Backfeed Magazine is similar to steem in how value creation is incentivized. Lots of amazing original articles.
https://magazine.backfeed.cc/the-backfeed-protocol-a-brake-down/
If I understand it right, they are taking a different approach with development. They start with a nice user-interface and gradually try to figure out how to decentralize. I might be wrong.
This if from the FAQ
I think this advertising model could be good for steem to, if any advertising model is ever considered.