[gpspake]

I feel bad because I mention it here all the time but "Trust me I'm Lying" is a great book about modern guerilla marketing that gives some concrete examples of the sort of things I'm always skeptical of in "organic" online content. If I were in some corporate or state think tank I'd be spending all day trying to figure out how to get some post about "my wife's shirt" on the front page of Reddit with my product or propaganda in the background.

[strictnein]

+1 to "Trust me I'm Lying". It really is great and one of the books I recommend often to people.

[immibis]

This comment and the GP are indistinguishable from the secret marketing trick being complained about.

[qingcharles]

Another +1 to "Trust Me." I don't know how many copies of this I've bought and given to friends who have also loved it.

[Red_Leaves_Flyy]

Far easier and cheaper to slide the comments.

[lotsofpulp]

Even easier yet to do both.

Create the post (or top level comment) and the expected popular reply, but with a sprinkle of product placement.

For example, it could look like the adjacent replies recommending a book about this topic.