Wie Adrants berichtet, legt Commercial Alert, eine NPO, die gegen Kommerzialisierung der Kultur ankämpft, Buchkritikern in schriftlicher Form nahe, “Cathy’s Book” nicht zu rezenzieren. Grund dafür ist das im Buch enthaltene Product Placement von Covergirl. Die zu Procter & Gamble gehörende Beatylinie wurde generisch in die Geschichte über Cathy eingebaut, die versucht heraus zu finden, warum ihr Exfreund Victor sie verlassen hat. Es soll sich dabei um ein Barter handeln, ein Tauschdeal also, bei welchem keine monetäre Entgelte stattfinden: Für Erwähnung der von der Hauptfigur getragenen Schminke übernimmt P&G grossen Teil der Promotion. Commercial Alert schreibt folgendes:

Dear book review editor:

You may have heard that Running Press is publishing a new written work for teens titled “Cathy’s Book. ” This “book” is actually part of a marketing campaign for Procter & Gamble’s Cover Girl line. The book contains a prominent mention of a Cover Girl product, and the corporation will market it on this basis.

According to the New York Times, a passage in “Cathy’s Book” refers to “a killer coat of Lipslicks,” which is a line of Cover Girl Lip Gloss. In the galley version, the reference was to a “killer coat of Clinique #11 ‘Black Violet’ lipstick.” But the product was changed in accordance with the marketing agreement with P&G.

It is not unknown for works of fiction to advance political and other agendas, but this crosses a line. “Cathy’s Book” is in the form of a novel. But in reality it is an adjunct of a corporate marketing campaign aimed at impressionable teenagers. Its contents have been altered to that end.

Will you treat this book as a novel to be reviewed, or as an advertisement, which is suitable for discussion in the business pages?

We strongly urge you to choose the latter. Something large is at stake here. There is a difference between a novel and an ad; and if you do not uphold that distinction, then who will?

Sincerely,

Jonathan Rowe, issues director, Commercial Alert
Gary Ruskin, executive director, Commercial Alert

Sollen Kritiker tatsächlich dem Aufruf folgen, wäre dies für den Verleger höchst unangenehm, denn dadurch würde das Buch entgültig in die Werbeprospekt-Ecke abrutschen.