Advertorials

An advertorial is any form of paid editorial material that has been written, designed, and executed [Page 26]so as to resemble a news story, editorial, or other content. Advertorials form two broad categories depending on their desired outcome. Political/corporate advertorials are published statements about a controversial issue, pending legislation, or a public affairs initiative. Rather than selling a product or service, political/corporate advertorials seek to persuade the reader or viewer to a certain point of view on a public issue. Consumer advertorials, by contrast, function in a manner similar to paid advertising. These consumer advertorials, frequently referred to as “special advertising sections,” usually include lengthy written copy that conform to the style format for nonpaid editorial content. Consumer advertorials seek to directly sell a product or service, while corporate/political advertorials seek to advance a public relations objective. Both categories of advertorials can take many forms. An advertorial may be a single print or broadcast advertisement or it can be an entire special section of paid advertising designed to approximate the editorial style as well as the typographical look and feel of a newspaper or magazine's editorial content. Text copy and visual images within an advertorial may be created by the advertiser itself, by an advertising agency, or in some rare cases by the editorial staff of the publication. However, the space is sold as an advertisement; and the advertiser, not the editor, has editorial control over both text and images within the space. Most printed advertorials are clearly marked as advertising. Disclaimers may be as simple as the word “Advertisement” printed near the advertorial, or as ambiguous as legal text implying the content is paid advertising. However, some advertorials carry no disclaimer at all. Most print publications allow advertorials with restrictions, and most allow them to have a similar typography and style as their editorial content.