Sponsored Content & Branded Content Policy

Hifiverse.io — Last updated: 7 May 2026 · Version 1.0

Quick summary

• Hifiverse sells sponsored content: brand-paid editorial-style placements clearly labelled and visually distinct from independent editorial.
• A sponsorship buys a placement and a story, not a positive editorial review. We don't sell reviews.
• Every sponsored placement is labelled "Sponsored by BRAND" at the top, in a font and colour distinct from editorial.
• Sponsored content is never the lead story of a newsletter or homepage.
• Brands that buy sponsored content do not see editorial drafts, do not influence editorial coverage and do not receive favoured editorial treatment.

1. About this Policy

This Sponsored Content & Branded Content Policy explains how Hifiverse sells, produces, labels and separates paid editorial placements from independent editorial. It is read together with the Editorial Ethics & Independence Policy, the Affiliate Disclosure Policy, the Newsletter & Marketing Consent Policy, the Dealer Agreement and the CPO Program Terms.

2. What is and is not sponsored content

Sponsored content is:

• a brand spotlight feature (a paid editorial-style profile of a brand)
• a factory tour (paid coverage of a manufacturer's facility)
• a product launch feature (paid coverage of a new product)
• a dealer profile (paid feature of a Hifiverse dealer subscriber)
• a paid newsletter section (a section of the Hifiverse newsletter funded by a sponsor)
• a sponsored featured listing (a Marketplace listing paid by the dealer to appear at the top of category search)
• a homepage takeover (a brand pays for the editorial-look hero unit for a defined window)
• a sponsored event coverage (Hifiverse covers an industry event under a sponsor's funding)
• a sponsored series (a multi-part editorial-style series paid by one sponsor)
• a branded podcast or video (Hifiverse-produced audio or video content under a sponsor's funding)
• a CPO program editorial unit (manufacturer-funded content as part of the CPO Program)

Sponsored content is NOT:

• an editorial review of a product (governed by the Editorial Ethics & Independence Policy)
• a buying guide (which may contain affiliate links but is not paid by any specific brand to recommend their product)
• a news article about a launch (which we publish independently when newsworthy)
• a Marketplace listing by a dealer (governed by the Marketplace Listing Terms and Dealer Agreement)
• an affiliate link inside editorial content (governed by the Affiliate Disclosure Policy)
• a standard banner advertisement
• the Price Index or any data product

An editorial review is never the result of a sponsorship. Where a brand buys sponsored content, the brand has not bought an editorial review of any of its products.

3. The labelling standard

Every sponsored content unit carries a clear, prominent label.

The label: "Sponsored by BRAND NAME" appears at the top of every sponsored unit, before the headline or hero image, in a font and colour distinct from the editorial body, in an inverse-contrast or coloured-background banner. We do not use "in partnership with", "presented by", "in collaboration with" or "powered by" as substitutes for "Sponsored by".

Across formats:

• Articles — "Sponsored by BRAND" banner at the top; the article URL contains /sponsored/.
• Newsletters — "Sponsored by BRAND" header at the top of the sponsored section, separated from the editorial section by a horizontal rule. The sponsored section is never the lead story.
• Sponsored featured listings — a "Sponsored" badge visible at typical screen sizes.
• Podcasts and video — a read-out disclosure at the start of the audio/video and a written disclosure in the description.
• Homepage takeovers — a "Sponsored by BRAND" banner above the hero unit; the takeover never simulates an editorial review.

Translations. In German-language content: "Werbung". French: "Annonce sponsorisée". Italian: "Contenuto sponsorizzato". Spanish: "Contenido patrocinado". Dutch: "Gesponsord". Russian: "Реклама" / "Спонсорский контент".

Author attribution. Sponsored content carries the byline "Hifiverse Branded Content team" — not the byline of a Hifiverse editorial reviewer.

4. The editorial firewall in practice

Sponsored content is produced by the Hifiverse Branded Content team, which sits within Commerce, not within Editorial.

• The Editorial team does not staff sponsored content. Editors and reviewers do not write under sponsored bylines. They do not edit sponsored copy.
• The Branded Content team does not staff editorial. Sponsored writers are not assigned to independent reviews of products from sponsors.
• Drafts. Sponsors may review and request changes to sponsored content drafts within the agreed scope. Sponsors do not review or comment on editorial drafts.
• Calendar. Sponsored placements are scheduled separately from the editorial calendar. The Editor-in-Chief is consulted to ensure no sponsored placement is published the same week as an independent editorial review of the same brand without explicit ethical review.

5. What sponsors can and cannot buy

Sponsors can buy:

• a clearly labelled placement at a specified position for a specified period
• the angle and focus of the sponsored unit (within the rules in section 6)
• the inclusion of specific products, executives or facilities in the sponsored content
• the right to review the sponsored draft and request edits within the agreed scope
• a defined number of impressions, click-throughs or reads
• co-promotion on Hifiverse's social channels (with sponsored labelling)
• analytics on the placement's performance

Sponsors cannot buy:

• a positive editorial review
• a negative editorial review of a competitor
• inclusion in or exclusion from an editorial buying guide
• changes to the Price Index methodology or to specific Price Index values
• suppression of a critical editorial article by paying a sponsorship
• silence on a recall, safety incident or news event
• access to user lists, email addresses, KYC data or any personal data beyond aggregated impression/click metrics
• placement next to specific competitor brands in a way that disparages competitors

6. Truthfulness, accuracy and disclaimers in sponsored content

Sponsored content is factually accurate. The sponsor is responsible for the accuracy of factual claims it contributes. Hifiverse fact-checks where the claim is testable.

Sponsored content does not: make false health claims; claim audio measurement results that cannot be substantiated; disparage a competitor by name except where the comparison is fair; include medical, financial or legal advice; target minors; run during periods of active recalls or sensitive industry incidents.

The sponsor warrants that it has rights to all third-party content it contributes and indemnifies Hifiverse against IP infringement claims.

7. Pricing and ordering

Indicative tiers (subject to change; current rate card at hifiverse.io/advertising):

Sponsorships are paid by Stripe Invoicing, wire transfer or card payment. A signed Insertion Order governs each sponsorship.

8. Dealer-funded sponsored content

Dealer-funded sponsored content is governed by these rules. The dealer storefront is governed by the Dealer Agreement and is distinct from sponsored content. Sponsored featured listings are a Dealer-Agreement-bundled feature for Partnership and Alliance tiers.

9. Manufacturer-funded sponsored content

Manufacturer-funded content follows these rules and, where relevant, the CPO Program Terms section 11. Manufacturer-funded brand-history features are sponsored content; an editorial brand history is not.

10. Trade-show and event sponsorship

Independent event coverage is editorial. Travel paid from the editorial budget. Sponsored event coverage is paid by an event organiser or sponsor. Each piece carries its own label. The two are not interleaved in a way that misleads readers.

11. Display and programmatic advertising

Display advertising on free-tier pages is labelled "Advertisement" per IAB standards. Display advertising never simulates editorial layout and does not appear in the Marketplace, the Forum, the Authentication ordering flow, or anywhere paid subscribers see ad-free experience.

Category exclusions include: gambling targeted at vulnerable audiences; cryptocurrency with unclear consumer-protection regulation; products subject to active recall; political advertising; content that breaches community standards; counterfeit gear or multi-level-marketing audio products with false performance claims.

12. Editorial response to sponsored content concerns

If you believe a sponsored placement is inadequately labelled, contains a false claim, or misleads about the editorial-vs-sponsored distinction, contact: info@hifiverse.io (subject: "Editorial Ethics") or info@hifiverse.io (subject: "Corrections"), or file a DSA notice via info@hifiverse.io (subject: "DSA Notice — Other").

We will review within 5 working days, correct or remove where the concern is well-founded, and publish a correction note where the placement contained a factual error.

13. Transparency and reporting

We publish, in our annual transparency report, the number and types of sponsored placements published in the year, the policies governing them, and the number of complaints received about sponsored placements and the resolution of each.

14. Changes to this Policy

For changes affecting how sponsorships are sold or labelled, we give 30 days' notice to existing sponsors.

Contact

• Email: info@hifiverse.io (subject: "Sponsorship", "Sales — Enterprise", "Editorial Ethics", "Corrections", "DSA Notice — Other")
• Postal: Timelapse Games EOOD, Bulgaria