Dive Brief: 

• In a memo to employees Thursday, The New York Times explicitly describes how native ads will be labeled. 
• The native ads, slated to begin to appear in January, will be labeled with a blue color bar, the advertiser's logo, and the words "Paid Post." 
• Other publishers have shied away from using such direct language as "paid," opting for other descriptions like "sponsored content," "presented by" and "partner content." 

Dive Insight: 

Because of its stature in the publishing industry, The New York Times' decision to be so transparent in its native ad labeling could set a precedent. As mentioned above, most publishers have opted for less direct language. Frankly, the idea of native advertising is to give the illusion of editorial content, but of course that draws ethical questions. The Times has decided to take a chance and trust that readers will appreciate its transparency.