Simple sentences and phases, on a complex advertising subject about "branded, customized content" and related to terms such as "native advertising," "advertorial, " and others:
- Publishers and the media are chasing revenue.
- Sponsors are creating and approving their own copy, layouts and ads.
- New digital issues for Promotion and advertising:.
- The Internet and the web changed everything.
- The content by the media to readers and users is co-branded.
This "native advertising" or "branded content" is usually designed to look like part of the publication, website, media or app. In my world, right or wrong, it's about ads, user confusion, partners and partnerships of advertisers with the media, clients and their agencies with publishers and the media.
Unfortunately the differentiation and sponsorship of this content, promotion and advertising need to be clear or clearer. There are higher overall production costs for the media, but revenue, in a tough business and media climate, is driving this kind of promotion or advertising for them. Advertisers, publishers, marketing professionals and media pros have many names for this form of promotion, including content marketing, content promotion, sponsored stories, branded content, custom stories, commercial messaging, interruptive advertising, sponsored content, native ads, advertorial (blending advertising and editorial) and native advertising. Take your pick. As a marketing professional, advertising pro and Marketing expert, I’m here to help you by explaining this changing dynamic in creative and advertising.
Regardless of the terms, titles or its name, its advertisers sponsoring or creating content that looks like editorial content, which has become more common in today's marketing and promotional environment. Bottom line: It's a tough time for publishers and they are trying to create more sources or additional areas of revenue. It’s really a tough time for media, especially print. In the Los Angeles and southern California area, it's as if I'm seeing each issue of the
L.A.Times smaller and dying a slow death.
Adweek magazine recently has pointed out these "native advertising" ads are more evolution than revolution. I'm not so sure. Advertorials have always been around. But never under this much examination and review. Specifically for advertisers in digital formats, there are issues of understanding, implementation, possible confusion, scale and the overall ethics of this “native advertising” movement. Everyone should review the “official” and “standard” definitions of advertising. Advertising is mass or nonpersonal selling: TV, radio, magazines, newspaper, outdoor/out-of-home (OOH), online, mobile.
Two of the definitions I use with clients, in state and federal court, and with clients are.
- Advertising is structured and composed of nonpersonal communication of information, usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature, about products (goods, services) and ideas by identified sponsors through various media. (Contemporary Advertising, 14the, Arens, Weigold, Arens, 2013)
- Advertising is any paid form of nonpersonal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor. (Principles of Marketing, 14e, Kotler and Armstrong, 2012).
I teach and consult in marketing and advertising. I am also a forensic Marketing and Advertising expert. Ads can be one of the cost-effective ways to disseminate messages, whether to increase awareness, interest desire or action in the marketplace. Advertising can build a brand preference. Ultimately
"It is only creative if it sells."
The definitions may be changing; the lines between what is
Marketing, what is
Promotion, and what is
Advertising can be defined. I do it every day. These definitions and differentiations may be slightly blurring today. But there needs to be definitions and understanding for a variety of reasons.
Advertising seems to be taking on a different model, than in the past. Communication channels include owned (websites, social pages), earned (word of mouth, social media) and paid media (TV, radio, magazines, newspaper, outdoor/out-of-home (OOH), online, mobile.)
Publishers, brand managers, media buying companies, PR firms and advertising agencies are slowly jumping on this new branded content, sponsored content, advertorial (blending advertising and editorial) and native advertising band wagon. There is debate and debating is definitely going on.
In my background, it is very similar to the advertorials and advertorial content we used in a small percentage of accounts, media planning and assignments in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and later.
I define advertorial, branded content or native advertising as a blend, a mix or combination. There is less of a strict separation between church and state or the editorial content and the advertising content. If advertisers are going to have the opportunity to create these new, unique formats, mixed with unique content for each and every different channel and platform, it's going to be more of a headache for all. It’s a limited execution or advertising device, based on the total budget allocation.
In my mind and from my experience everything will need to be better identified as who is the sponsor or advertiser. I do believe that is what the FTC would want and needs in the media and marketplace. Publications such as
Wired,
Fast Company,
Huffington Post,
Atlantic,
BuzzFeed,
Business Insider and others all use some form of this branded, custom content. A result is a media universe where it is increasingly difficult for readers to possibly differentiate between editorial content, from editorail, promotion and paid advertising content.
From my experiences in advertising agency, clients and teaching advertising/marketing, print for years has run special sections to appeal to advertisers, bring in revenue and almost all of the publishers running branded content say they abide by this traditional church and state or editorial and advertising separation. I'm not sure readers know that. As you may know this “customized content” runs next to the editorial on many sites and publications.
It's not as clear as it could be and should be. I am a Forensic Marketing Expert, Advertising/Marketing consultant with Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC plus I teach Marketing and Advertising. I own a copyright for this concept, the Nine P’s/9 P's ©2007, which augments the Marketing Mix and 4P’s by the American Marketing Association, Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the study and practices of Marketing. It helps identify marketing problems in a number of areas and helps develop marketing's objectives, strategies, tactics and solutions. I consult and teach using the concepts and practices of the
Nine P's/9P's of Marketing.
In the study and practice of Marketing, Marketing and Brand Managers develop plans, strategies and tactics. The Nine P’s include these important components:
- People (Segmentation and Targeting)
- Product
- Place (Distribution)
- Price
- Planning
- Promotion
- Partners
- Presentation
- Passion
