One Fifth Of Marketers Buy Advertising For News Coverage

One in five senior American marketers polled said they had bought advertising in return for a news story about their company or product, according to a survey sponsored by PRWeek and Manning Selvage & Lee. implicit/nonverbal agreement with a reporter or editor for favorable coverage of their company or product in return for buying advertising. One in 12 provided valuable gifts in exchange for coverage. "Any kind of undisclosed paid placement spells trouble for consumers, the media and the marketing industry," said Mark Hass, worldwide chief executive officer of MS&L.