By Shanon Roberts, on 7 April 2023
By this point, you are most likely already familiar with native advertising and the many advantages it can bring (if not, you can read all about it in this article). This style of digital advertising can be very beneficial for both advertisers and users, as it is a unique format that combines advertising with content, making it very attractive to users.
Today, we are going to be looking at some of our favorite examples of native ads, such as Spotify's crossover with Stranger Things. We hope this article inspires you to get your creative juices flowing for your next native advertising campaign! 
8 Native Advertising Examples
1. Spotify & Stranger Things
Netflix and Spotify are two brands that are well known for utilizing user data to create unique, relevant experiences. Therefore, the platforms partnered up to create a truly original native advertising campaign that garnered a lot of attention.
After the premiere of Netflix’s Stranger Things series, Spotify users logged on to their accounts to find that they could enter into “Stranger Things” mode on the platform, and based on their listening habits, they were assigned a Spotify playlist based on a character from the show.
This content was identified as sponsored and had a design that was adapted to Spotify’s platform and aesthetic. This is a great example of elite-level native advertising!
2. The New York Times & Allbirds
A typical native advertising format you often see is sponsored posts on news websites. A great example is this New York Times article, sponsored by the shoe company, Allbirds.
This ad is an in-feed/in-content ad that was promoted on the platform’s regular newsfeed with a sponsored tag. When users clicked on the article, they were taken to a unique page on the NYT’s website with beautiful graphics and supporting sound effects.
The article focuses on the value birds have in our environment and how they are at risk due to climate change. This aligned perfectly with the shoe company, as it is dedicated to sustainability and has “bird” in its name. This is a strong example of how native content needs to align with your brand but not necessarily be about your brand.
3. The Message Podcast & GE
Native content doesn’t just have to be articles and social media posts. For instance, General Electric partnered with Panoply to produce a science fiction podcast called The Message.
This podcast was the first of its kind to reach the No. 1 spot on Apple’s iTunes player and had over 4 million downloads at the time.
This podcast is a perfect example of native advertising because the podcast itself was well developed, thoroughly entertaining, and featured GE technology naturally in the storyline. That being said, it never explicitly named GE in the content itself, only in the introduction, credit, and cover art. The podcast was so successful that they later went on to create a second one, Life After, and they won a Webby award for the Best Use of Native Advertising.
4. Social Media Ads
The quickest way to find an example of native advertising is to open up any of your social media apps and look at the in-feed ads that appear. This is by far one of the most common forms of native advertising out there.
These in-feed ads are disclosed as being paid, perfectly match organic content, and are placed within a user’s content feed.
5. Instagram Filter and Nickelodeon
Not all native ads on social media have to be in-feed advertisements. Nickelodeon showed this with their fun “Which SpongeBob Character Are You?” Instagram filter.
This version of native advertising is entertaining, interactive, and a great way to connect with Instagram users. It's indicated as being sponsored by Nickelodeon on the app, it's placed where all of the other filters are, and works just the same as any other organic filter.
6. Mercedes & The Washington Post
For this native advertising campaign, Mercedes created content that talked about how technology is turning people into "superhumans" with things like the use of virtual reality in medicine, robotic exoskeletons, and more. The content was interactive and included quizzes and graphics that people could click on to get more information. While Mercedes was mentioned here and there, the majority of the content was informative rather than promotional and talked about numerous technological developments and not just the brand behind it.
7. ELLE & Dove – “Livet under armen” Campaign
In a collaboration between fashion magazine ELLE and personal care brand Dove, the "Livet under armen" ("Life under the Arm") campaign was launched in Sweden to promote Dove's new line of deodorants emphasizing skin kindness and sweat protection. This native advertising effort transcended traditional product promotion by initiating conversations around body image and self-esteem. By aligning the campaign's message with ELLE's editorial content, it provided added value to readers and prompted a meaningful dialogue about embracing individuality and redefining beauty standards.
8. American City Business Journals & Platinum Bank – “Off the Record” Podcast Series
The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal partnered with Platinum Bank to produce "Off the Record," a co-branded podcast series featuring discussions with local business leaders. Hosted by Kathy Robideau, the journal's market president and publisher, and Dave Faust, CEO of Platinum Bank, the series delves into the experiences and insights of prominent figures in the business community. This native advertising initiative seamlessly integrates Platinum Bank's brand into valuable content for the journal's audience, enhancing brand visibility through informative storytelling.
