surreptitious advertising

English

Noun

surreptitious advertising (uncountable) (collective)

1. The representation in words or pictures of goods, services, the name, the trade mark or the activities of a producer of goods or a provider of services in media products when such representation is intended by the publisher to serve advertising and might mislead the public as to its nature.
   • 1874 October 4, Frederick John Osmond, The English Mechanic and World of Science, volume 19, page 102a:

     I have not the slightest objection to any temper Mr. Allenmay show, but when he attributes a motive, and more than hints that I am abusing these columns by surreptitious advertising, I disdain to do further battle with him.

   • 1895 August 3, Harper's Weekly, volume 39, page 721b:

     Once this lottery owned a State, and openly offered it a princely revenue of millions for a renewal of the law which gave it a respectable habitation and a convenient foothold from which it might lure its victims month by month. Now it is an outlaw, and seeks its prey by surreptitious advertising on the play-bills of theatres.

Synonyms

• native advertising (euphemism)
• brand story (euphemism)
• embedded marketing (euphemism)
• product placement (euphemism)

Related terms

• surreptitious advertisement (countable)

Translations

representation intended by the publisher to serve advertising and might mislead the public — see product placement

Further reading

• Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by Law, Regulation or Administrative Action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities, where defined in Article 1(d) for the scope of this regulation only concerning audiovisual broadcasters
• Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2010 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services (Audiovisual Media Services Directive) replacing the aforementioned directive and reusing the definition accordingly for the now created term “surreptitious audiovisual commercial communication”