Is this similar, or related to other ad space inflation? I'm reminded of Google (and others)(1) sending out free $75 adwords coupons to easily allow the costs of bids to inflate since it's not my own real money (thereby increasing the percentage of real cash being made on the ads)?
(1)Edited and clarified
The relevance of such a comparison? It's not a one off, as uncommon as we think. Has nothing to do with pointing fingers.
Didn't mean to come across as off topic. To me, if someone upstream and in the past was doing this, chances are it might happen later in time downstream too, and there might be something to see in the forest instead of pointing at one tree or another.
I've used Google coupons, none with anyone else that I can remember. I also spent ads on google way before any other system and remember the 10 cent clicks going up to $1.00 for not much more traffic.