As the hardtracking has endlessly noted, Web publishers are on native advertising like Brown on Williamson.
Example Umpteen (via Digiday):
The Newest in Native: Editorial Reviews Reborn as Ads
This past April, CNET senior editor Jessica Dolcourt reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. Under the headline “The everything phone for (almost) everyone,” the CNET veteran journalist gave the device 4.5/5 stars in a detailed, mostly positive review. She did have reservations about the Galaxy S4’s dim screen and “cheaper look” compared to rivals like the iPhone.
Fast forward eight months: Dolcourt’s review is now part of a new advertising product CNET sold to Samsung, which purchased the right to promote the editorial review through “CNET Replay.” Visitors to CNET yesterday saw a paid promotion of the review on the homepage, in the midst of the site’s “river” of editorial pieces . . .
Sneaky business as usual, yeah? . . .
Read the rest at Sneak Adtack.
Campaign Outsider 