Finnish media usage is one of a kind

February 14, 2024

Here’s how to gain the Finns’ trust with your brand

Finland might look like your average Nordic country, but there are tricks to the way we use media and react to new brands. A little extra effort into marketing in Finland might just turn good results into excellent ones. 

It’s easy to assume one advertising strategy is enough to cover the Nordics as a whole, but we will stop you right there with one question: are you getting the best possible results by tackling big areas at once? 

If your goal is 5% of growth in the Nordics, a little extra focus on Finland could give you 5,2%. The difference between good and excellent lies in that tiny extra push.

We believe taking a closer look at Finland as a market of its own is a decision that will pay off. 

Our clients’ numbers reveal that the same tactics that work in Sweden or Norway might not work here. We’ll give you an example: there was a big international online store that saw good conversion in other Nordic countries, but for some reason, with the same actions, Finland was lagging.

Amplify your reach with offline media

Why is this, then? We see a slight conservatism to the way Finns approach media and buying. Research shows that offline media holds its ground in Finland. Going all digital in Finland might not do the trick, while print media or TV will give your brand and message a nice reach and a more attentive audience. 

In younger generations, the differences compared to other Nordic countries are smaller, but our population pyramid is very top-heavy and traditions sit tight. Of course, this also means we will see big changes in the coming years.

Learn more – download our free, research-based guide to Finnish media usage

Download guide

The biggest factor that makes Finns different from their Nordic counterparts is suspiciousness. For us, it generally takes a little longer to trust new things and offers. Finns like to compare and hear recommendations.

Build trust with localization

When speaking to the Finnish audience, building trust is the key component. This can be done by first getting to know the Finnish market and consumers, then translating and localizing your brand and message to fit the surroundings. 

Finnish is a small language but all the more meaningful to its speakers. Domestic media is exceptionally strong in Finland, and even international TV formats see a surge in popularity when they are done in Finnish, with Finnish participants. Finnish music is highly popular compared to domestic music in other parts of the world. 

Locality, of course, is a global megatrend but it’s especially apt in the case of Finland. Here is a powerful piece of advice: 

Be a boldly international brand that speaks Finnish to your Finnish customers. Apply localization to all other aspects of your brand, too – it’s a big factor for a brand to look like it belongs. Go the extra mile for Finns, and we will reward you with our loyalty. This is what we in Finland call being customer centric!

Nordic, but different – download our guide to Finnish media usage and make the most of your media presence in Finland!

Download guide

Want to talk? Contact us!

   Further Reading

tuomas sinkkonen
July 2, 2025
Video advertising is one of the most effective ways to make an impact. These three research facts gathered by Video Commercial Manager Tuomo Sinkkonen show that the attention value of video advertising in Sanoma’s news media environment beats social media giants.
By Pia Hauskaviita June 26, 2025
The survey results are also good news for advertisers. 75% of Finns say they trust most of the news they follow and 67% believe that most news can be trusted, according to the Digital News Report 2025 survey by the Reuters Institute at Oxford University. In Finland, trust in news has been more common than in other countries throughout the survey's measurement history. High-income and highly educated people are more likely to trust the news than low-income and less educated people. Sanoma's news media reach the majority of Finns on a weekly basis. We have a high-quality, free media and an uncompromising professional ethic. Our news media are respected and Finns typically find their news by visiting directly to mediasites or apps. "For advertisers, this is good news. In addition to reach, a safe media environment also strengthens the message of the ad," says Pia Hauskaviita , Marketing Manager at Sanoma. Finland also has a higher share of people interested in news than most other countries in the comparison. 63% of Finns are very or quite interested in the news. Men (71%) are more interested in news than women (56%). The share of people with a high level of education and high income who are interested in news is also higher than average. Finns want to be up to date on current events. They also enjoy the news for a long time. For example, our biggest news paper, Helsingin Sanomat, is read for about an hour a day on average. "For advertisers, this means that advertising also gets more attention. Reading and browsing the news media is slower and more concentrated than on social media," says Hauskaviita. In most of the countries surveyed, text has remained the most popular form of online news presentation. This is particularly the case in Finland, where people are far more likely to read online news than to watch or listen to it than in other countries. On the other hand, Finland is the only country in the comparison where news videos are more typically viewed on news sites than on social media. "The video format in news media is therefore a great choice for advertisers. When you use the Katselutakuuvideo (viewing guaranteed -video), we promise that your video ad will be watched until the end and you will only pay for the final views," Hauskaviita sums up. The Reuters Digital News Report compares news consumption in 48 countries. The data is based on a survey of around 2,000 respondents in each country. The survey is conducted annually and Finland has been participating since 2014. The report is funded by the Media Research Foundation. This year's survey was conducted in January and February as an online survey by the YouGov research institute. Read more about how Juustoportti’s bold and colourful video advertising stopped thumbs in Sanoma’s news media.
juustoportti
June 13, 2025
Dairy company Juustoportti’s eye-catching campaign boosted the launch of their new protein products. Outstream video advertising in popular news media is a perfect match for a TV campaign and a productive next step after focusing on social media.
May 27, 2025
Kia’s front-page advertisements have resulted in plenty of earned media and boosted their brand as a forerunner in electric cars. Helsingin Sanomat, a trusted icon of Finnish media, lends both visibility and reliability to advertising on its pages.
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