An advertorial is an advertisement in the form of an authored article, news or journalistic material. The word "advertorial" comes from two English words, «advertisement» and «editorial». Advertorials are considered one type of native advertising. They are most commonly found in print or online media, where an article is published that cautiously mentions a particular company. However, they can also be seen on television, radio, and with bloggers.
Advertorials are used to achieve several objectives:
- to present the company in a favorable light to readers;
- to promote the advertiser;
- to enhance the company's reputation by mentioning it in respected media outlets;
- to inform the audience of changes in the company or the introduction of a new product.
It is difficult to distinguish an advertorial from regular content if it is not appropriately labeled, such as not indicating that it is partner content. For this reason, some people criticize this type of advertising, considering it unethical and misleading to media audiences. A typical example of an advertorial is material based on a company's story, such as a report on what is happening in the market from the company's perspective and how they operate. Such materials do not include a call to action or aggressive advertising displays, but they are aimed at publicly promoting the company in a positive light.
The primary goal of the author who creates an advertorial is to make the material stylistically similar to other content presented in the media. Advertorials do not add overt praise that is not substantiated. Authors write these texts in a restrained manner, attempting to provide a personal assessment with a more positive slant. Thus, readers should form their impressions of the company and make decisions about future interactions with it.
