A survey by PRWeek and Manning Selvage & Lee found that nearly 50% of marketing executives say they have paid for an editorial placement in print or online.
It’s interesting to see how the media has played this story. BtoB Magazine scolded the editors, declaring that the survey indicates editorial credibility as ”in tatters.” MediaBuyerPlanner played it down the middle, pointing out that most consumers don’t believe what they read, anyway. The top guy at Manning Selvage & Lee blamed both sides, pointing out that marketers should never pay for placement, but publishers shouldn’t offer it, either.
My own take is that the survey results are more damning for marketers than for the journalism profession. The fact that half of the top marketers surveyed had actually gone and paid for editorial coverage indicates an overall low ethical standard among that group. Of course, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. I can’t tell you how many times, in my years of editorial and business management, I’ve heard marketers threaten to pull sponsorships unless they got ink or stage time. I generally chalk this up to naiveté, but maybe there’s more of an entitlement culture there than I wanted to believe.
The survey has one major flaw. It doesn’t specify a timeframe. It simply asks if the executive has ever paid for the media placement. So a purchased article 20 years ago is the same as one from last week. It would be more interesting to see the same survey repeated every year or two so that a trend could be observed.
The survey also apparently didn’t go into detail about where these editorial placements were purchased. The reality is that some small trade journals and local newspapers have accepted paid placements for many years. But as far as this research is concerned, The New York Times is the same as the Podunk Advertiser.
I’m not minimizing the the fact that there’s a problem here. I have clearly noticed more of an entitlement attitude among marketers in recent years, and the reason they act that way is because it works. There was a time when the American Society Of Magazine Editors guidelines were closely observed by most journals. Now, I routinely see ”advertorials” in very reputable publications that are almost indistinguishable from editorial content. The publishers and marketers are winning the war with the editors and we will all be losers for that.
I have given up on most US editorials. I love my country, and I don’t need to be insulted by those who are holier than thou! Funny, isn’t it? That’s what they think of me.
Not right of the bat, because they could never tell by talking to me. Yet when they find out what political party I belong to, whoa! (R) You could hear a pin drop. lol.
Great survey, and great article. Greg and Kevin pointed me in your direction (Pundit Review). I wish many great successes for you.
Pundit Review is a great site, though I don’t agree with their politics. They are passionate, though, and that’s what counts. Thanks for the comment!
Hey, P, don’t knock advertorials! It’s what keeps Custom Publishing groups rolling in the print space (I know how much you love the word “space”). And I actually like my job. 😉 That being said, it’s editors’ jobs not to make the advertorials look like editorial content. So shame on the editors who let that line fade to white.