Akademik

n.

A blog that appears to be written by an individual, but is actually maintained by a corporate marketing department or a public relations firm. —v. [Blend of fake and blog.]

A tip of the cap to Tom Siebert, a reporter for MediaPost, for coining the word ''flog'' to refer to a fake blog that poses as a consumer creation but is actually produced by professionals to sell products.

A notorious flog was exposed last week, when bloggers discovered that a video blog in praise of the Sony PSP was created by Zipatoni, an agency owned by the Interpublic Group of Companies. The video blog pretended to be the work of Charlie, an amateur hip-hop artist.

Another blog much reviled after its exposure as a flog was created by Edelman, part of Daniel J. Edelman Inc., on behalf of Wal-Mart Stores. The flog posed as the travel diary of a couple, but did not disclose they were paid for their upbeat posts about Wal-Mart.

—Stuart Elliot, "How to Lose Cadillac And Other Lessons On Madison Ave. in 2006," The New York Times, December 18, 2006

The blogger was named Charlie. He was a hip-hop artist, very "street." You down with that? And so he started a blog, alliwantforxmasisapsp.com, where he mused in urban patois about how his cousin Pete really, really wanted a Sony PSP for Christmas.

Only problem: There was no actual "Charlie," no "Pete," and the entire blog was a marketing ploy.

It was created by Sony, the company admitted last week after real bloggers ferreted out the site's identity. In a statement, Sony confessed that the blog — now shut down — was a "humorous site targeting those interested in getting a PSP system this holiday season."

In other words, the blogosphere — which prides itself on truth-telling — had just been "flogged" again.

That's flog as in "fake blog," for those having trouble keeping up with ever-evolving Web lingo.

—Sam McManis, "These days, you just can't trust some blogs," Sacramento Bee, December 21, 2006

Fake blogs [are] created by corporate marketing departments to promote a service, product, or brand. The flog's writer often uses a fake name. Derided by bloggers, fake blogs are an increasing trend. McDonald's created a flog to accompany its Super Bowl ad about the mock discovery of a french fry shaped like Lincoln, while Captain Morgan created a fake blog in March for its Rum drinks.

—Stephen Baker and Heather Green, "Blogs Will Change Your Business," Business Week, May 2, 2005