Author Meets Critics—Black Ops Advertising

In this book discussion, author Mara Einstein and critics join to discuss Einstein's book Black Ops Advertising: Native Ads, Content Marketing, and the Covert World of the Digital Sell (O/R Books, 2016). The conversation focuses on definitions of "black ops advertising," such as content marketing and native advertising, and what they mean for entertainment media and journalism's ability to financially support themselves when people actively avoid advertising. At stake are questions of authenticity and intent of covert advertising messages, consumers' ability to distinguish advertising from non-advertising content, objectivity in reporting when journalists and editors become marketers and advertisers, and consumer agency in an environment with evolving digital advertising regulations. In the end, the participants agreed on the public's need for increased media and advertising literacy as well as the industry's responsibility to reflect on the tactics and data that are being used as digital media and technologies take an increasing hold on everyday life.