Stock and Flow: The Key to Balanced Advertising Content.
In today’s saturated digital landscape, brands are constantly looking for ways to stay top of mind without overwhelming their audiences. One of the most enduring and strategic principles for managing content comes from Ogilvy & Mather: the idea of stock and flow. While it’s often attributed to the world of digital publishing, Ogilvy & Mather applied this concept masterfully to advertising content long before it became a buzzword in content marketing.
What Is Stock and Flow?
Originally popularized in media circles by Robin Sloan, the "stock and flow" model breaks content into two types:
Stock is the durable content that remains valuable over time. It’s the brand film, the manifesto, the evergreen explainer video—content that tells your brand story, captures your core message, and can be reused and repurposed.
Flow is the steady stream of content that keeps the brand relevant and in the conversation. This includes social media posts, stories, behind-the-scenes clips, trending memes, and real-time responses.
Ogilvy & Mather understood the importance of both. They recognized that great advertising wasn’t just about one brilliant campaign—it was about sustained storytelling, where a brand builds long-term equity (stock) while remaining culturally aware and present (flow).
Why This Matters for Advertisers
Many brands fall into the trap of over-investing in either stock or flow. A company might spend a massive budget on a cinematic brand anthem but then go silent for months. Conversely, some brands pump out endless social content without ever articulating a clear, differentiated brand story.
The genius of Ogilvy’s thinking is in striking the balance. Stock content gives flow content weight. Flow content gives stock content reach.
A timeless example is Dove’s "Real Beauty" campaign. The core idea (stock) was expressed through beautifully crafted TV commercials, print ads, and case studies. But Dove also kept the conversation alive through a constant flow of user-generated content, real-time conversations on social media, and collaborations with influencers and nonprofits.
Applying Stock and Flow to Your Brand
For modern advertisers—especially those working with limited budgets—stock and flow is a strategic way to plan content creation.
Start with Stock
Define your brand’s voice, values, and visual identity. Create core assets that express who you are. This might include:A brand video or explainer
A customer success story
A high-quality product demo
A blog or whitepaper on your brand philosophy
Support with Flow
Once your stock is in place, feed your audience a steady diet of timely, lightweight content. Think:Instagram reels showcasing team culture
Quick behind-the-scenes videos
Timely responses to trends or news
Customer shoutouts or testimonials
Let Stock Inform Flow
Your flow content should always point back to your stock. A tweet should hint at your brand story. A TikTok should be infused with your values. This consistency reinforces trust and recall.Measure and Adapt
Use data to understand which stock content drives conversions or builds awareness. Use engagement metrics to see what kind of flow content resonates. Adjust accordingly while staying true to your brand DNA.
Final Thoughts
Ogilvy & Mather’s brilliance was in treating advertising not just as a creative endeavor, but as a system of consistent communication. In an era of content overload, brands that understand and apply the stock and flow principle will cut through the noise—not by shouting louder, but by speaking more clearly, more consistently, and more meaningfully.
The lesson is simple: create content that lasts, and content that moves. Invest in both stock and flow—and your audience will follow.
