Native Advertisement is Intentionally Deceptive

Bo Kuhn

bk135717@ohio.edu

Advertising, the idea, has been around for as long as humans have had commerce. Advertising, the industry, is much newer than that and is concerned only with selling more products by any means necessary. Companies will do whatever they have to in order to increase their profit margins, and one easy way they can do that is Native Advertising.

Native Advertising is essentially an advertisement, typically on a media platform of some kind, which is disguised as a typical piece of content one might expect to see from said outlet, except they are getting paid to create it, just like any other advertisement. Here's where this gets dicey: If people are advertised to unknowingly, it undermines the trust relationship between the person and the platform they're being advertised to on. 

Picture source: https://contently.com/2015/09/08/article-or-ad-when-it-comes-to-native-no-one-knows/

Almost 50 percent of people have at some point felt deceived by advertisements, according to Content Strategist. This creates the distrust for platforms I mentioned earlier because consumers hate to feel deceived. The gamble here made by advertisers is that people will fall into the other 50 percent outlined on this graph: those who think they haven't or don't know. The simple fact is that everyone has been deceived by marketing, so thinking you haven't handed the power to corporations to continue deceiving you to make money off of your deception.

An example of deception in native advertising would be back in 2014 when a now-infamous YouTube personality named PewDiePie made a video of him playing a new game called Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. This is typical content for PewDiePie, but in reality, he was paid to play the game by its publisher, Warner Brothers and they didn't disclose that fact within the video itself or in an otherwise obvious way, and the FTC intervened. The key to the FTC's case was that the disclosure that the video was in fact paid advertisement was hidden in the video's description box, which many viewers don't even see, let alone open and read its contents. This constituted a failure to properly disclose that the video was a paid advertisement, and the FTC ruled that native video advertisement must contain a disclaimer.

I would argue that this is in fact the logical conclusion of Native Advertising and the mission of Advertising in general. In order to maximize your profits, deception is necessary and native advertising is a way to do that, while also making the minimal effort to maintain the relationship between consumers and platforms, or in PewDiePie's case, too minimal an effort.

Social media brand deals and influencers

Leah Lindemann

ll456717@gmail.com

When scrolling on Instagram, it can be difficult to tell what a sponsored post is and what is a genuine post. No influencer is able to rave about a product without followers believing that the post is a sponsored brand deal. 

In today's day and age, the job of an influencer is the new rave. Anyone could become an influencer if you have a large following and are interesting enough to be the main topic of a conversation. Influencers can make up to thousands and thousands of dollars for talking about a brand or product on their Instagram but honestly how effective is the post towards their followers. 

Speaking for myself, if I see an influencer post on Instagram and see the word #sponsored, I will scroll past without a second thought.  There is this reputation that an influencer will only talk about a product as long as they are getting paid to do it. Yet, that is a part of their job and they get paid no matter how effective their post is for their followers. For example, if an influencer post about a product, how many of the influencer's followers will make a move to buy the products solely because the influencer told them to. 

Picture source: Influencer Picture

In an article by Paige Cooper, it states, "92% of Instagram users say they've followed a brand, clicked on their website, or made a purchase after seeing a products/service on the platform,"

If a person that has a high amount of fame and followers' states that a brand or product is amazing, then their followers will be influenced to use that brand or product. For example, if a makeup artist with a high following like James Charles states that a product is a must-have then lesser-known makeup artists who look up to James will take his word that the product is a must-have. Influencers will develop a relationship with their followers who will believe anything that they say or promote, even sponsored content.  

A perfect example of a brand taking off due to social media influencers is Sugar Bear Hair. If you own an Instagram and are female,  this company was all over everyone's feed due to influencers constantly posting about them a few years ago, specifically Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner. The Kardashians are some of the most famous people on the market right now and the trendiest. They are the type of influencers where if they state a product is life-changing, followers will believe them. 

The Kardashians were some of the first well-known celebrities who became a part of sponsored posts and Sugar Bear Hair was one of the first brands to sponsor posts made by influencers. 

In an article by Grace Tao, she states, "Indeed Sugar Bear Hair is the OG of influencer marketing on Instagram, dating the debut of its first sponsorship posts back in 2016,". 

Instagram used to be the place where any regular person could post whatever picture they wanted to connect with friends. Now Instagram is full of influencers posting sponsored content. Any user is still able to post what they want but since there is so much outside social pressure from influencers, it's essential to post the perfect picture or else you won't get enough likes or attention.

Some may disagree with the drastic change of social media and its sponsored content, but with the digital age in full swing this is the new normal for advertising. Maybe one day, you too could be an influencer promoting gummy vitamins or become a well-known makeup artist posting sponsored content.

Children and The Effects of Gambling in Video Games

Ryan Burg

rb620917@ohio.edu

 

Video games have been evolving for years. From Pac-Man to Fortnite there have been many changes throughout the video game industry. When I first started playing, if I wanted to play a video game with my friends I would have to invite them over to do so. Nowadays, kids can have the opportunity to play online with each other whenever they want to.

With video games evolving, they are also getting a lot more competitive. There are a couple of different ways you can play online video games, either casually or competitively. Those who want to play it casually play it for pleasure and the pure enjoyment of the game. Competitive players battle online opponents for top rank spots in the game. 

With all of this in mind, a lot of games now give the option for the player to spend money to get an advantage on their opponents such as "packs" or "boxes" that can hold rare items in the game. With that being said, you don't always get what you're bargaining for. 

For example, games such as FIFA and Madden allow you to spend real money for in-game income like, for example, coins to buy packs or boxes. Companies can also grab your attention when they have holiday-themed packs for new items in the game. So you know if you don't have it, someone else will.

Card packs or boxes are usually portrayed to have the rare items in them by showing off the players they can earn on the packs or boxes themselves, but it's always a smaller percentage of getting that specific item. They have a larger chance of getting a more common item that isn't worth the purchase that they're spending. This can cause kids to keep trying in getting the item by continuously gamble in getting the rare item buying the pack until they get it. This can really affect children to try and gamble to get the best item without them even knowing it.

According to the British Broadcasting Company in 2019, "Four children spent nearly £550 in three weeks buying player packs to play the FIFA football video game online on the family's Nintendo Switch console."

Picture source: The Conversation 

A big influence on encouraging these antics for young children is specifically YouTubers. Many video game lovers want to start their gaming platform somewhere and it's usually on the huge platform of YouTube. There are many YouTubers out there that play competitively on these games so they try their best to win and entertain. One part of their entertainment is also when they buy packs. If there is a new item in the game, people want to see it be used and sometimes they don't want to make the payments for it and rather watch someone else try to win it and use it instead. On the other hand, it can also encourage other kids to try and win the item as well because they see how cool and popular it is in the game.

There are also YouTubers out there that have sponsors on their channels that help encourage gamers to buy coins from their sponsors instead so they can make revenue. They'll usually have it at the beginning of the video as well, so new viewers will most likely watch it.

According to Business Insider "On Thursday, the House of Lords published a report on the harms of gambling, which found that in the UK there are 55,000 problem gamblers aged between 11 and 15."

They know that they have a broad audience to make money off of, but what they don't realize is that they are causing kids to gamble their money just so they can have fun and compete in the game.

Restrictions on native advertising need to be increased

Ben Lindner

benjamincharleslindner@gmail.com

Native advertising has received some restrictions. The current restrictions require posts to be clearly labeled, allow comments and also have "what's this" bars that provide more information. However, these restrictions are not enough.

Native advertising is still hard for most consumers to identify. There are so many different ways and places in which native ads can appear that they can look just like regular editorial stories. While native ads aren't inherently bad, making it indistinguishable for a regular story is. These ads have to do more to make it clear to readers what kind of content they are looking at.

A lack of ability to identify native ads is a big problem. It could lead to many readers being influenced by ads they may not have otherwise been influenced by, simply because it took the form of an ad style they were not used to. This could, in turn, lead to an increased distrust for media outlets that use native advertising. There is already a great deal of distrust in media, and confusion around native ads would only add to such distrust.

If native advertising is potentially harmful, it begs the question: What can be done about it? One way to limit the danger of native ads is to require specific verbiage when it comes to identifying native advertising. Currently, sites use phrases such as "in partnership with" or "sponsored" or by simply putting a logo. This needs to be standardized so readers can identify native ads. One suggestion for this standardization is that the site be required to use the word "advertisement," making it abundantly clear what it is. 

This Buzzfeed ad from Samsung is labeled as a "Buzzfeed partner" - Picture source: neilpatel.com

Another way to make native advertising a lot easier to recognize is by making a change in formatting. One way to do this would be to use different fonts or colors. Another, even easier way to make this clear is to take a page out of the playbook of Quartz. They feature a prominent disclosure at the end of the article identifying it as an advertisement. It is not acceptable to simply have a small bit of text at the beginning of the article. With multiple prominent displays, these ads will be more easily identified.

Native advertisements aren't going anywhere. They are extremely beneficial to both the advertiser and the site they are advertising on. This is clear from the huge amounts of money that is being spent on native advertising. With that being the case, it is important that consumers of media are aware of native advertisements and the potential dangers they represent. By tightening the restrictions on native ads, this distinction will be much easier for everyone.

Brand image and how advertisements can affect it

Fallon Howard 

Fallon.j.howard13@gmail.com 

    

Have you ever wondered how people and companies create a brand image for themselves? You are your own brand, believe it or not, and you have your own image that you create for people to perceive about you. Brand image is the current view of the customers about a brand. It can be defined as a unique bundle of associations within the minds of target customers.

There are main topics discussed, which include the difference between brand advertising and direct response advertising. This idea displayed in the article, What is Brand Advertising and Why should you use it? mentions that "direct response ads which include most but not all forms of digital advertising allow advertisers to easily track and measure the performance of their campaigns with links unique phone numbers, app installs, coupon codes, and more. This quote accurately describes my point that most companies are looking to just grab your attention first and then finding out later that the product is not what you thought it was. Having that intent going into purchasing a product can alter your perception of that particular brand after the fact. 

Picture source: shutterstock.com

   

This idea displayed in this article Brand Image mentions that " the idea behind brand image is that the consumer is not purchasing just the product/service but also the image associated with that product/service. Brand images should be positively unique and instant. Brand images can be strengthened using brand communications like advertising, packaging, word of mouth publicity other promotional tools." This quote accurately describes my point that some people have different perceptions about what a brand is supposed to model and why promotional tools are needed to give good or bad publicity.

Advertisements are misleading because some companies only care about their image and the ratings they receive for the content that they produce. Ads, promotional tools, and branding can help influence a consumer's decision, which is heavily factored by what celebrities do or sponsor a certain ad or product.  It's important to create your own brand and not let outside factors influence you.  Furthermore, some companies use their image as a way to target consumers and make them believe what "they want to hear." 

All of these factors play a big role in the decisions we make daily. For example, people will jump at a deal that's $4.99, but if it's $5.00, there is a trend that people tend to steer away because of the idea that it seems "more expensive."  It's more ethical for companies to be their true authentic selves than selling false hope. Consumers will trust the realness of your company and what you're marketing if you give them the real thing. Protect your brand and yourself at all times as you are a reflection of what others view you as.

Native Advertising and What to Watch Out For

Makenna Goad

makennagoad14@gmail.com

Native advertising––the use of paid ads that match the look, feel and function of the media format in which they appear. Advertisements hidden with the media we consume everyday; whether it be magazines, newspapers, or even social media. Disguised as multiple mediums, these ads can be misleading to the public and are a major target of ethical concern. 

It is important for consumers of media to understand what native advertising is and its telltale signs. In order to avoid being misled, consumers need to be advocates for themselves and become aware of how native advertisements operate.

According to Outbrain, native advertising often presents itself in the form of "in feed ads", advertisements that pop up when scrolling through social media feeds, search and promoted listings, ad listings at the top of Google search results or in side bars, and content recommendations, recommended articles that appear below articles that the consumer has just read. 

Native advertising can also present itself in the form of paid blog posts, display ads, and widget recommendations. 

Picture source: Paldesk

Ethically, native advertising's ability to almost seamlessly blend in with the content surrounding it raises  concern. By giving consumers the opportunity to be misled, transparency is being compromised. Consumers are often misled because of a lack of disclosure about sponsored content. 

The FTC has guidelines in place that promotes the ethical practice of native advertising. Under FTC law, advertisers are responsible for ensuring that native ads are identifiable as advertising before consumers arrive at the main advertising page. Disclosures should be in clear and unambiguous language, as close as possible to the native ads in which they relate, in a font and color that's easy to read,  and in a shade that stands out against the background. For video ads, disclosures must be on the screen long enough to be noticed, read, and understood, and for audio disclosures, they must be read at a cadence that's easy for consumers to follow and in words consumers will understand. 

By understanding how native advertisements are presented, consumers have a fair chance at distinguishing between authentic and sponsored content. Advertisers have an obligation to promote their clients, but they must also understand that in doing so, they can harm consumers which would in turn harm their client. By simply disclosing that content is sponsored or promoted, consumers retain their independence and are able to decide if the promoted products or information are worth their time. 

Native advertising, although ethically challenging, continues to be a primary and effective means of promotion. The best thing consumers can do is make themselves aware of such a tactic and devise their own opinions in relation to the products, services, or experiences advertised. 

Buzzfeed's Use of Native Advertising

Megan Gordin

mg525717@ohio.edu

Native advertising has become increasingly popular with the rise in digital media content. Native advertisements are ads that are designed to look very similar to the news or media content on a site, making it hard for readers and consumers to distinguish the difference between the advertisement and the site's created content. 

A prime example of a popular media company that uses native advertising is Buzzfeed. This article from the Native Advertising Institute shows ten examples of Buzzfeed using native advertising within the last seven years, promoting companies such as Hot Wheels, Volkswagen and Bud Light. Native advertisements on Buzzfeed's website have taken the form of Buzzfeed's infamous listicles, quizzes, articles, and even recipe videos. If not distinguished as native advertising, this branded content could easily be mistaken for regular unsponsored Buzzfeed content. 

Is this content ethical? Let's look at some specific examples. This Buzzfeed listicle about sunbathing from 2015 served as native advertising for Cancer Research UK. While it is specified that Cancer Research UK is the "brand publisher," would everyday Buzzfeed readers understand that this is native advertising? According to the Federal Trade Commission's "Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses," deceptive advertising practices should be avoided and native advertisements should be fully and clearly disclosed. Buzzfeed could have been a bit more transparent and clear about the fact that this was native advertising, but it was indicated that the article had some connection to Cancer Research UK and was clearly marked as a "paid post."

Photo source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedmarketing/amex-canada-success-story?b=1

Another example of Buzzfeed native advertising is this American Express Canada and Buzzfeed collaboration from 2018.  Buzzfeed worked with American Express Canada to promote American Express's new Cobalt Card. They promoted the new Cobalt Card, which is designed for young, on-the-go professionals, by creating content about traveling, food, and other content targeted toward millennial, all in partnership with American Express Canada. Buzzfeed is much more transparent about its ties to American Express Canada in the project brief, which highlights its goals, objectives, and results of working to promote the American Express Cobalt Card. The initial visual, shown above, clearly indicates a partnership between Buzzfeed and American Express Canada, and the article is marked as a "paid post."

Overall, in order to gain and maintain readers' trust, media companies must be fully transparent and truthful about its uses of native advertising. If not, it can be tricky for readers to tell the difference. As ethical advertisers and strategic communication journalists, we have to keep this and our readers in mind when creating or sharing native advertisements.