The Advertorial

The image you see above is what’s called an advertorial; it may look like a regular magazine editorial however it’s actually an ad for Sorel. The page on the left is clearly an ad, with a basic image of the product but the page on the right looks like a winter fashion article. The advertorial clearly states ADVERTISEMENT on the top right-hand corner, which is required by law. Although the writing is small, it is there.

Although it may be seen as deceptive, I’m a fan of the advertorial. Most people don’t look through a magazine for the ads (unless you’re in advertising like I am) and so if you’re forced to look at ads they might as well look like an article.

This ad looks like a beautiful piece on winter boots. From the font choice to the photo, this page is visually pleasing and actually made me want to read it. Although the copy was solely about selling their new style of boot, I didn’t feel disappointed or cheated because I realized beforehand that it was an ad and was expecting it.

Although I’ve mentioned my distaste for deceptive advertising previously on my blog, I do stand behind this one. This is the kind of ad that fashionistas will stop and notice and I appreciate an ad that takes advantage of its media.