Late last week, on my way to a 9 a.m. meeting, I encountered two rogue sponsorship programs, one by Clear and one by Chase.

Clear, a brand I'd never heard of but which evidently really likes green, had taken over a park, locally known as Love Park, that Philadelphians both love and hate. We love it because it's pretty, has a great fountain, but we're wary because of its past – the City cracked down on the homeless people who called the park home and on the skateboarders who found infinite challenge here. Consequently the park has a more steady stream of visitors, but there are way better, more popular parks.

Nearby, Chase Bank representatives on segues and foot were chasing down morning commuters, handing out Zagat restaurant information.

The sudden barrage of information (an...