According to an article this morning on ,www.mediapost.com, next week magazines will break a trade ad campaign relying heavily on fake editorial content in major consumer magazines. At a time when the line between advertising and editorial content seems sometimes indistinguishable, this is part of a $40 million campaign crafted by Fallon New York for the Magazine Publishers of America. “The goal is to break through the clutter, and create some buzz around the unique connection consumers have with the magazines they read.” Headlines to include “Hell Freezes Over! Cubs Win 2105 World Series,” “Dow Hits 500,000,” and “TV’s Biggest Hit: Desperate Robots.” Upon closer inspection, consumers should notice that the magazines are post-dated February 28, 2105.

Of the fake editorial content samples provided, none bear a disclaimer noting that these are actual advertisements, and several MPA members believe “it’s a good thing to confuse the consumer in the industry’s ad campaign.”

I think it will be blatantly clear to the consumer that these are not real magazine covers, and while I’m curious to see this launch and its response, I see this as a very temporary buzz-creator and I’m not convinced that this is the $40 million solution to salvaging the print medium.