Native, branded content, advertorial, call it what you like – advertising is changing.
When’s the last time you clicked on a banner ad? You’re not alone.
Ads as we know them are broken. Punters are ignoring them (don’t get me started on adblockers). It’s hurting publications big and small, and advertisers are looking for new ways to get in front of people.
My confession
Native advertising (a truly horrible word) has been lauded as something of a solution. Put simply, it allows advertisers to place their content alongside the everyday news stories you know and love.
Read more: What the heck is… native advertising?
I have a confession to make.
Like many from the editorial world, I’ve had my reservations about native. I worried that it smashed down the walls between commercial and editorial – something that’s seen as sacred to many journalists.
In public I’ve made my feelings clear. “It’s like putting lipstick on a pig” I once said to an audience at a tech PR event.
Can we all stop saying "native advertising". Gaaaargh
— Alex Wood (@alexwoodcreates) October 14, 2015
Now, I have to admit I was wrong.
Don’t mislead readers
Advertorial – content that’s written and placed by advertisers in magazines – is something we’re all familiar with. You’ll recognise it when you see “Advertisement feature” or similar at the top of the page and usually you’ll find a different design and layout.
Native advertising (or branded content, another bizarre term) shares a lot of similarities, except the content is created by writers from the publication, not the advertiser. Editorial writers can do what they do best – match the tone of voice and expectations of the audience they know so well – and therefore make ‘more engaging’ content that helps the brand get its message across.
For some that’s a step too far. But for me there was a much greater problem – making it clear to readers when an advert is an advert.
When it’s not clear, things can quickly turn sour. BuzzFeed recently encountered the wrath of advertising regulators for misleading readers with advertising wrapped up as their own content as seen in this example:

What might look like yet another list article with witty banter for millennials is actually soft sell for laundry products including this ‘subtle’ line:
“It’s at times like these we are thankful that Dylon Colour Catcher is there to save us from ourselves. You lose, little red sock!”
Adverts should be brilliant
This is where I was wrong. Advertising can, and needs to be, brilliant as long as everybody is clear what it is they’re consuming.
If you’re a regular podcast listener you’ll have heard more and more adverts for the likes of Squarespace, MailChimp and more.
What’s changed recently is the quality of the ads. Gone are the days of cheesy infomercial style announcements, replaced with crafted stories, often with case studies of how their customers actually use the product. Gimlet Media, the makers of the hugely popular StartUp podcast, are a great example of how do this right.
But here’s the thing – Gimlet have also worked hard to make it absolutely clear when you are listening to an ad message with distinctive changes in background music and more. Listeners I’ve spoken to actually love the ads, they don’t skip ahead and they’re under no illusions that the slots are paid for adverts.
Content is still king
The same is possible on the web. The tide is turning and you’re going to see more “content advertising” (call it what you like) instead of banner ads, including on The Memo. But if it’s done well and clearly marked, it’s a win-win for all.
Recently I met with a Native Advertising company called Sharethrough, who won me over. They want to offer advertisers a new way to get their message across to readers, but they want to do it in a way that doesn’t leave readers feeling like they’ve been tricked.
We’ll be rolling out native advertising campaigns from our advertisers later this month and, in my role as editor, I’m determined to make them both interesting and clearly-marked sponsored content.
I was wrong to call it ‘lipstick on a pig’. Like any new format, native advertising is finding its feet and both readers and advertisers are learning to adjust to it.
It all comes back to content.
The cliche still stands – content is king, whether its editorial or paid for. Mark it clearly and everybody wins.
For more unicorns, cats and cultural imperialism, read Alex’s Agenda.
The post Why I was wrong about ‘Native Advertising’ appeared first on The Memo.