In 1895, the well-known tractor manufacturer John Deere published the first issue of “The Furrow”, a magazine for American farmers. It featured stories of rural life, practical advice on farm work and updates on the latest technologies in the sector. Still published today in 12 languages and around 40 countries, it has followed a clear editorial approach from the outset: providing valuable content free from advertising.
It is the first example of content marketing, dispelling the misconception that it is exclusively associated with digital channels. Its origins actually predate the World Wide Web, which only emerged in 1989, by around a century. This strategy was ahead of its time, offering a credible and lasting alternative to traditional advertising.
A giant with feet of clay
Social media have now taken on the entertainment role once held by television, partly replicating the way it is consumed. As with advertising breaks on TV, users also perceive intrusive promotional content as a nuisance today. According to Hootsuite’s 2024 Social Trends Consumer Survey, 34% of users say that overly aggressive communication has a negative impact on brand perception.
Content marketing therefore emerges as a natural and necessary response: a less intrusive alternative based on relevance.
One in a thousand makes it
Before it becomes a commercial tool, content marketing is the ability to distribute relevant content aimed at building loyalty and generating value for a specific audience. This is where content creators face the real challenge: how can they stand out in a sea of competitors? Authenticity therefore becomes crucial.
2024 was the year of raw content, or unpolished content: unedited videos, behind-the-scenes footage and spontaneous personal accounts. Formats that dispense with the polished advertising veneer to show the human side.
Authenticity: the new currency of content marketing
At a time when attention is fragmented and trust is in short supply, authenticity is therefore the most valuable currency. It is not simply a matter of “being ourselves”, but of communicating consistently, transparently and with a human touch.
According to Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory, which examines the motivations that drive human behaviour, people are naturally drawn to what they perceive as authentic, because it meets the psychological needs for autonomy (or freedom of choice), competence and relatedness. When a brand communicates authentically, it activates these mechanisms by creating a connection without imposing or manipulating.
This is also supported by the concept of “authenticity cues” studied in behavioural marketing: elements such as visual imperfections, a conversational tone or personal storytelling increase the perception of sincerity and, consequently, trust. This is why “raw” content, filmed on a smartphone without editing and perhaps including a mistake or an unscripted laugh, works so well: it appears to have been created to share rather than to sell.
From trust to loyalty
When authentic content builds trust, the natural next step is to build a strong community. This concept is often used loosely, but it has a precise meaning: what matters is not how many followers you have, but how genuinely involved they feel. A community only exists when people identify with the project, participate actively and feel that they are an integral part of a shared vision. This reflects the literal meaning of the Italian word “comunità”, which its English counterpart retains.
Those who achieve this objective do more than speak to an audience: they establish a dialogue, turning communication into a two-way relationship. In this process, micro and nano influencers are often the most actively involved. Although they have a smaller audience than digital celebrities, the closeness they create makes them more credible, particularly because their communication approach often prioritises transparency and direct interaction.
Their influence, which is less “broadcast” and more “dialogue-based”, helps to create an authentic community, where users feel part of an ecosystem of shared values. This is a valuable strategy for brands seeking not only to extend the reach of their messages, but above all to strengthen the sense of belonging, turning ordinary followers into spontaneous ambassadors.
Content MarketingRaw content: engagement as a barometer
But the real reward comes when users do more than follow: they choose to stay. Authenticity is not merely a matter of perception: it is now the gateway to engagement. The evidence gathered in the report Digital 2024 by We Are Social clearly indicates a growing preference for content perceived as authentic. Leading platforms for raw content, such as TikTok, whose defining features are immediacy and spontaneity, record the highest average time spent overall (more than 34 hours per month per user on Android), indicating deep and sustained engagement. Short-form content, personal content and unpolished content encourage more frequent interactions, comments and shares because they create a more empathetic relational dynamic. Authentic content, precisely because it is perceived as “real”, is more likely to overcome the threshold of indifference.
In the debate on contemporary communication, treating strategy and authenticity as opposing concepts is a conceptual error. Authenticity does not preclude planning; rather, it requires considered direction to emerge credibly and consistently. An effective brand strategy does not create authenticity, but enables it: it defines the contexts, language and touchpoints through which the creator’s voice can be expressed without distortion. In this sense, strategy is not a constraint, but a supporting structure. Failing to maintain this balance risks misaligned communication: on the one hand, improvised and ineffective authenticity; on the other, an empty, self-referential strategy.
From strategic driver to ethical value
Discussing authenticity in content marketing means facing a choice: on the one hand, authenticity as an embedded value, a consistent expression of a brand’s vision, behaviours and culture; on the other, authenticity as a façade, a construct designed to appeal rather than to provide a true representation.
Authentic or performative content marketing? Two case studies
One strong example is Patagonia, an outdoor technical clothing brand that has made authenticity a consistent and integrated practice within its content strategy. From the platform Worn Wear, which encourages people to repair garments rather than buy new ones, to the documentaries shared on its YouTube channel and dedicated to environmental activism, every piece of content is designed to build relationships and awareness. It is content marketing in its purest form: valuable content, distributed over time, that faithfully reflects the brand’s identity. When Patagonia says, “Don’t Buy This Jacket”, it is not an isolated provocation, but a coherent expression of an entire narrative ecosystem.
Authenticity and content marketing: the Jenner x Pepsi case
The case of the 2017 Pepsi x Kendall Jenner campaign was different: it was withdrawn shortly after its release. The advert went viral for all the wrong reasons due to the controversy it caused. It shows the American model shedding a contrived look in favour of a more casual style. In the final scene, she offers a can of Pepsi to a police officer during a peaceful protest: a clumsy reference to the Black Lives Matter movement.
The attempt to take a position on social issues through a gesture that was both oversimplified and taken out of context resulted in communication that could be perceived as opportunistic and lacking in depth: there was no coherent narrative, no supporting content and no genuine engagement with the cause being referenced. It was simply an isolated message, presented with a polished aesthetic and unconvincing rhetoric. In essence, it was advertising disguised as content, lacking the continuity, relevance and transparency that define content marketing.
The difference between the two cases is not merely stylistic, but substantive. In the first, authenticity is the reflection of an internal culture sustained over time. In the second, it is a narrative construct that collapses at the first encounter with reality. This is where the most complex challenge in contemporary content marketing lies: transforming authenticity from an aesthetic choice into a structural practice.
