This page explains how Stadtlogik handles sponsored content — what it is, how you can recognise it, and how we ensure it never compromises our editorial independence. If you are a potential partner or a curious reader, you will find everything you need here.
What is sponsored content and how is it labelled?
Sponsored content is material that has been paid for by an external advertiser or partner. At Stadtlogik, every piece of sponsored content is clearly and prominently labelled as “Sponsored”, “Anzeige” or “Partner Content” at the top of the article, so you can distinguish it immediately from our independent journalism.
The label appears both on the article list page (in the headline area) and at the beginning of the article itself. In addition, the sponsoring organisation is named. This policy applies to all formats — text articles, infographics, videos and newsletters. Readers are never left guessing whether a piece is editorial or commercial.
How does sponsored content differ from affiliate links?
Affiliate links are a separate commercial mechanism: we may earn a small commission when you purchase a product through a link in an article. Unlike sponsored content, affiliate links do not involve a payment for the article itself, and they never influence the editorial judgement of our writers or editors.
Affiliate links are disclosed per our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure. Sponsored content, by contrast, is a full article produced in collaboration with a sponsor, and it carries the explicit label described above. A single article will never mix the two — if a piece is sponsored, no affiliate links appear in it.
How do we maintain editorial independence with sponsored content?
Our editorial team, led by Chefredaktör Simon Schwarz, makes all editorial decisions independently. Sponsors never see articles before publication, never request changes to editorial content, and never have a say in the conclusions we draw. Commercial partnerships are handled by a separate sales team under Stadtlogik Media Ltd.
We have a strict firewall between the newsroom and commercial departments. Sponsored content proposals are reviewed by the editorial team to ensure they meet our ethical and factual standards, but the final approval lies with the editor-in-chief. No commercial relationship can determine or alter our editorial conclusions. For the full principles, see our Editorial Policy.
How this works in practice
Imagine a Swedish tourism board wants to promote sustainable travel in Stockholm. They commission a sponsored article about eco-friendly hotels and local food markets. The article is drafted by our Wirtschaftreporter Eva Martin, reviewed by Redaktionschef Katrin Kaiser, and fact-checked by Daniela Sauer’s team. It is clearly labelled “Sponsored” at the top. The tourism board pays for the placement but cannot influence the content — Eva remains free to include honest pros and cons. The article does not contain affiliate links, and readers know exactly who paid for it.
This example shows how we combine commercial revenue with ethical safeguards. Every sponsored piece follows the same process. If you have a proposal, please contact our commercial team via sponsored@stadtlogik.de.
Who is responsible for this policy?
Stadtlogik is owned and operated by Stadtlogik Media Ltd., a private company registered in Gibraltar under company number C 92009. The registered office is at Office 9, Business Centre, Valletta, 0000. The policy is overseen by Chefredaktör Simon Schwarz, who is ultimately responsible for all editorial standards, including sponsored content. Our full ownership and funding structure is detailed on the Ownership & Funding page.
Any reader or partner who believes a sponsored piece has not been correctly labelled, or that editorial independence has been compromised, is encouraged to contact our complaints team at complaints@stadtlogik.de or via the Contact page.
In short
Sponsored content at Stadtlogik is always clearly labelled, never mixed with affiliate links, and never allowed to influence our editorial independence. Our commercial and editorial teams operate separately, and every piece is subject to the same rigorous human review as our regular journalism.