There’s a really interesting feature from the CEO of the network Total Beauty, entitled Beauty Brands Should Not Be Working With Bloggers. Unfortunately, this brave title kind of implodes when it turns out if you are a PR you shouldn’t be working with bloggers unless you go through a network – but anyhoo, he indicates that the USA government may mandate that bloggers disclose if they’ve received incentives, free product or money AKA compensation (money?! we should be so lucky!) and mentions the ethics and journalistic standards of bloggers. Apparantly, Stateside brand managers are concerned about becoming embroiled in this ethical debate to the point they are thinking about severing ties with bloggers. Only ‘thinking about’ it, mind. There’s also a great little homily about ‘professional mass media journalists are bound to these standards: objectivity, accuracy, truthfulness, fairness, public accountability and limitation of harm’. Gosh, who knew? I’m all for disclosure, and am open about things that have been sent to me – it’s in my profile – I get a lot of beauty booty anyway because I do write for other media, but what of those bloggers who are courted by PRs and don’t fess up? Well, to be honest, I haven’t really come across it…most blogs are more than happy to say they’ve been sent products by a PR, and it’s immediately obvious what brands are ‘courting’ bloggers as the same posts pop up everywhere. Sometimes I’ll bite, other times I won’t…in fact, I now generally refuse approaches where I know there’s a mass blog target going on. The article continues on about why joining a network is really the solution for both PRs and bloggers. I’ve nothing against networks….it can be a great way to get appropriate advertising going and make some revenue from this wonderful, but very time consuming hobby. But in this vein, our CEO writer forgot to be the very thing he is imploring bloggers to be – open, honest and objective. Ideally, if he was holding true to the ethics he would like bestowed upon beauty bloggers he would have called his feature, Why You Should Join My Network. http://www.totalbeautymedia.com/ceo_outlook?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=TBM%2BInsider%20June09&utm_campaign=TBM%2BInsider%20June09_CEOoutlook
Transparency Disclosure
All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
9 comments
‘professional mass media journalists are bound to these standards: objectivity, accuracy, truthfulness, fairness, public accountability and limitation of harm’ he forgot to mention giving products a thumbs up in order to keep the advertisers sweet and keep magazines in the money.
If you can say anything about bloggers it’s their truthfulness, objectivity and fairness is unsurpassed. More so (I find) than mass media journalists who often care more about what’s new or ‘trendy’. Bloggers aren’t bound to the same restrictions as magazines and newspapers as we really don’t have anything to lose. The majority of us don’t make money, nor care about it. We just want to let people know our thoughts about beauty!
Oooh it makes my blood boil! Sorry for the long comment… I’m calm now. Promise.
Money?! Money?! I should be so lucky!
Has he ever read (insert mainstream magazine title here) – talk about sucking up to the sponsors…
Conversely, I guess not all beauty blogs are made equal. There are those who can be easily swayed by a bag of booty but then…that’s usually quite easy to spot.
You are right – it’s an easy spot. He forgot that blogs have intelligent readers who quickly gauge the blog’s personality. It’s easy to be swayed by a bag of booty or whatever but that’s not exclusive to bloggers! Anyone would love a bag of MAC or similar but that euphoria quickly dissipates…I forgive anyone a swayed post or two…but no more than that. Just think it was a cheap shot to try and influence bloggers and PRs to go via a network.
I think it’s hilarious that he brought up trips. I’ve never received a trip! And the only paid trips I know of, were offered by Total Beauty themselves. And with their free Sneak Peek program, they are basically speaking of themselves.
Someone forgot to think before he wrote…
Nice reply though. I appreciate you taking the time to do it!! Well said. 🙂
Jami
Thanks for posting this.
He’s biting that hand that helps feed him, namely us bloggers. Tomorrow we should hear a response from him to all the comments etc.
As for the US potential rules, it is just that- potential and no one knows what they may do( hopefully nothing, doens’t the country have a lot more bigger issues at hand ?)
I also haven’t heard any brand managers rethinking blogger relations. I doubt he will be able to tell PRs what to do.
I have a great relationship with most of my PRs and am never asked to give special treatment, or be postive etc. I certainly have never been paid nor would I want to be. I write what I write and put hours in a night on my site.
His whole piece was so unprofessional. It’s all about slamming us so he can get business. Shame.
It’s so obviously just a plug piece for his “network” – what a hypocrite!
I totally agree with Row – it’s very easy to see when someone is giving something a thumbs up because it was free, and it’s also easy to spot when a company is love bombing bloggers.
I take no advertising on my blog, and have only ever gotten samples from YOU to review on my blog!
I say what I think on my blog, and I don’t care what beauty editors think is trendy–if it’s gorgeous, great, if not, well, I say so!
It beats me how anyone can read the vacuous rubbish that passes for reviews in a lot of the beauty press. I would much sooner get my information from blogs. You can spot prejudice a mile off anyway. I don’t want middle men taking control of who talks to who either.
I think reading your article was the best thing I did today. Very fine work!