURENT WINNOCK, CHIEF COMMUNICATION & BRAND OFFICER AT BPOST GROUP

Following a public tender, bpost group has had its activity report drawn up the last two years by Content Republic, Trustmedia’s corporate and financial communications agency. ‘We want to tell a story, enhanced with financial info and reporting on our governance’, says chief communication & brand officer Laurent Winnock. ‘On the one hand, we want to show all stakeholders that we are not only active in Belgium, but also globally as a postal and sustainable logistics e-commerce group. On the other hand, our communication must show that we are constantly changing, with this transformation making us future-proof.’

Winnock sees Content Republic’ journalistic approach as important added value. ‘It makes our storytelling more credible’, he says. ‘At Content Republic they think along with us about interesting angles for the reader, while at the same time making sure that the topics are well-balanced. Dull, drawn-out texts are out of the question. The Content Republic staff also ensure that we do not lapse into internal reflexes. Challenging us to go the extra mile, this has led, for example, to the launch of a podcast series and an expert panel on the topic of e-commerce.’

Boosting transparency Through such initiatives, bpost aims not only to appeal to stakeholders and new target groups, but also to boost its transparency. ‘A large company like ours can’t afford to keep its doors closed’, Winnock explains. ‘That’s why we deliberately chose a mix of internal and external specialists for our webcast. They could be, for example, decision-makers or e-commerce specialists.’ ‘Content Republic’ always-on approach fits in perfectly with bpost’s media mix. Corporate communication does not stop with the publication of the annual report – you need to be visible to your stakeholders throughout the year. It’s been shown before: the more common ground you create with your customers, the greater the satisfaction with your reputation. A brand, like lasagne, is made up of layers. But it’s the whole that counts. A good media plan therefore focuses on a variety of mutually reinforcing communication channels.’

EY: Co-creative with content THE FIFTIETH EDITION OF INZICHT/EN VUE WAS PUBLISHED IN JUNE. EY WAS A BELGIAN PIONEER IN CONTENT MARKETING IN 2007. OVER THE YEARS THE FORMAT HAS EVOLVED FROM A NEWSPAPER SUPPLEMENT TO A MULTIMEDIA MAGAZINE WITH VIDEO AND AUDIO. ‘BUT WHAT NEVER CHANGED WAS THE COLLABORATION. LITERALLY.’ How can we authentically reach out to our customers, future customers and – to a lesser extent – future employees? ‘That’s the question we asked ourselves back in 2007’, says Christophe Ballegeer, communications director at EY Belgium, looking back on years of collaboration with Content Republic, Mediafin’s content department. Back then, we’d sometimes launch an advertising campaign, but we wanted to raise our profile in a different way. Not with bold statements, but with substantive depth and calls to action.’ If you look at our target groups, you almost spontaneously end up with Mediafin, a key player in the Belgian media landscape. The De Tijd | L’Echo DNA is also reflected in Content Republic’s approach. Right from the word “go”, it was all about co-creation.

‘We clearly opt for a longterm strategy, with the content aimed at specific target groups, whether broad or more niche.’ Veronique Soetaert, head of Mediafin Creative Studio

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 33

We don’t just dump a bag of money on the table and wait for the finished product. The name of the game was, and still is, creative cross-pollination, both in terms of content and form.’

‘That’s the great thing about our partnership: both parties stimulate each other to remain a frontrunner. Inzicht/En Vue has since evolved

from a newspaper supplement to a digital newsletter, a long-read with video and a podcast series. Though it’s currently digital first, there’s nothing to stop us switching back to paper’, Ballegeer jokes. At that time, we blazed the trail with newspaper supplements, with everyone following in our wake. These days, paper is a conspicuous luxury product, so maybe that’s how we should differentiate ourselves again.’

Long-term strategy The magazine’s content has also evolved. ‘At the start we often only communicated from within EY, but now we are broadening our scope. We opt more often for testimonials from customers, professional organisations and external experts. The choice of these specialists often comes proactively from Veronique’s team. As equal partners we start working with what’s on the table. The fact that the Content Republic colleagues think along with us is probably what differentiates CR from the classic agencies’, Ballegeer adds. ‘We clearly opt for a long-term strategy, with the content aimed at specific target groups, whether broad or more niche’, Veronique Soetaert concluded.

‘We started with a newspaper supplement’, recalls Veronique Soetaert, head of Mediafin Creative Studio. ‘We developed the Insight/ En Vue label and gave it its own visual identity, seeking an alignment between the EY brand and values and the profile of our newspapers. It’s a strong format, because it still exists. But naturally we have continued to innovate over the years.’

‘That’s the great thing about our partnership: both parties stimulate each other to remain a frontrunner.’ Christophe Ballegeer, EY WEM Brand, marketing and communication director

‘A podcast is much more than a long commercial’ PODCAST NUMBERS ARE BOOMING. AN INCREASINGLY BROAD AUDIENCE HAS FOUND ITS WAY TO THIS INTIMATE AND PROFOUND MEDIUM. ‘BUT MAKING A PODCAST INVOLVES A LOT MORE THAN PUTTING A RECORDING DEVICE IN FRONT OF SOMEONE AND PRESSING RECORD’, SAYS TIM DE GEYTER. FOR ITS BRANDED PODCASTS, CONTENT REPUBLIC ALSO WORKS WITH TOP FLEMISH EXPERT EVA MOERAERT.

‘In the last five years, millions and millions of podcasts have been released. It’s crazy. Really. Even I can hardly keep track of what’s being released here and internationally’, says Eva Moeraert, coordinator of postgraduate podcasting at the Arteveldehogeschool in Ghent. ‘The sector is moving fast. Research shows that almost everyone now knows what a podcast is. Companies have also discovered the medium, as I notice in my mailbox (laughs).’ Basically, anyone can put together a podcast without any great investment. ‘You just put someone in front of the microphone and let them talk. But then you won’t stand out in the gigantic stream of podcasts’, says Tim De Geyter, audio specialist at Content Republic. ‘Using the De Tijd | L’Echo channels, our clients can be sure that their podcast

will reach the right target audience: entrepreneurs, opinion makers and other wealthy Belgians.’ Content Republic also supports its customers in their search for professional content. ‘With a podcast you can tease out a theme, dig deeper, add value.’

Authentic atmosphere According to Moeraert, the first point of attention is the content. ‘Don’t make it into a

‘It may seem simple, but a lot of work goes into making a successful podcast. You have to do a lot of research beforehand and work out a creative script.’ Tim De Geyter, Project manager and audio specialist at Content Republic

long-winded commercial’, she says. ‘You listen to a podcast at an intimate moment, such as when you’re driving to work or out jogging. Then you’ll want to listen to an authentic story. Very important are an appropriate format and the right voice or voices.’ Here again, this is where Content Republic comes in. ‘We opt for a journalistic approach, weighing up, for example, whether we should shoot on location or in the studio’, says De Geyter. ‘The right choice of voices is also essential’, Moeraert adds. ‘A voice-over often doesn’t come across as credible. Let your speaker speak freely, even if they have an accent or occasionally stumble over their words. A flesh-and-blood person gives your podcast

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 35

‘Let your speaker speak freely. A flesh-and-blood person gives your podcast a much more authentic feel and credibility.’ Eva Moeraert, Professional podcaster

a much more authentic feel and credibility.’ It may seem simple, but a lot of work goes into making a successful podcast. ‘You have to do a lot of research beforehand and work out a creative script’, says De Geyter. ‘And even afterwards, you have to cut, paste, edit and look for sounds and music. That’s not something done quickly, and the manhours cost a lot. That can frighten off some customers’, says Moeraert. ‘However, companies don’t always have to make their own branded podcasts’, De Geyter adds. ‘Brands can be linked to Mediafin’s titles by sponsoring editorial content. That’s a long-term win-win situation for both Mediafin and the company.’

Produced by De Tijd | L’Echo in conjunction with Content Republic, the investor podcasts ‘De Beurs van Tegenwoordig’ and ‘Tracker’ are very much appreciated. In their first week, they were downloaded more than 50,000 times, topping the Belgian charts on Apple and Spotify. Three out of every four listeners are in the 23-44 age bracket, not surprising given that one in four of readers of our business newspapers is under 35. The success of this series is encouraging Mediafin to continue building on its strong position in this attractive segment of highly educated young people.

DE BEURS VAN TEGENWOORDIG

TRACKER

INVESTOR PODCASTS FROM DE TIJD | L’ECHO REACH A WIDE AND YOUNG AUDIENCE

OWN AUDIO PRODUCTION HOUSE Establishing its own audio production house is an key step for Mediafin. Erwin Deckers, one of Belgium’s best-known radio makers, will launch the project as a consultant and prepare Mediafin for its audio future. With a new team being assembled to ensure the new audio project’s success, the recording studio will be ready to go by autumn 2021.

Surf on a future-proof data ecosystem

THERE’S A FIERCE WIND BLOWING THROUGH DATA LAND, NOW THAT THIRD-PARTY COOKIES ARE SET TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY. SAFARI AND FIREFOX HAVE ALREADY PHASED THEM OUT, TO PROTECT PRIVACY, WITH GOOGLE’S CHROME SET TO FOLLOW SUIT VERY SOON. THE IMPLICATIONS FOR TARGETED CAMPAIGNS THAT BUILD ON TRACKING AND THE CROSS-POLLINATION OF DATA ARE HUGE. WEATHERING THE STORM, MEDIAFIN’S DATA ECOSYSTEM OFFERS MANY ADVANTAGES. SVEN LYBAERT, HEAD OF DIGITAL AT TRUSTMEDIA, EXPLAINS WHY AND HOW.

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 37

‘The segments we offer are fully aligned with the De Tijd | L’Echo readership: exclusive, high-quality and reliable.’ Bono De Rick, data strategist

them in a multi-device manner. This allows us to create segments composed solely of first-party data, without the need to do lookalike modelling.’

Segment and context mutually reinforce each other

‘Mediafin has been capturing first-party data from business owners, decision-makers, investors and high-end consumers ever since it introduced its paywall in 2010. Never having purchased big data from outside, we are fully prepared for the new setting without third-party cookies. The fact that our data management worked as a ‘walled garden’ from the start now gives our digital advertisers a huge advantage in terms of reach and efficiency.’

The disappearance of third-party cookies will also encourage advertisers to return to contextual targeting. The exclusivity, quality and reliability of Mediafin content are true assets in this respect. ‘Our unique, high-quality and reliable content is worth its weight in gold, especially in these times of fake news. Often cited as sources in the news, De Tijd | L’Echo came out as most trusted news brands in the Kantar TNS study in summer 2018. This ‘force of premium content’, this trust, has a positive influence on advertisements and thus on brands, with a range of studies confirming this halo effect.’ At Mediafin, context and data always go hand in hand. Re-targeting to less relevant domains

or media is a no-go. ‘The segments we offer are fully aligned with the De Tijd | L’Echo readership: investors in shares, funds or real estate, entrepreneurs whom we know, based on our profile data, have a passion for luxury cars or a strong interest in retirement savings, and so on.’

Targeted online advertising Moreover, together with all the partners we work with, we keep a close watch on brand safety. For instance, ADmantX is so intelligent that it not only enables us to classify articles more finely on the basis of keywords, but it also recognises an article’s context: if for example there is critical content about hybrid cars, it will automatically block an ad for a hybrid car.’ In a nutshell: the key to targeted online advertising lies in the solid and future-proof combination of the right, high-value segment with the right, safe context.

Data targeting and brand safety In late 2019, Trustmedia consolidated and launched its data solutions under the brand name Trustdata. This went hand in hand with major investment in data targeting and brand safety, including a partnership with ADmantX. ‘For about half (46%) of our data traffic, we now collect the data through a first-party cookie. These are mainly anonymous users whom we recognise on our digital platforms. Even more important and higher-quality: more than half (54%) of the data is captured from logged-in users. Knowing much more about them, we are able to target

‘Together with all the partners we work with, we keep a close watch on brand safety.’ Bono De Rick

The increasing importance of events and livestreaming VIA EVENTS, MEDIAFIN REACHES COMMUNITIES, RESPONDS TO THEIR INTERESTS AND STIMULATES NETWORKING. READERS OR A WIDER AUDIENCE ARE ADDRESSED AND EXPERTISE SHARED. WHILE CORONA HAS BROUGHT ABOUT A SURGE IN LIVESTREAMING, MEDIAFIN HAS LONG BEEN AT HOME IN OFFERING INTERESTING AND WELL-ORGANISED WEBINARS ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. SERGE VAN DER MEIRSCH HAS THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE COOPERATION BETWEEN HIS EXPERIENCED TEAM, THE EDITORS AND UP-TO-DATE PARTNERS.

‘Livestreaming is also a great way for an advertiser to reach the right target audience.’ Serge Van Der Meirsch, Trustmedia

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 39

‘In these Corona times, we are able to provide wellorganised digital alternatives. The future is hybrid.’ Serge Van Der Meirsch, Trustmedia

‘On the one hand, we organise large corporate events exclusively for invited company guests where certain subscriber communities – depending on the theme and focus – are also warmly welcome. On the other hand, we offer events for a wider audience of readers and other interested parties: Finance Avenue, Belegger On Tour ... Whatever the audience, these are all inspiring and attractive places where like-minded people can meet and network organically. In these Corona times, we are able to provide well-organised digital alternatives. The future is hybrid.’

LEFT: LIVESTREAM SAP BELOW: LIVESTREAM NEW INSIGHTS. ISABEL ALBERS INTERVIEWS MARIANA MAZZUCATO

newspaper provides an interesting frame, backing up the content with special features also available on the website. Sponsoring is never just a pretty logo – it’s about displaying and passing on knowledge and expertise in an activating manner. ‘To hold the audience’s attention, in addition to prominent speakers – at the beginning of June we brought top economist and must-hear influencer Mariana Mazzucato to Belgium –, a high show content with a rhythmic alternation between talking heads, music and other interaction are indispensable.

Interaction between the editorial team and marketing

Another huge plus: We often hold our events in unique locations where people would otherwise never come: for example the Citroën garage down by the Brussels canal for the event celebrating 10 years of Sabato. We built a black box full of art and design which was then auctioned for charity. With us, the invitations already get people fully immersed in the atmosphere, and the overall experience lingers on for quite a while.’

Mediafin always uses the strength of its titles and current events as its starting points. There is a dynamic interaction between the editorial team and marketing, with one plus one adding up to three. The more solidly based the event is, the more strongly it comes across and sticks, while the

Mediafin does everything possible to achieve the same effect online. No boring webinars, but enthusing content with a high level of tension and sufficient visual variation in an attractive setting, supplemented with polls and the opportunity to ask questions.

Fascinating experience, optimal user experience

‘Livestreaming is also a great way for an advertiser to reach the right target audience. VOKA, Salesforce and Ernst & Young are just some of the companies happy to use De Tijd | L’Echo’s channels for this purpose – with great success. The CBC roundtable and ‘The World of Tomorrow’ – the debate between BMW and BNP– are great examples of how we digitally enhance content series. Combining livestreaming and video with other channels provides a multi-platform publishing base, while at the same time extending the life of the content.’ All this comes free of technical problems. To achieve an optimal user experience, Mediafin has a team of digital specialists and works with top partners in the field of sound, light and technology. The result: lasting up to one hour, the high-impact online events achieve an average viewing time of 45 to 50 minutes.

KRISTINE CUYPERS, DIRECTOR NEWS SERVICES — kristine.cuypers@mediafin.be & JOHN SMIT, DIRECTOR NEWS SERVICES — john.smit@mediafin.be

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 41

Journalism to generate business success IN THESE DAYS OF FAKE NEWS AND INFORMATION OVERLOAD, RELIABLE, QUALITATIVE JOURNALISM IS ESSENTIAL. GIVE YOUR TEAMS ACCESS TO THE RELIABLE CONTENT OF DE TIJD AND L’ECHO. CURRENT BUSINESS NEWS IS AVAILABLE AROUND THE CLOCK TO YOU AND YOUR CUSTOMERS IN THE FORMATS THAT BEST MATCH YOUR BUSINESS.

THE ESSENCE —— G roup subscription to De Tijd | L’Echo, printed or online. —— P ersonalized version of the De Tijd | L’Echo App, access to current information, always and everywhere, and the articles can be shared among customers and employees. —— I ntegrate De Tijd | L’Echo/ De Belegger | L’Investisseur into your business application.

According to the research agency Kantar, readers perceive De Tijd and L’Echo by far as the most credible news brand in Belgium. And it really pays off: a growing readership of decision-makers and policymakers uses the business newspapers’ news and information. ‘That is precisely the raison d’être of News Services: solid, relevant content as a working tool’, say John Smit and Kristine Cuypers, Directors News Services ‘The slogan “Our journalism builds your business” aptly summarizes our mission: to offer editorial content by De Tijd and L’Echo, De Belegger and L’Investisseur, and Netto and Mon Argent tailored to companies, in the form and in the way that best suits the needs of your organization. From print to digital to complete multimedia. We have three interesting content solutions and subscription services.’ With these professional tools you’re always up to date and you can make better decisions and set the right priorities. ‘You’re investing in your employees’ knowledge and performance.’

‘You’re investing in your employees’ knowledge and performance when they follow the news from De Tijd | L’Echo on their smartphone on a daily basis.’ Kristine Cuypers & John Smit, Directors News Services

Group subscription ‘With the group subscription, employees receive reliable content that promotes their personal and professional development. They keep up with current events and relevant trends, enabling them to make well-considered decisions and stay ahead of the game.’

Customized app ‘The next solution is a group subscription tailored to the organization, with a customized app that links content to internal company systems. Based on keywords, employees discover essential messages in their newsfeed. They get notifications about must-reads, can dig into the archives in preparation for discussions, and share articles with colleagues and customers via email. The employer can also send push messages to its employees to inform them of special news items.’

—— E asy access, always and everywhere —— Flexible rate —— Personal account management

DEME: GROUP SUBSCRIPTION DE TIJD | L’ECHO ‘Thanks to a digital group subscription, the DEME management team can read De Tijd and L’Echo on a screen of their choice, wherever and whenever. It allows us to stay up to date on what is happening in our country and in the rest of the world in economic, political and social terms and more. A corporate subscription is a very handy business tool for our company and an important information source in a rapidly changing world.’ says Vicky Cosemans, Head of Communications DEME.

EY: CUSTOMIZED APP DE TIJD | L’ECHO The newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo are indispensable tools for all business professionals to keep up to date with current business. ‘Thanks to News Services, many of our employees receive daily news from those newspapers on their smartphones or other digital channels,’ explains Christophe Ballegeer, EY WEM Brand, marketing and communication director. ‘In addition, our IT specialists are working on an integration with our intranet and other internal systems. And, most importantly, our users can personalize their newsfeed from De Tijd and L’Echo, always keeping them immediately up to date with the latest news in their own sector.’

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 43

—— I ntegrate De Tijd | L’Echo and De Belegger | L’Investisseur into your platforms

Integration into business applications ‘Finally, companies can integrate the editorial content of Mediafin publications into business applications such as CRM systems, intranet, newsletters and reporting. De Tijd | L’Echo and De Belegger | L’Investisseur content can also be used by companies as a business tool on their sites. This gives employees and customers access to current events and sector information in their fields while increasing their expertise. The integrated Mediafin content is also the perfect addition to the customized app.

SAXO BANK (FORMERLY BINCKBANK): INTEGRATION OF DE BELEGGER | L’INVESTISSEUR IN CUSTOMER APPLICATION

—— P ersonalized De Tijd | L’Echo App with your company logo —— Y ou select the news items relevant to your company —— Y ou share the articles with your employees and customers via email —— You send must see topics and notifications to your team

Saxo Bank’s customers receive De Beurswekker every day: a daily, short newsletter with the most important stock market facts of the day, and especially orientation and inspiration for active self-investors. ‘The particularly high open rate of the e-mail and the positive feedback from customers shows that “engaging content” helps strengthen and develop the relationship with active investors,’ says Dieter Haerens, CEO Saxo Bank Belgium. The newsletters’ content is created in consultation with the bank and the independent editors of De Belegger | L’Investisseur, a Mediafin publication. ‘This is an impactful way to reach our customers during the Golden Hour, just before the opening of the Stock Market.’

ANJA PELEMAN AND SARA VERCAUTEREN, MANAGING DIRECTORS AT BEPUBLIC GROUP

hello@bepublicgroup.be

‘Communication needs to be in the cockpit more than ever’

play the devil’s advocate for our customers, daring to ask them difficult questions before journalists or their customers on social media do. For us, that is one of the keys to good communication: Preparation is everything’, Sara Vercauteren adds.

AND SUDDENLY YOU FIND YOURSELF HEADING A SUCCESSFUL PR AGENCY: THAT’S HOW 2021 STARTED FOR SARA VERCAUTEREN AND ANJA PELEMAN, THE NEW MANAGING DIRECTORS OF BEPUBLIC GROUP. FORTUNATELY, TOGETHER THEY CAN BUILD ON A SOLID FOUNDATION OF OVER 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN THE BUSINESS. TIME FOR A CHAT ABOUT THEIR VIEW ON COMMUNICATION. Preparation is everything THE ESSENCE —— B epublic Group is a PR and strategic communication agency —— H elping companies and organizations with every step of their communication —— F rom press and crisis communication to strategic communication advice, neighbourhood communication and media/camera training

‘It’s very enriching to immerse ourselves in the different sectors in which we operate’, says Anja Peleman. ‘We’ve got a very diverse and attractive customer portfolio. Yet there is a clear common thread. Whether it’s real estate, a banking institution or a retirement and care home: companies and organisations above all seek help on how to communicate better, especially in moments of crisis. Many companies initially tend to duck in the face of a crisis. But overcoming a crisis is something you do together with journalists. By communicating in a thought-through, respectful and authentic way.’ And Bepublic Group wants to help them with just that – that much is clear. ‘Just concocting a nice story isn’t enough. We must also

Breaking down boxes According to Sara Vercauteren and Anja Peleman, the value of communication for companies has increased in recent months. Sara: ‘If the Corona crisis has made one thing clear, it is about how important communication is. The more communication you have in an organisation’s cockpit, the more effective it will be.’ And the ladies are talking not just about PR, but also – and just as much – about internal communication with employees working from home, as well as other external communication, such as websites and social media, all with an eye to safeguarding an organisation’s reputation.

‘We must also dare to play the devil’s advocate for our customers.’

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 45

Bepublic Group creates buzz and puts out fires ‘The communication boxes are slowly breaking down and we are happy to help this happen. Putting all the pieces of the puzzle together ensures that your story gets picked up more quickly’, Anja adds.

Making ourselves invisible When is their mission successful? ‘When we’re invisible’, she says, even if this sounds surprising. ‘Communication is at its strongest when it comes from within the organisation itself. We can use our expertise for this, guiding the organisation, preparing the communication for them or trying it out with them through many tailor-made training sessions, but it is the company itself that ultimately has to propagate it. People very quickly sense whether a company is sincere in its communication or not. It’s up to us to bring out those sincere stories.’

Our vision More and more transparency and openness are expected from organisations and companies. If it’s not journalists asking critical questions, then it’s employees, customers or opinion makers using social media to denounce something. ‘No comment’ as a response? Those days are over. Professional and well-designed communication helps organisations build and maintain a good reputation. Bepublic Group supports organisations in each step in their communication. Whether it’s journalistic PR, crisis communication, internal or corporate communication, Bepublic Group is the strategic partner working with companies to design the right communication. We create tailor-made content and provide in-depth training. We do this on the basis of years of experience, with in-depth expertise and to high quality standards. Critical thinkers, we do not just execute. This is what a customer also expects from a sparring partner who thinks strategically and challenges. We ask the tough questions before journalists do. We see the pitfalls, but also the opportunities. We create stories – and tell them too. We create buzz and put out fires. We think and do. You can rely on us.

Our mission Bepublic works for a wide range of organisations. Ranging from private companies to social and non-profit organisations to cultural organisations. A selection of our customers: Telenet, Lidl, Eneco, Acerta, BDO, KU Leuven, Facebook, the Royal Belgian Football Association, Orelia and VRT. Befirm is specialised in financial communications for funds and wider financial organisations. A selection of our customers: Santander Consumer Bank, AXA Belgium, Schroders, Flossbach von Storch, Triodos Investment Management, Lazard Fund Managers and Robeco. Bereal is specialised in real estate communications. From the announcement of new real estate projects to neighbourhood communication and the organisation of neighbourhood information events. A selection of our customers: Ceusters, Dewaele, ERA, Hillewaere Group, Kolmont, Huyzentruyt Group and Azull. An independent PR and strategic communications agency, Bepublic Group is part of Mediafin.

Bepublic, the strategic communication partner of Belgium’s largest sports federation Sports and media? That’s a breeze for the Royal Belgian Football Association (KBVB). Journalists with questions have no difficulty getting in touch with the KBVB communication team. The country’s largest sports federation answers all kinds of questions from the media 24 hours a day. The consequence: too little time is spent on setting accents as an organisation and on telling its own stories. Bepublic supports the KBVB in giving every newsworthy story the right reach. Projects to get more girls playing football, racism on and off the pitch, the tenth anniversary of the fan club of the Red Devils and Red Flames, turning football fields into meeting places or the start of an eSports academy for a new squad of virtual Red Devils. These are all socially relevant stories of KBVB investments. By also telling the human stories, the KBVB reaches media that otherwise would show no interest. In addition to the initiatives, a lot is happening in the Football Association itself. But how do you put across the fact that you as an organisation work in a modern and contemporary way? How do you translate stories about more women at the top, diversity on the board of directors, digitalisation, healthy employees and new offices into the Belgian media landscape? To fill those communication needs, the Football Association enlisted Bepublic as its strategic partner in 2019. Not just for executive PR work, but as an experienced adviser for all communication on its initiatives and internal organisation. Every day our team advises the KBVB communication team, preparing them for critical questions from journalists and showing them how their stories can gain the attention they deserve outside the sports media.

Befirm: attractive media return on online media event 24

L’ECHO JEUDI 3 DÉCEMBRE

InvestirTriodos Investment Management, a whol-

ly-owned subsidiary of Triodos Bank, is a worldwide active impact investor. Just like many other companies, it was hit by the lockdown measures in 2020 and 2021. These made it necessary to continue to communicate with the press in remote mode, without physical contact.

Moins d’impôt belge sur les placements français, italiens, australiens et autres La fiscalité sur les intérêts français bénéficiera aussi de l’arrêt sur le double précompte. Idem pour d’autres produits étrangers, tels que des actions italiennes. PHILIPPE GALLOY

Obtenir un remboursement de précompte sur vos dividendes d’actions Fiat ou sur les intérêts de vos obligations Total? Cela devrait être possible grâce au récent arrêt de la Cour de cassation concernant la double imposition de dividendes français perçus par des investisseurs belges. D’après plusieurs spécialistes du droit fiscal, la portée de cette décision est en effet bien plus large et devrait aussi profiter non seulement aux Belges qui possèdent d’autres types de placements français, mais aussi à ceux qui détiennent des actions de plusieurs autres pays, telle que l’Italie ou encore l’Australie. Le 15 octobre, la Cour de cassation avait condamné l’État belge parce qu’il refusait que les investisseurs qui perçoivent des dividendes d’actions françaises déduisent de leur précompte mobilier belge une partie de l’impôt déjà prélevé en France. La haute juridiction a décidé que l’administration fiscale belge n’interprétait pas correctement la convention préventive de double imposition conclue entre la Belgique et la France.

As an impact investor, Triodos Investment Management has a view on financial markets and macroeconomic prospects that differs in certain respects from the mainstream. In the past, the company issued its prognoses in the form of press releases Knowing that, with everyone working from home, these would be lost in a continuous stream of other press releases, Befirm proposed an alternative approach.

Les détenteurs belges d’actions italiennes cotées à Milan pourraient bénéficier de l’arrêt sur le double précompte. © BLOOMBERG

Impôt étranger à déduire

Ce traité prévoit que l’impôt belge sur les revenus mobiliers français doit être diminué «de la quotité forfaitaire d’impôt étranger (QFIE, NDLR) déductible dans les conditions fixées par la législation belge, sans que cette quotité puisse être inférieure à 15%» du montant obtenu après application de la retenue à la source française. Le fisc considérait qu’étant donné que la loi belge ne prévoit plus, depuis plusieurs années, de QFIE déductible, il n’y avait plus lieu d’appliquer cette déduction. Mais la Cour de cassation s’est quant à elle focalisée sur les termes «sans que cette quotité puisse être inférieure à 15%». Selon la cour suprême, les contribuables belges tirent directement de ce passage de la convention le droit de déduire une partie de l’impôt français du précompte prélevé en Belgique. L’enjeu financier est important puisque cela permet de réduire la charge fiscale totale de 40,5% à 27,75%.

40,5% L’enjeu financier est important puisque cela permet de réduire la charge fiscale totale de 40,5% à 27,75%.

Obligations françaises

L’affaire qui avait conduit à cet arrêt de cassation portait sur l’impôt prélevé sur des dividendes d’actions françaises. Mais il apparaît aujourd’hui que l’enseignement de la haute cour peut aussi concerner bien d’autres produits financiers, à commencer par les intérêts perçus

en France sur des placements à revenu fixe, tels que des obligations, des comptes d’épargne ou des fonds de distribution (qui reversent aux titulaires des fonds les revenus des placements sous-jacents).

Intérets concernés

«La jurisprudence de la Cour de cassation signifie que le contribuable est également en droit de bénéficier du crédit d’impôt pour les revenus d’intérêts», explique Grégory Komlosi, Counsel chez Eversheds Sutherland Belgium. «La clause de la convention en question est en effet également applicable aux revenus d’intérêts.» «Bien que l’affaire soumise à la Cour de cassation concernât exclusivement le traitement fiscal des dividendes de source française, le raisonnement défendu et validé par la Cour devrait également pouvoir s’appliquer aux intérêts de source française», confirme Grégory Homans, associé gérant du cabinet Dekeyser & Associés. Selon ce dernier, cette nouvelle donne fiscale devrait aussi bénéficier aux Belges qui détiennent des assurances-vie françaises. «Rappelons que l’administration fiscale française considère les rachats sur contrat d’assurance-vie comme des intérêts au sens de l’article 16 du traité fiscal franco-belge», souligne Me

Homans. Ces rachats devraient donc aussi être moins imposés à l’avenir.

Italie, Hongrie, Australie...

Mais cet arrêt de la Cour de cassation pourrait aussi avoir des conséquences sur l’interprétation d’autres conventions préventives de double imposition signées par la Belgique, parce que ces traités sont calqués sur le texte franco-belge. «La jurisprudence de la Cour de cassation est possible grâce à l’énoncé très particulier de la convention franco-belge actuelle», analyse Grégory Komlosi (Eversheds Sutherland Belgium). «Or, ce même type d’énoncé est également repris dans les conventions avec l’Italie, l’Australie, Israël, la

«La jurisprudence de la Cour de cassation signifie que le contribuable est également en droit de bénéficier du crédit d’impôt pour les revenus d’intérêts.» GRÉGORY KOMLOSI COUNSEL CHEZ EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND BELGIUM

remboursement du surplus d compte mobilier perçu par le fi une réclamation pour l’ann cours, voire en introduisant un mande de dégrèvement d’ pour les cinq dernières années Et pour l’avenir? Pour les re de placements français, la poss de réduire le précompte mo belge sera, à un moment, suppr car la Belgique et la Franc conclu une nouvelle conventio cluant l’énoncé sur lequel la Co cassation s’est fondée pour aut ce remboursement partiel d’im Mais encore faut-il que ce entre en vigueur. Or, il n’a pas e été signé officiellement. Sel porte-parole du SPF Finance rence Angelici, «la signature d té devrait se faire aux enviro mois de janvier ou février». cette signature, «les différents ments belges devront ratifier le veau traité fiscal», indiqu Homans (Dekeyser & Asso «Après cette ratification, le Ro amené à contresigner la loi d’a bation de ce nouveau traité Cette loi sera ensuite publiée a niteur belge. Plusieurs mois o nées devraient encore s’écouler la signature de la nouvelle co tion et son entrée en vigueur tive.» Le temps jouera donc en f des contribuables concernés.

Hongrie et la Côte d’Ivoire.»Les contribuables percevant des dividendes et des intérêts provenant de ces pays ont donc intérêt à examiner s’ils sont en droit de bénéficier d’un crédit d’impôt belge.» «L’enseignement de la Cour de cassation belge en matière de QFIE dans un contexte franco-belge devrait pouvoir s’appliquer par analogie à certains autres traités fiscaux, entre autres les conventions belgo-italienne et belgo-israélienne, et ce, bien que la Cour de cassation n’ait pas statué sur ces cas spécifiques», renchérit Me Grégory Homans (Dekeyser & Associés).

Réclamation

Reste à voir comment, en pratique, l’administration fiscale belge réagira à l’arrêt de la Cour de cassation. Les fiscalistes pensent qu’elle n’aura pas le choix et devra se conformer à cette jurisprudence parce qu’il s’agit là du deuxième rappel à l’ordre lancé par la cour suprême. À ce stade, le service public fédéral des Finances signale que «les conséquences de l’arrêt sont toujours à l’étude auprès de l’administration». Le ministre des Finances a quant à lui confié le dossier à ses conseillers. En attendant, les investisseurs belges concernés peuvent faire valoir leurs droits en demandant un

«Les marchés devront se reconnecter à l’économie» Dans des marchés qui resteront inondés par les liquidités, les stratégistes de Triodos préfèrent rester prudents et surpondèrent les liquidités. FRÉDÉRIC LEJOINT

Chez Triodos IM, le scénario macroéconomique pour 2021 se base sur un retour du niveau d’activité d’avant la pandémie pour le quatrième trimestre de l’année prochaine, lorsqu’une part substantielle de la population aura été vaccinée dans les pays occidentaux. Joeri de Wilde (Statégiste chez Triodos IM) souligne néanmoins que cette prévision dépendra en grande partie de la

disponibilité de vaccins efficaces pour le milieu de l’année prochaine. «Tout retard pourrait toutefois repousser ces perspectives de reprise vers 2022. Dans notre scénario de base, nous tablons sur une croissance qui devrait rebondir vers 4,7% en Europe, contre 3,2% aux ÉtatsUnis et 2,9% au Japon. Cette performance doit être liée à la sévérité de la contraction économique en 2020 sur le Vieux Continent.»

Valorisations

Dans un contexte où la demande restera faible pendant une bonne partie de l’année, l’inflation ne constituera pas un problème pour les banques centrales, qui resteront

donc largement accommodantes. Dans ce contexte, il souligne que la crise sanitaire a entraîné une hausse des inégalités et des retards importants dans la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique, qui ne seront que partiellement compensés par le Green Deal européen et qui seraient encore prolongés si les démocrates ne parviennent pas à prendre le contrôle du Sénat américain en janvier 2021. «Les valorisations sur les marchés financiers sont encore plus détachées de l’économie réelle. Nous restons convaincus que la valorisation reste importante sur le long terme, ce qui nous pousse à rester sous-pondérés sur les actions, neutres sur le

crédit et les obligations, et surpondérés sur les placements monétaires», indique Hans Stegeman (responsable de la stratégie d’investissement chez Triodos IM).

Risques accrus

Sur le long terme, il souligne que les valorisations sont aujourd’hui extrêmement élevées sur les marchés financiers en raison de l’intervention des banques centrales. «Ceci ne peut pas durer indéfiniment. Les conditions favorables qui ont dopé la rentabilité des entreprises vont probablement disparaître, et les marchés boursiers risquent de devenir de plus en plus risqués pour les investisseurs.»

LE QUIZ DU RALLYE BOURSIER

En quelle année l’OLO (Obligations linéaires de l’Etat Belg dont la durée résiduelle est la plus longue arrivera-t-elle échéance? 1. 2066

2. 2086

3. 2106

Réponse à la question de la veille: La baleine Softbank a réfuté les accusation d’avoir à elle seule gonflé le rally du Nasdaq à cause de ses positions en options. “Nous ne sommes même pas un dauphin.

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 47

Bereal develops the ‘Meir Corner’ communication strategy: from a hesitant to a committed neighbourhood

‘In 2019, we had already organised a successful media event for the Belgian press at Triodos Investment Management’s headquarters in Zeist, Netherlands,’ says Wim Heirbaut, senior PR consultant at Befirm. ‘This was attended by journalists from the leading media. This experience told us that the press is interested in the viewpoint of an impact investor. We therefore suggested to the client to organise an online media event around the publication of its financial and macroeconomic prognoses. Not just for the Belgian press, but for all countries where Triodos Investment Management is active.’ Triodos Investment Management’s communication managers were immediately enthusiastic about the proposal. The formula was launched for the first time on 30 November 2020 and repeated on 5 July 2021. At both events, three Triodos Investment Management strategists presented – in English – their prognoses and answered journalists’ questions. Following this, the journalists and other media received a press release summarizing the main points. The two events produced an attractive series of articles in both tier 1 and specialist press media.

When it was announced in 2017 that the former Proximus building on the Meir in Antwerp was to get a new owner and a new use, questions and speculation were quick to surface. Not least among local residents and journalists. Eliminating this uncertainty while at the same time presenting a positive story in the press were the mainstays of the communication strategy devised by Bereal. ‘Looking at ‘Meir Corner’, we immediately knew that the new project had numerous strengths’, says Koen Cypers, Business Manager at Bereal. ‘The Karel De Grote

University of Applied Sciences and Arts (KdG) is building a brand new campus in an iconic building, paying great attention to sustainability, heritage conservation and mobility. There will also be shops on the lower floors.’ ‘Launching a major project in a prime location in a large city and with a variety of stakeholders, you know that good neighbourhood communication is essential. For the new ‘Meir Corner’ owner, we came up with a clear plan and an ambitious communication strategy. In the run-up to the first information event for the neighbourhood, we supported the partners, including the architect and KdG, in terms of content, graphics and organisation. Our goal was clear: to inform and show that our thoughts were with the neighbourhood’, he says. ‘We mapped out the good points and potential points of contention. After that we profiled ‘Meir Corner’ together with KdG, a committed partner. We drafted a journalistic flyer to inform local residents first. At the same time, a project website went live, allowing everyone to consult all information. After this first round of communication, we turned to the wider press with a sophisticated and Corona-proof on-site press event. By informing the press immediately after distributing the flyer and before the neighbourhood information event took place, we were able to massage public opinion in the direction of a positive story. The result was a neighbourhood that felt it had been heard. It soon became interested in helping to bring the new site to life.’

Our promises at a glance A PARTNERSHIP WITH TRUSTMEDIA MEANS YOU’RE IN SAFE HANDS FROM THE START OF A CAMPAIGN THROUGH TO ITS BEAUTIFUL CONCLUSION. WE GUARANTEE:

Expertise Whether you’re into real estate, luxury, finance, HR or B2B, our business partners know your sector inside out. Up-to-date with the latest trends and international market developments, they keep close track of rapidly changing media consumption behaviour. With their knowledge, they bring your communication project to our readers in a high-impact way.

Maximum impact tailored to each company We guarantee intensive and personal support throughout your communication project, from the beginning until the end. We think along with you, translate your needs and map out a personalised route, taking care of the entire communication chain for your target group. With the right message at the right time and in the right format, from traditional advertising to tailor-made content marketing projects.

High-quality target group Via Mediafin’s titles, you target opinion makers, entrepreneurs, investors and wealthy consumers. Your message gets the maximum return from a one-to-one communication based on thorough targeting, segmentation and relevant products.

Most trusted news brands De Tijd and L’Echo are the most trusted news brands in Belgium according to Kantar’s Trust Survey. This means that ads placed there enjoy a high level of public trust. In addition, we work with ADmantX, our trusted partner for contextual targeting, to display your publications online in the right context and to the right target audience, while respecting privacy. Our digital charter (see box) reinforces that commitment.

A dedicated team and one SPOC Working with Trustmedia, you have a dedicated and versatile team at your disposal. From creative thinkers and graphic designers to analytical research minds and meticulous number crunchers. A single point of contact (SPOC) gives access to all our experts.

Reporting and verification For readership measurements and other market studies, we rely on highly regarded international partners such as CIM, Kantar, GFK and Ipsos. To measure and ensure the performance of online campaigns, we work with reliable international partners like Adhese, Moat or Brand Metrics. On request, we will organise pre- or posttests for your print and online campaigns. For digital campaigns, we can provide additional support with transparent dashboards.

Pricing and invoicing Customer satisfaction is our top priority, both before and after the campaign, and for everything directly or indirectly related to your campaign. Our rates are transparent and unambiguous, so you know in advance exactly how much your campaign will cost. All information is available in our media kits, fee schedules and general terms and conditions. This translates into an invoicing process that is clear, correct and punctual.

BEYOND ADVERTISING — 49

NO OTHER MEDIA IN BELGIUM ARE TRUSTED MORE THAN DE TIJD AND L’ECHO. EVERY DAY, A LEADING TEAM OF JOURNALISTS SETS THE STANDARD WITH QUALITATIVE AND IN-DEPTH NEWS.

Our digital charter: 100% trust Advertisers too can rely 100 percent on these newspapers. Trustmedia supplements the reliability of De Tijd and L’Echo with its digital charter offering 4 rock-solid guarantees for the advertiser.

100% viewability 100% brand safety

Your campaign material 100% visible to our readers.

Your brand appears only in a news context that guarantees the full impact of your campaign.

100% privacy

Your communication fully compliant with the latest privacy legislation.

100% human

Your message displayed only to real consumers, so no bots.

WITH THESE 4 GUARANTEES, YOUR CAMPAIGN WILL SHARE THE TRUST THAT DE TIJD | L’ECHO ENJOY. Source: Trust research, Kantar TNS S2 2018

As you can see, Mediafin occupies a unique position on Belgium’s media market. Unique, because our high-quality, independent editorial approach is convincing more and more readers. Our growth experienced an unprecedented acceleration during the corona crisis. But we also firmly believe that we can achieve further growth post corona. We want to grow by 40 percent in the long term. Ambitious, yes, but certainly not unfeasible with the right approach. Our subscriber profiles are those of entrepreneur, investor or wealthy reader, but especially that of ‘initiator’. Our titles aim to be a source of inspiration for their audience. Our coverage should give our readers ideas with which to move forward in their professional

‘We want to grow by 40 percent in the long term. Ambitious, yes, but certainly not unfeasible with the right approach.’

Pioneering new forms of co-creatie

PETER QUAGHEBEUR, CEO MEDIAFIN — peter.quaghebeur@mediafin.be

and private environments. As we grow, we will remain true to our positioning as a wide-audience business newspaper. In times when fake news and lack of reliable information are rampant, with more and more media putting their editorial independence at risk, our De Tijd and L’Echo titles, as well as De Belegger and L’Investisseur, help guide readers in a rapidly changing world. Unique too, because in recent years we have shown that we offer our partners collaborations that can only be realized at Mediafin. Mediafin is a pioneer when it comes to new forms of co-creation and quality standards. We have the experience and expertise to help our partners achieve their goals, for a select audience that no other medium can reach so selectively. Our partners benefit from the source effect that our titles radiate: the contextual environment in which their message is placed benefits from an editorial setting that helps strengthen its credibility.

In the near future, we want to expand our channels to that specific audience. In addition to classic print – which is stabilizing at Mediafin and is no longer really declining – and the digital offering – our most important growth segment – we will also start with structural podcasts for De Tijd and L’Echo. We notice that our audience really appreciates this complementary medium. We also want to broaden the reach of Sabato - our much appreciated weekend magazine - through a new Sabato.be approach. That will be quite a challenge because there are very few magazines that have already made a successful digital leap. As you can see, Mediafin is brimming with ambition. We may not be the largest media group in Belgium, but we are one of the most appreciated. By our readers and by our advertisers. Big enough to matter, small enough to care.

Niel

Hervé

Our team

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Mediafin (Tour & Taxis) — Havenlaan 86c, box 309, 1000 Brussels — VAT BE0404.800.301

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