Stories like this destroy the one major advantage established media, such as the Atlantic, has over new media. A trusted brand.
These types of ads (branded content, in feed ads or social ads, whatever we're going to call them) are just another step in the battle to outwit a readers BS detection system.
If I can easily tune out flashing banner ads, I can easily scan pass sponsored posts.
Not worth blowing valuable trust on a short term gain is it?
If you want a mindfuck, go to sears.com. Product results include, by default, items from Amazon affiliates. These dinosaurs truly have no clue what parts of their businesses could still have value.
I was trying to find a place that had 30 round magazines in stock before the looming ban, and ironically sears.com was the one retailer that had them in stock (by way of some small mom and pop affiliate).
I'll see your implausible useful-Sears story and raise you mine - I bought some welding electrodes that Home Depot doesn't even carry at a physical brick and mortar Sears! Admittedly Lowes might have had them, but I was already in the area.
But, much like Kris Kringle recommending Woolworths to Macy's customers in "Miracle on 34th Street", getting you the item you want elsewhere doesn't lose Sears a customer - It makes certain they'll check Sears first in the future.
They're sending customers to Amazon's affiliates because it gets them SEO results and they likely get a kickback.
Coming from my searches that've turned up the affiliate spam, these are generally items that have nothing to do with Sears's main product lines or that Sears is well sold out of.
These types of ads (branded content, in feed ads or social ads, whatever we're going to call them) are just another step in the battle to outwit a readers BS detection system.
If I can easily tune out flashing banner ads, I can easily scan pass sponsored posts.
Not worth blowing valuable trust on a short term gain is it?