Ads ‘Look Less Like Ads’ Amid Shift in Media Landscape

New York Times: With online ad spending growing, finding ways to stand out among the onslaught of other online ads has become more important for advertisers. And therein lies a possible conundrum: Advertisers want their ads to look less like ads even as they are fighting harder for attention. Branded content is not the only technique advertisers are trying. They are also creating emojis, posting on Twitter, creating Instagram videos and dabbling in virtual reality platforms. “Is the question, ‘What is an ad?’ or ‘What isn’t an ad?’”