Back to Markets
Stocks● Neutral
Forbes Hungary's Content Lab Outperforms Editorial
Forbes Hungary's native ad unit, the Content Lab, produces articles that sometimes beat editorial in readership. The lab's three-tier model guarantees homepage placement and views, attracting repeat clients.
Continue with
A sponsored article recently became the most-read piece on forbes.hu. The topic was a hot-button issue. Readers consumed it as journalism, not advertising. The article came from the Forbes Content Lab, the native advertising unit Budavári Dóra has built over the past 13 years.
Dóra started in 2013 with a cold email to the founding editor. She wanted to write stories. The editor offered a choice: stay on the editorial side or build a branded content operation. She chose the latter. "If the storytelling remained, my heart would not hurt so much to leave the newsroom," she said.
The lab operates as a separate team. Journalists and photographers produce sponsored content that looks and reads like the magazine's own work. A clear "supported by" label marks every piece. The model is unusual in Hungary. Most publishers let the same writers handle both editorial and PR work. Forbes built a wall between them.
Dóra's background explains the approach. She started as a copywriter, then edited WeLoveBalaton, a lifestyle site. She launched projects like Balaton Camino, a hiking trail, and Taste Balaton, a food festival. Each one blended storytelling with commercial goals. The Content Lab does the same at scale.