I was pleased that PRSA released the latest ethical standards advisory on native advertising and sponsored content this month. After having worked on the issue for nearly nine months, it was an important baby in my career.
It was truly a cross-coastal effort between my colleagues George Johnson, APR, PRSA Fellow, who hails from South Carolina and Nance Larsen, APR, PRSA Fellow from Alaska, and I. We pulled together some cohesive industry guidance on this controversial tactic. To get some background on the issue, you can check out the article I wrote for the September issue of Tactics (PRSA’s monthly industry news tabloid).
I also had the honor of speaking to PRSA’s Alaska chapter on Monday about the issue. In my talk, we discussed the history of native advertising and sponsored content (it’s far from new – remember Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom?), who’s doing it, who’s doing it well, and who…frankly may have some opportunities for improvement. I had a great time (thanks for the hospitality!) even though my time in the great white north was far too short.
It will be interesting to see how the tool evolves, especially in today’s constantly evolving digital (and mobile) publication environments. In the end, when we partner with media outlets, PR pros need to work to ensure the sponsors of paid content are clearly disclosed and are readily visible to the reader. From a best practices standpoint, we should also ensure the content we’re paying for (whether we’re the one writing it or the outlet’s writers are authoring) matches of the quality of the rest of the publication’s content. When we deliver great storytelling with appropriate sponsor disclosure, we support our audience’s desire for quality data to aid in informed decisionmaking.
In the end, when we approach any tactic, whether it’s a press conference, a Twitter campaign, or a community meeting (to name a few), with the guidance of PRSA’s Code of Ethics, we all win. Our clients and their stakeholders have stronger relationships. We increase trust and faith in the media and our industry. We all win.
Nancy Syzdek, APR 