WaPo Launches PostPulse Ad Unit Integrating Editorial Content

The Washington Post is unveiling a new native advertising format that incorporates editorial content from the newspaper. The new offering, called PostPulse, allows advertisers to recommend relevant content elsewhere on the WaPo Web site, based on the context of the article the reader is currently viewing.

PostPulse is launching with Wells Fargo as an inaugural sponsor.

Using a proprietary WaPo technology called Clavis, PostPulse enables the advertiser to identify content that’s relevant to both the content and the advertiser message. It's presented in a native ad unit, which appears in-stream in the original article.

In an example provided by the newspaper, the Wells Fargo campaign features a native ad placement in an article discussing the expected increase in interest rates by the Federal Reserve; the ad consists of a carousel presenting editorial recommendations for additional reading on financial topics, sponsored by Wells Fargo and featuring branding from both the bank and newspaper.

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Users that click on an article in the editorial carousel are then shown a landing page with the content sponsored by the advertiser. PostPulse presents additional editorial recommendations in the right rail, allowing the advertiser to extend the experience and deepen user engagement.

Clavis identifies audience segments among WaPo readers, as well as audiences off the WaPo’s platform through its WP+ audience extension network, that would be interested in the content. Then, it targets them with various presentations tailored to their preferences and formatted for their devices.

In November, WaPo introduced a new proprietary video advertising technology, “FlexPlay,” that allows faster delivery of interactive ads across devices. FlexPlay, takes a short clip from an advertiser’s video ad, five to 10 seconds in length, and converts it into a GIF and mp4 file formats. They load virtually instantly regardless of device, so ads begin playing immediately on smartphones, tablets and desktop.


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