In that situation, The Dallas Morning News accepted a lower bid from Hearst Corp. over a higher offer from private equity firm Alden Global Capital specifically because its ownership trusted Hearst to be a better steward of its brand and its journalism. That is about as clear of an example as you get of how brand reputation can yield tangible, strategic benefits.

Relatedly, it should come as no surprise that all of the publishers running these brand marketing campaigns have the benefit of patient, long-term ownership. The Roberts, Murdochs, and Thomsons control the voting shares in News Corp., NBC parent Comcast, and Reuters, respectively. The others are privately held and controlled by family ownership or trusts, as is the case with The Guardian.

These kinds of ownership models enable publishers to invest in their brands for the long term, with the understanding that these efforts will produce dividends over a multiyear timeline. And while not every publisher can afford to finance these kinds of campaigns, these initiatives underscore their importance and will hopefully inspire similar efforts.

“Maybe a smaller brand will see this and find a version of this that they can do,” Carey said. “Consumers have great awareness of news brands, but sometimes they can use reminders of why that is.”