Amazon is introducing a new native ads feature, which allows retailers to post videos on Amazon about their products (or anything). This integrates video into the search experience. Instead of just providing written search results, now users can find videos with more information about the products in their search. Amazon is beginning the native ads feature with video game trailers and plans to extend native ads across multiple product categories in the future. Brands can put brand content all types of videos on Amazon including product information, how-to videos, and other brand-relevant content.
For those of you unfamiliar with native ads, they have been defined as: "ads that match the template of the site they appear on, ads designed to
trick readers into appearing as content and simply ads that are more
interesting and engaging than the average banner." Industry skeptics do not believe that native ads are anything innovative - many define native ads simply as search advertising.
Native ads are common to Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Each of these sites embed advertising content in the context of a user's experience. In some ways, I agree with the skeptics that this type of advertising is just regular search advertising. Users discover content about products and brands while browsing a site looking for (or opting in - "liking" and/or "following") those products and brands. However, I do believe that Amazon's new native advertising feature will benefit Amazon, retailers, and customers by enhancing the shopping experience for everyone.
Sources:
http://adage.com/article/special-report-advertising-week-2013/advertising-week-amazon-debut-native-video-ads/244353/
http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/iab-post-mortem-deep-industry-divide-native-ads-147595
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