What is Sponsor Content?
"Sponsor Content" consists of: (i) all paid-for content created by the RED Atlas Inc. ("RED Atlas") custom content team ("RED Atlas Custom Content") in collaboration with advertisers, and served by or appears in any RED Atlas medium and (ii) paid-for content supplied by advertisers that is served by or appears in any RED Atlas medium. The foregoing categories include any paid-for content purchased under the AAAA/IAB Standard Terms and Conditions.
Standards and Procedures for Sponsor Content
In addition to the general advertising guidelines established by RED Atlas, the standards listed below apply to Sponsor Content.
- All Sponsor Content, regardless of platform, will comply with RED Atlas's guiding principles:
- Transparency. All Sponsor Content and marketing messages will be clearly and distinctly differentiated from independent news content.
- Independence. No RED Atlas journalist will participate in the production, editing or promotion of customized content or an advertorial. Sponsor agenda and/or concern will neither dictate nor delay editorial direction.
- Editorial judgment. RED Atlas maintains the right to reject any program, advertiser or speaker whose presence would compromise the RED Atlas brand.
- All Sponsor Content will be appropriately labeled and distinguished from RED Atlas editorial content in form, function and placement through the use of different type fonts, colors and graphics.
- Paid programming, advertorials, and sponsored programs/segments will be clearly and prominently labelled as advertising. No Sponsored Content will imply endorsement of any product or service by RED Atlas, nor will it feature any recognizable RED Atlas names or logos.
- RED Atlas may, in its sole discretion, allow the use of a RED Atlas Custom Content logo to be used in Sponsor Content. The design and placement of such logo will be at the discretion of RED Atlas, and any and all such uses shall be subject to RED Atlas's prior written approval.
- All Sponsor Content must be approved in advance and in writing by a RED Atlas Custom Content editor before it appears on any RED Atlas medium.
- Sponsor Content is neither produced by nor contributed to by any editorial team member of any RED Atlas medium, nor does it necessarily reflect the views of the editors of any RED Atlas medium. A disclaimer similar to the following will be included with all Sponsor Content: "A sponsor paid for the creation and placement of the content on this page. No editorial member of any RED Atlas medium contributed to any part of its creation, and it does not necessarily reflect the editorial views of RED Atlas Inc. or any of its affiliated entities."
- RED Atlas may, in its sole discretion, include a more detailed disclaimer with certain Sponsor Content.
- RED Atlas reserves the right to refuse or remove any program, advertiser or speaker that in any way: (i) disparages, defames or discredits RED Atlas or its products or services or otherwise compromises — in quality or presence — RED Atlas's brand or (ii) is false, misleading, deceptive or illegal.
- Where Sponsor Content allows user participation, the moderation and functionality of this element will be determined and implemented solely by RED Atlas and will be subject to the general Terms of Service for the applicable RED Atlas medium.
- In the case of Sponsored events, sponsors will be clearly identified to all on-site participants and in marketing materials tied to the relevant conference or event in language that indicates their role as underwriters. RED Atlas does not guarantee speaking roles or other on-stage participation for paying sponsors and maintains editorial control and veto power.
Labeling Under Advertising Law
Sponsor Content labels are applied so that a reasonable reader can tell, before engaging with the content, that it is paid for: in the United States, consistent with the FTC's Endorsement Guides and its guidance on native advertising (clear and conspicuous disclosure, proximate to the content, in plain language such as "Paid Content" or "Sponsored by [Advertiser]"); and in the United Kingdom, consistent with the CAP Code and ASA guidance (content an advertiser has paid for and controlled is identified as advertising, using labels such as "Advertisement Feature"). Labels travel with the content when it is shared, syndicated, or surfaced in search, feeds, and social platforms, and material connections between RED Atlas and featured products or services are disclosed.
