The Guardian’s ‘Not For Sale’ campaign highlights it’s editorial freedom

The Guardian’s new campaign titled ‘Not For Sale’ emphasises the newspaper’s editorial freedom and independence. The campaign illustrates the diverse reactions of its audience—ranging from love to disdain sharing—while emphasising that these reactions remain uncontrolled. The Guardian attributes this freedom to its status as a publicly funded platform, firmly asserting that it is not 'owned' by any individual or entity.

The campaign was created by Lucky Generals and directed by New York-based duo Rubberband. Apart from the film, the campaign also includes out-of-home (OOH) posters, newsletters, print and social media with a focus on the UK and European markets. 

The campaign comes in line with the newspaper’s ‘ new three-year strategy’  aiming to become more global and more digital, with more paying supporters and producing more world-class journalism. The campaign aims to strengthen the Guardian’s reader-funded model that helps to keep Guardian journalism independent, says the company.

This campaign is a strategic shift aligned with a broader trend in the news industry, where both international and homegrown organisations are increasingly pivoting toward subscription-based models. Traditionally reliant on advertising revenue, the news industry is now witnessing a surge in popularity for subscription-led approaches, fueled by the growth of digital payment platforms. According to the EY FICCI ME 2022 report,  news subscriptions reached around Rs 90 crore. 

HT Media, The Hindu, The News Minute, and Newslaundry are some of the publications that have taken the subscription route in India.