Ethical Concerns Behind Posting Sponsored Content

Hannah Haseman
hh953711@ohio.edu

What is sponsored content?                                                                         

Also known as branded content, “native advertising” or “content marketing,” sponsored content, is as its name suggests, content that is sponsored by an advertiser. Sponsored content allows editorial content to have a way to be paid for while at the same time getting the sponsor’s message out. However, sponsored content creates a gray area in the field of ethics.  Although ASME updated their editorial guidelines for sponsored content, not all are strictly adhering to them.  What’s important is to keep in mind certain elements to consider when it comes to sponsored content.

How is sponsored material presented?                                

The sponsored content needs to be presented to the audience in a way that makes it clear that it is paid for, while at the same time distinguishing that everything the organization publishes is not exclusively paid for propaganda. If readers think this is the case, then the publication will lose some of their audience.

This also presents an issue of mistrust. If the sponsored content is presented in a way that is trying to pass as editorial content so the reader will not be able to tell the difference, then the reader begins to mistrust the publication. They might begin to think everything that is published is some disguised marketing content, as opposed to genuine editorial content.

However, it is important that the publication’s sponsored content reflect its values. The content should not appear to be trying to disguise the fact it’s not editorial content, but it should still “fit in” to the style and theme of the publication. BuzzFeed does sponsored content in just this way. They encourage advertisers to post their content in the same funny, edgy style as BuzzFeed’s other content. BuzzFeed establishes that the content is sponsored, but doesn’t try to “hard sell” it to the reader. It makes sure the content is still similar to the content its consumers are visiting the site for. In one of BuzzFeed’s sponsored pieces, The19 Most Ridiculous Texting Fails, Virgin Mobile presents their content in the same manner and style as BuzzFeed’s general content, without promoting their brand in the content itself. It’s still identified as sponsored content, but it doesn’t try to fool the reader or bombard it with a sales pitch; it tailors to its audience.

Transparency                                                                    

As Virgin Mobile did with its sponsored content on BuzzFeed, establishing the content as sponsored is especially important with it comes to the ethics of sponsored content. It needs to be clear that the content is sponsored, and not shrouded in an editorial mystique. Simply changing the font or layout is not good enough. It needs to be stated in words that the piece is a sponsored one so as not to provide incentive for mistrust. 

BuzzFeed makes it clear who has sponsored the content without making the content itself an advertisement. Photo from BuzzFeed. 

It’s similarly important to allow for reader comments on the sponsored piece. By removing negative comments, it prompts the reader to really feel the content is purely an advertisement and one with an agenda, at that. If the publication’s editorial content does not filter its reader feedback, the advertisement should not as well. Just because it’s bought and paid for content, does not mean it shouldn’t receive both positive and critical feedback.

Sponsored content is ethically tricky for publications to post without creating mistrust with its audience. Publications need to always bear in mind key components when they post sponsored content so the reader does not feel they are being misled or hoodwinked in any way. This will help make the gray area a little more black and white.