The integration of advertising and editorial content has become increasingly common in media content, with sponsored content and branded content being used as a source of revenue for publications. This blog post will analyse the branded content of Forbes.com, a leading news media publication, and discuss how it raises these issues and highlights the need for greater transparency and regulation of sponsored content.
In the contemporary world, everything seems to be about media and advertising. From the moment we wake up to check our phones when we go to bed to watch TV, media and advertising are everywhere. When you see a piece of financial information, the fund it recommends may be its sponsor; when you see a mobile phone review video, the creator may then be promoting a new Samsung phone; when you search for information on a product, the search engine will list the links and prices of that product on various websites for you.
The integration of news media and advertising should be obvious. But the behavior of much of the media now blurs the line between content and advertising, as content is essentially a form of advertising for sponsors but is presented as objective information.
Integrating news media and advertising raises questions about the regulation of news media. Forbes.com is well-known for its business and finance news and its use of sponsored content to generate revenue. In this case, the sponsored content provides a source of income for the publication and exposure for the branding agency. This type of financing model relies heavily on the use of branded content, which can potentially compromise the publication’s editorial independence and objectivity.
The integration of news media and advertising impacts consumer perceptions. This is an important issue because consumers need to know whether their views are fair and impartial to allow them to make informed decisions about their consumer behavior. However, the sponsored content in this article is not clearly labeled, which has the potential to mislead readers into believing that the content is objective and unbiased. This lack of transparency could harm consumers and erode their trust in the publication and the information it provides.
The combination of news media and advertising also raises questions about the power of brand sponsorship. In this case, branded organizations sponsor content, and their services are the article’s focus. However, it can sometimes create a conflict of interest, as creators may be less likely to criticize the sponsoring brand or its services.
Some skincare brands have allowed influencer to promote their products on platforms such as ins, but we know from some of the revelations that influencers will promote falsely for the brand’s sponsorship money. For example, there have been instances where an influencer poured out an entire bottle of skincare products and then told viewers that she had used it empty to convey how good the product was when she had never used it.
The concept of ‘brand intelligence’ – information presented objectively and unbiasedly but designed to promote a specific brand or product.
Naomi Klein
In the Forbes article, the content appears to be presented objectively, analysing the power of AI technology. However, the content ultimately promotes the sales of the sponsoring brand’s products. This can be seen as a form of ‘brand wisdom’ – information presented objectively and unbiasedly but designed to promote a specific brand or product. This blurs the line between editorial and advertising and raises concerns about manipulating information for commercial purposes.
Indeed, greater transparency and regulation in the use of sponsored content are needed to protect editorial independence and prevent manipulating information for commercial purposes. It is vital that news media publications label sponsored content to ensure that consumers are aware of what they are consuming and can make informed decisions about the information they are reading.