If a bitcointalk user is wearing a paid signature for a service, should readers view them as either personal endorsements from that bitcointalk user?
Yes, of course. The moment you enter the signature of a business, you become part of it. You don't have the power to make decisions, but you are certainly some kind of representative. Don't the managers select the participants by selecting the best offered? Probably because the owners want the best users to represent them.
What I think is a more interesting question, is how many users actually do any research about campaign owners before applying for a sig. campaign. It's a bit disappointing when I see a user in a well-paid campaign, who doesn't even know about ANN or has never visited the website of the service they promote.
icopress started encouraging campaign participants to test the service they are promoting
Therefore, please note that I will periodically ask you for favors, and please treat my words with understanding and seriousness, (for example, to begin with, I would like each of you to test MixTum and share your experience).