Someone writing about something they’re involved with or excited about on their personal blog is a “native ad” now? The article even contains a disclaimer.
I do get what you are saying. I was at a startup operating in this space, so I want to counter your defense of this particular post.
You can read Virta's press releases and find all of this information. You can read many of Virta's competitor's press releases and also find similar information.
There isn't much he is adding here except his personal perspective on already well-promoted information.
This comes across a bit as using your own employees for some light "influencer marketing."
I have no problem with the author, the article, the writing, anything, other than to put out that its inclusion here in Hacker News is a bit off, considering the points I made above.
Within the confines of his own blog, the author should have every right to make this kind of post. Promoting any company to your audience means putting your reputation on the line. Any recommendation you make yourself is within this social contract, which is why it’s non-controversial.
“Native Ads” OTOH present themselves as something they are not. They are controversial precisely because they break the contract the author or editor have with their audience.
As to the inclusion on HN I suppose it is a little weird, but I think it can be explained by name recognition, for example from a recent Joe Rogan’s podcast, which I think is quite popular here.
I suppose your point is that the article doesn’t quite deliver on the title. I would agree, but my contention is with the pejorative connotation of calling something a “native ad”, which I think is undeserved.
You can read Virta's press releases and find all of this information. You can read many of Virta's competitor's press releases and also find similar information.
There isn't much he is adding here except his personal perspective on already well-promoted information.
This comes across a bit as using your own employees for some light "influencer marketing."
I have no problem with the author, the article, the writing, anything, other than to put out that its inclusion here in Hacker News is a bit off, considering the points I made above.