A Content Marketing First

According to ADWEEK, Bank of America ran a banner ad this week on NYTimes.com that, when clicked, activated a live Webcast of The New York Times' "Schools for Tomorrow" conference.

Visitors who clicked the ad tuned into a live stream of the one-day event, Webcast inside the banner.

Bank of America was a sponsor of the conference.

An advertiser has never before hosted a live Webcast of a Times conference within an ad, says ADWEEK.

The ad "represents the demand by marketers today to align with, create and use content to get the attention of ad-weary consumers in fresh ways," ADWEEK says.

Expect to see a lot of copycats in the next 12 months.

Does Exaggeration Pay?

Do your ads embroider the truth?

If so, you may be wasting your investment.

Consumers are on to you.

Early this year, research firm Lab 42 asked consumers whether they believe advertisers.

The findings are unflattering:

• Three-fourths (76%) of consumers say advertisers always exaggerate. Fewer than one-fourth (24%) say they don't.

• Among the consumers who believe advertisers always exaggerate, a majority single out advertisers' use of Photoshopped graphics as an obvious attempt to deceive.

• Nearly one-third (32%) of consumers say they "get what advertisers are up to," and 17% would like to see the government punish advertisers for exaggerating.