Companies Try Infotising Sites

from the subtle-is-the-name-of-the-game dept

We're a cynical culture. There's no doubt about that. These days, it's almost cool to disregard direct advertising and the companies that propagate it. So, now, a few companies are experimenting with more subtles ways to advertise online. First, comes the news that Lexus has created a "luxury" lifestyle information site that is simply designed as a portal for the type of person who might drive a Lexus. While you can see Lexus advertising if you want (and the Lexus name and logo are found throughout the site), the adveritising is significantly less "in your face" than what you find on many other sites. Meanwhile, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association is trying to get pre-teen girls to start ordering more red meat by creating a website designed to boost the self-esteem of pre-teen girls. Yes, the National Cattleman's Beef Association believes it knows the best way to boost the self-esteem of girls. While both sites are kind of flimsy "infotising", the beef site is more on the downright scary side, as they seem to believe that no one can see through their attempt at pushing beef as "cool" for "real girls". What I'm wondering, though, is how long it takes for these types of sites to become even more subtle - such that many people are taken in, and don't realize the information they're receiving is really created by a specific company or organization?