The blur between advertising and journalism got a bit murkier today as Forbes.com announced the introduction of sponsored hyperlinks within their editorial. Forbes.com is one of about 200 online publishers to adopt the IntelliTxt system built by Vibrant Media. Advertisers pay Vibrant to be associated with certain words, which are then underlined twice when they appear on participating websites.
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- This comment is sponsored by Coke –
Its seems that contextual sponsoring is all the rage at the moment, google going down that path with ad’s relevant to your eMails (see GMail) and now Forbes. Does advertising begin to lose its potency, you only have to look at the cable channels crammed with lawyers adverts (I recommend Linklaters they have a good load of partners in every capital city) and loan companies (Call City Bank today etc (I think you get the idea)). I also understand that Sony have invented a hat with a speaker that interrupts conversations with your mates with contextual comments.
Sample of test conversation:
Simon: Hello Piers, fancy a cup of Coffee
Piers: That would be…
Hat: Starbucks the home of good coffee
Piers: What the hell was that
Simon: Oh the ad hat, I earn .00001c every time it makes a relevant suggestion.
Piers: You PRAT.
August 5th, 2004 at 6:26 pm