Before clicking through, based on the title alone I was fully expecting a quote from a manufacturer on how they're selling desks like hotcakes, but didn't see any desk brands mentioned which surprised me.

If it's actually a PR plant, being in the top results (or ad I suppose) in Google for related queries might be enough. Unlike the suits example from the essay, people looking for standing desks probably aren't going to go to a local store and instead will use the Internet to look up brands/models and where to buy. Sure, you are sharing with your competitor, but if it's the difference between the story getting published or not it would still be worth it.