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You aren't alone. The goal for marketing is to get eyeballs and direct self-promotion is ignored and frowned upon. So you pick whatever you can that will get some attention, even if it is pointing out a failure or flaw (quite popular) and then be sure to put an enormous shout out to your product on the same page.

At least I get a nifty anecdote to go along with the self promotion.

I've noticed them more and more as well, but I am not sure if it's because (a) there are more self promoters now, (b) there is more reason than ever to self promote -- gold rush!, or (c) I myself am more sensitive to it now.

That being said, good move by said person for content marketing.

There is a term for this: Backdoor bragging. Source: Jenna Maroney in 30 Rock.