Yahoo Aims to More Deftly Blend Ads With Content

Yahoo is starting to push into two of the hottest areas of Internet advertising: stream ads and so-called native ads.

    



Campaign Spotlight: Ads Assert That Athletic Conference Is ‘Next’

The Atlantic 10 Conference has begun an assertive campaign using the theme, “Who wants next?” to highlight its academic and athletic achievements.

    



Times Co. Reports Slower Decline in Ads

The New York Times Company said its fourth-quarter drop in print and digital ad revenue was smaller than declines earlier in 2013.

    



With New App, Facebook Aims to Make Its Users’ Feeds Newsier

Editors will supplement Facebook’s computers in recommending articles and blog posts on a dozen topics.

    



Commercials Go Warm and Fuzzy

Advertisements during the Super Bowl put on a decidedly happy face, using upbeat themes and images to warm the cockles of consumers’ hearts.

    



Chasing Their Star, on YouTube

The message to aspiring video makers on YouTube is clear, and seductive: Attract an audience, build your brand. But success, let alone stardom and wealth, remains elusive.

    



Advertising: Activists Try to Hijack Promotions by Sponsors of Sochi Olympics

Activists protesting antigay policies in Russia have tried to turn Olympic promotions by major companies to their own purposes.

    



Small-Business Guide: Facebook Revamps Ads to Compete With Google

Small businesses can use tools on Facebook to track customers from ad to website, and target audiences more precisely.

    



Times Publisher Sets Out Plan for ‘Native’ Ads

Arthur Sulzberger Jr. said in the letter that the online content would be labeled a paid post and appear in a different typeface.

    



Advertising: A Message That Tries to Blend In

Hennessy is combining a traditional campaign in Vanity Fair with so-called native advertising, ads made to look like the magazine’s editorial content.

    



As Online Ads Look More Like News Articles, F.T.C. Warns Against Deception

The Federal Trade Commission fears that what has become known as “native advertising,” “paid links” or “sponsored content” can confuse consumers.

    



Advertising: Sock-of-the-Month Clubs Rise Online, Bringing Subscriptions to Feet

Online subscriptions tend to involve no shopping, with merchants sending socks of their own choosing (plain black is a favorite).

    



Bud Light Hires John Krasinski to Riff on ‘Hold My Beer’ Meme

The actor known for his role on “The Office” is part of a team creating YouTube clips on the popular theme of “hold my beer.”

    



ArtsBeat: Toy Company Pulls Beastie Boys Song From Viral Video

GoldieBlox, a San Francisco toymaker, removed the Beastie Boys’ song “Girls” from an online ad after the band complained, adding in a statement, “We don’t want to fight with you.”

    

Advertising: Giving People a Glimpse of What Their Pets See

Nature’s Recipe is giving“collar cameras” to influential pet owners, and resulting photos are posted online.

    



Ads Scant When Twitter Crosses Borders

Though three-quarters of its users are outside the United States, only a modest portion of its ad revenue is generated there. But it’s growing fast.

    



Riding the Hashtag in Social Media Marketing

Gary Vaynerchuk, a social media marketer, pounces on any trend — tweeted or otherwise — in his quest to sell, sell, sell.

    



Advertising: Painting a Room With Blues, or Hip-Hop, or Mozart

A paint company is offering a smartphone app that suggests paint colors based on consumers’ favorite songs.

    



Advertising: Ad-Sponsored Editorial Content Draws Regulator’s Notice

The use of editorial content for promotional purposes is being scrutinized by an investigative unit administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

    



Campaign Spotlight: Carve the Turkey and Pass the Latkes, as Holidays Converge

In a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah overlap, and marketing tie-ins abound.