advertorial
C1Formal, Business, Media, Journalism
Definition
Meaning
A piece of writing in a newspaper, magazine, or website that is designed to look and read like ordinary editorial content but is actually paid advertising.
Any promotional material (including video or audio content) that adopts the format and tone of objective journalism or independent review to promote a product, service, or viewpoint.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is a portmanteau of 'advertisement' and 'editorial'. It carries a negative connotation of deception or lack of transparency in many contexts, though it is a standard and accepted practice in publishing when properly labelled.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word and its meaning are identical in both varieties. Usage is common in media and marketing industries in both regions.
Connotations
Equally carries connotations of blurred lines between advertising and journalism in both BrE and AmE.
Frequency
Similar frequency in business and media contexts. Possibly slightly more frequent in AmE due to larger commercial media landscape.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Publication] runs/publishes an advertorial for [product/company].The [article/content] was a thinly-disguised advertorial.To label/identify something clearly as an advertorial.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “advertorial masquerading as news”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Common term in marketing, publishing, and PR to describe a specific paid content product.
Academic
Used in media studies, communications, and marketing literature to discuss ethics and media economics.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Used by media-savvy individuals when criticizing disguised ads.
Technical
Standard term in journalism and advertising trade publications.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The magazine was accused of advertorialising its content.
American English
- The website's strategy is to subtly advertorialize its product reviews.
adjective
British English
- The supplement had a distinctly advertorial feel.
American English
- They produced an advertorial video series for the brand.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The article about the new phone was actually an advertorial.
- Readers should be clearly told when they are looking at an advertorial, not independent journalism.
- The company paid for a two-page advertorial in the Sunday supplement.
- Critics argue that the proliferation of advertorials erodes the credibility of the publication.
- The regulatory body fined the broadcaster for failing to identify the segment as an advertorial.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ADVERT + edITORIAL = ADVERTORIAL. It's an advertisement dressed up as an editorial.
Conceptual Metaphor
A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING (something dangerous presented as harmless); A TROJAN HORSE (something deceptive that gains entry).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите как «рекламный» (advertising) — это конкретный жанр. Лучше использовать кальку «адверториал» в профессиональном контексте или описательно: «рекламная статья, стилизованная под редакционный материал».
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with a simple 'advertisement' or 'commercial'.
- Using it to describe any positive article about a company (it must involve payment).
- Misspelling as 'advertorial'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the PRIMARY defining characteristic of an advertorial?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a sponsored post on a news outlet's or influencer's social media that mimics their usual content format is a type of advertorial.
Yes, but in many countries, including the UK and US, they must be clearly labelled as advertising or sponsored content to avoid deceiving the audience.
Native advertising is the broader umbrella term for ads that match the form and function of the platform. An advertorial is a specific text-based format of native advertising that mimics an article or editorial.
Because they can engage readers who might skip traditional ads, borrowing the credibility and attention given to the publication's regular content.