I discovered upon returning from vacation yesterday that this very blog has been ranked as #39 on Junta’s list of the top 42 content marketing blogs. Just a few weeks ago, one of my star Group Account Directors, Jason Ruebel, nominated Marketing with Meaning for the list, and sure enough here we are. It’s a great sign that we’re onto something, and I’m proud to share the honor with everyone at our agency.

I think this blog and the overall concept of Meaningful Marketing fits pretty well under the category of “content marketing.“ Wikipedia confirms a general definition of “content” in new media circles. At the time of this posting, it called content “information and experiences that may provide value for an end-user/audience.”

It is ironic that just today another team of mine at Bridge Worldwide was discussing how we could help a key client build meaningful marketing into its existing process of brand planning. We talked about how this client is a big believer in maximizing the “Context” of communication; in other words, picking media placement where the target consumer is most willing to pay attention to and act on the brand’s message. This is a smart approach, and likely results in higher return on the media investment. But it’s missing something…

I believe Marketing with Meaning is less about “context” – or finding the best time to get in front of a consumer’s eyeballs – and more about “content” – or creating something that people find valuable in itself. By definition, a good “Content Strategy” must be meaningful and is judged by consumers’ engagement level rather than eyeball impressions. We’ll be helping this client create a meaningful content strategy that should take marketing planning to an even higher return on investment.

Thinking about what content a brand can provide for its consumers is the kind of exercise that leads to best-in-class work like Nike+ or Wrigley’s Candystand. It gets brands to move out of the routine of 3-month initiatives and TV copy, and more into long-term relationships, services, and, well, meaning.