Dive Brief:
- After disappointing performances from licensing content, the Associated Press has announced it will begin running native advertising next year.
- The AP has remained mum about what native ads will look like, other than that they will include text, video and images while not mimicking AP editorial content.
- The sponsored content will be produced by outside freelancers, but final approval will come from AP editorial to ensure there is no conflict of interest. All ads will run on AP-sponsored sites rather than appearing on syndicated sites.
Dive Insight:
A well-respected publisher like the AP has a bit more to protect when they decide to run native advertising, but that high level credibility is what makes them attractive to advertisers. Once they have established what their take on native advertising looks like, the AP will likely find lucrative advertisers interested.