Commentary

How's your "wall" doing? Could you use a decorator?

In many publications, the "wall" between advertising and editorial is crumbling, if not disappearing -- according to critics.

Speaking at OMMA Native, moderator Rick Kurnit, president/partner of Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, says to help keep stuff seperate -- from a legal point of view --  there need to be less communication. For example, he advises clients there should no emails between advertising and editorial staffers.

Concerning native advertising/sponsored content, Ellie Boragine, advertising and commercial counsel of JetBlue Airways. “This is not about legal or technical compliance. It’s about respecting our customers. Would they feel there is a disrepectful?”

“There a desire to be transparent” says Rebecca Sanchueza, deputy general counsel for Time Inc, when it comes to native advertising or sponsored content. “There can be really good intentions.” It comes down to execution, she says. For example there should be ‘no bleed over” between advertising and editorial. Also stories/content should be “properly slugged.”

Still, she notes there are lots of muddy areas. For example, a link on a piece of native advertising might take a user to an editorial area.

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