Today, WWD joins the ranks of time-honored publications (such as the world-renowned subway-renowned dailies, Metro New York and amNew York) by allowing its first page to be infiltrated by an annoying corporate sponsor. But, lest you interpret this as a desperate cry for help/money, Daniel Lagani (president of the Fairchild fashion group) is quick to tell you otherwise.

And he knows just how to do it! By reminding us that this isn't "selling out" so much as "moving [WWD] to an entirely new place," and reciting a boring history (stemming back to the 1970's) of the company's ad-sales innovations.

Timing, and not desperation, led Women’s Wear Daily to its decision to introduce a front-page ad, Mr. Lagani of Fairchild said. The paper did run smaller black-and-white ads called tombstones at the bottom of the front page until the 1970s, for companies like Jantzen and Peter Pan Fashions. In 2000, it ran some cover-wraps with ads for Gucci. The new front-page banners will be limited, Mr. Lagani said, to prevent overexposure.

Moreover, says Lagani, who, apparently, was not finished talking, "[i]n the case of Women’s Wear Daily, business has never been better…This is simply a smart business decision."

Sure it is, Dan. Also a smart business move? Not selling advertising space on your front page unless you really, really have to.