wow that is incredibly naive. You think people in academia don't actively try to promote and position their work? Let alone the book and journal publishers, and conference organizers that have an obvious interest in all this.
What exactly is 'unduly' about it? Going on a book tour? Putting up a website?
That his research was funded through success in the market rather than government subsidies doesn't imply any 'unduliness' to me, but attitudes may vary.
