Now that brand PR marketing seems to have shifted focus to other forms of social media, leaving blogs and bloggers a little out in the cold, I’ve noticed another shift in the dynamics of bloggers and blogging. I’ve noticed a shift to the other extreme, where bloggers seem to prefer to adopt a “no-PR” approach.
What some bloggers have chosen to do, is to not navigate the PR jungle, and not accept products for editorial consideration or reviews. Some had been PR-friendly before this, but no longer want to be for various reasons – the perceived loss of personal integrity, or a quest to downscale their product collection, or just a loss of interest in beauty blogging in general. Some have been sidelined by brands or PR, for reasons no one can fully understand. From a fellow sidelined blogger, I fully commiserate!
I see nothing wrong in not accepting PR products – I do it as well, to a degree, where I choose to adopt a stricter, more selective approach. I buy a lot of my own crap (my affectionate endearment for my beauty buys LOL! 😀 ) and I accept some. If I’m uncomfortable or unlikely to use what I may receive unsolicited, I return them. If I don’t receive something I’m interested in, I buy it. That’s how I roll these days.
But that’s not what I’m on about today. What makes me a little uncomfortable, is with what I’d term “PR Product Shaming” where people say things to a blogger with the conscious or unconscious intention to make a PR-friendly blogger feel ashamed, or uncomfortable about accepting PR products for editorial consideration.
This is mostly tied to the perceived notion that sponsored products result in biased reviews. Add to this the reluctance of many people to disclose that they were sponsored a product or service, and, let’s face it, a very human feeling of envy on the part of the onlooker, which leads to an element of distrust on the part of those reading a blog.
What this results in, is a tarring of all bloggers with the same brush. I’ve met people who say the word “beauty bloggers” like it’s a bad word, or try to distance themselves from being called that, or implying I should be ashamed to be one. While I don’t blame them, since the actions of many does diminish the integrity of most, I feel that shaming someone who is receptive to PR products, is doing the blogger a disservice.
Sure, some bloggers blog for the sole purpose of filling their house and lives with free products and services. If that pains you as a reader, avoid those blogs because there’s really nothing you can do. Reading, watching or following will just continue to boost their stats and keep them in their freebie lifestyle. Some, despite their bias, offer beautiful photographs and excellent product swatches – they are doing a service, just not in the way that is easily accepted.
Yet, there are other bloggers who are receptive to receiving product samples, and who strive to retain their integrity, to tell you if a product is worth spending your hard-earned money on. There are many out there, and I know that most matured readers are smart enough to decide for themselves who to believe, and not to trust just 1 person with their life and money. I always tell people to do their research, because I don’t know everything, nor am I an expert. I’m a consumer, and as a consumer, I get pretty pissed when a recommendation falls flat and my money goes to waste!
However, as nice as it is to have a bank account so healthy that you can buy everything you want to ever talk about on your blog, and live a comfortable life with your own roof over your head, without going to debtor’s prison, few people have that luxury. Those who do, don’t blog; they’re too busy keeping that bank account healthy! LOL! 😀
But for most, being receptive to receiving product samples allows for variety in content. So often I get asked “Can you please review XYZ product, and compare it to ABC so I know if I should buy it?” and I say “No, I can’t.” because I cannot possibly buy every single product from every single brand out there, just to satisfy a reader’s curiosity, nor mine.
But if I do receive a selection of product samples, then it allows for that sort of variety and comparison to be carried out, which benefits the readers, and basically puts the brand in their place, happily or unhappily. It was the only way that Cushion Foundation Week could happen, as I’m not even that interested in using a cushion foundation. Save for the Iope cushion, if I had indulged in every piece of cushion foundation featured thereafter, it would have set me back a pretty hefty RM800 (US$203), but press samples allowed it to happen, to serve as, what I hoped would be, a helpful guide to the western cushion foundation releases.
But this isn’t about me. I just feel that the PR-product shaming should stop, because PR sampling is now the norm, and it will remain the norm. Readers should be clever enough to decide for themselves whether to keep reading a blog that fails to disclose this, or a blogger who is persistently biased in favour of a sponsored product. We all know that not every thing out there is a “must have” or “can’t live without”. Anyone who tells you this in every post deserves to lose their followers.
Give all bloggers a chance. At the end of the day, what their true intentions are will come through in their blog. But making bloggers feel guilty about receiving PR products, or making it seem like it’s something to be ashamed of, isn’t right.
As bloggers, we owe our public disclosure and some modicum of integrity to be honest. It’s not hard to do, and it goes a long way towards making things easier and more comfortable for everyone out there. If you don’t like something, just say it – what’s the worst thing that could happen? The brand stops sending you free stuff. Does it matter to you? If it does, it’s time to re-evaluate your priorities in life. If a brand does that, they’re not worth working with anyway! I know this from personal experience 🙂
If you blog, are you PR-friendly? Do you feel like bloggers shouldn’t accept so many sponsored products, or at all?
I know this issue doesn’t matter to everyone, but I just wanted to say what I have to say because this is my blog and it’s been niggling at me for ages LOL 😀 There are bad apples on both sides of the blogger-reader divide. But product samples are a fact of blogging life these days. As readers, live with it – it comes with strings attached for all bloggers, even the biased ones – and do your research, and trust that the bloggers you trust will have the integrity to be honest. If they aren’t, ditch them.
As for bloggers, just tell the damn truth. Your readers deserve it.
Paris B
I’m not in position to comment on the first question but for the part about bloggers accepting PR-stuff: I’d say that’s the only way to achieved a balanced and proper comparative review of something. I.e. how do you know x is the best cream on the market when you haven’t tried y; this sort of thing. And I don’t think its that reasonable to spend a huge ton of $ to buy all the creams in the market to try so in that sense, accepting PR-samples’ necessary. Nevertheless, it is wise to be selective in choosing which to receive (like examples given in the article above).
Nevertheless, for me it all comes down to whether I trust the voice behind the blog/media. Consumers/readers are wise these days and can smell BS from a mile away and I’m guessing, dishonest or merely not-that-thoughtful beauty ‘influencers’ will lose their following quick.
However, I gotta note my other opinion which is: Even though PR-samples are a norm these days, I still wish to see ‘influencers’ (hate that term) actually go out and buy something to try or to use themselves just so it keeps them grounded. In the sense that: you know what the general consumer feels- their excitement/giddiness/ the disappointment if it doesn’t work, etc.
And this is why my philosophy (if I DO receive these PR-samples) when writing a review/etc is to put myself in the shoes of someone who is using their own hard-earned money to buy x product, thus will be hesitant to ever recommend a £300 cream when something cheaper does a equal/better job because I guess.. with ‘influencers’, that’s one of the responsibility that you have to your readers.
These are just my thoughts though and I’d like to hear anyone else’s thoughts on my views if you have one.
I hear ya, Robert! You are right, only sticking to what you know/buy gives you tunnel vision and really, a well balanced review can only come from experience. But you are also right that influencers should buy their own stuff too. That tells me that you’re a real beauty buff, not an upstart, into blogging about beauty merely for the free stuff. You know I actually had a blogger tell me to my face that she diverted her blog into beauty, because she could get the freebies – you can’t with fashion. Who’ll give you a RM5000 bag?! Yet, this person thrives on shopping luxuries. You’d think she could do better than L’Oreal Paris, which she LOVES alongside La Mer. Go figure eh? 😛 Let’s just say to take that blog with a large pinch of salt. I can rarely tell anyone to spend over RM300 on a skincare item. Sure, I know it’s nice to be able to, but realistically, it’s too much.
Hi Paris.
I believe people are more receptive if beauty bloggers do state in their post, disclaimers like ”, ‘, , rather than write it in a way that disguises that it is a paid/sponsored post. Not all bloggers do that, but some do. Some gush over things or may even criticise other brands just to make the brand they’re reviewing seem better. What happened in SG last year, was when a telco company X told several social media influencers to blog/tweet about their services, and to write it in a way that makes it seem like telco company Y and company Z was way worse.
So what happened was, some bloggers really went on to tweet ‘I’ve had it with company Y! It’s terrible. I’m glad I switched to telco company X!’
And of course, it was found out that the person in the media team of the telco company X was the one who created this brief for bloggers to follow. As a result, the media team person was reprimanded and if I’m not wrong, she/he was asked to leave.
This is a drastic example, but there are such cases like this happening from time to time! It makes readers skeptical of bloggers’ credibility.
Not all bloggers are bad. There are only some black sheep among them! : )
Keep doing what you do. Love your blog.
You are absolutely right about disclaimers and disclosure. You know what I hate reading? Those who say “I recently discovered this X range of products” that so conveniently happened to be sponsored, because there’s a huge social media blitz going on. Yet, I can’t fault them 100% because sometimes, the brands tell them NOT to say that it’s sponsored, preferring to keep it secret. As if we, the consumers are dumb. I was even told by a company I did a sponsored post for not to mention it. I told them I had to and if they didn’t like it, so be it. They gave in LOL! 😀 Oh and your example is a very good example of what happens when gullible and naive bloggers have no integrity or personal ethics. Anyone who’s prepared to lie, and trash talk a brand they’ve never used tells you a lot about them as a person. Yet, I think these bloggers are still out there, still being “influencers” aren’t they? That’s what is sad. That lies get you further than the truth ever will 🙁 Thank you for reading, Neri. I hope to be my little island of integrity in the sea of veiled blogging lies 🙂
Well done, Paris. Another thorny issue addressed and addressed well.
On a side note, I know that Chanel La Solution 10 is probably a press sample BUT I am very curious to know how you fared with it.
And I suppose that’s the difference isn’t it? It’s about respect, on all corners (PR, blogger, influencer, reader, etc etc).
Keep banging on please! We need more people like you out there.
Thanks 😉 I’m still in the midst of that Chanel La Solution 10 so I’ll update soon! It’s pretty gentle – very surprising for me coz I couldn’t use Chanel skincare before this – always breaks me out! And yes, you’re right about respect on all fronts. It’s rare these days but I’m glad to say I work with some of the best 😉
Ohh I’ve tried it too! I used it after my facial scrub as it’s gentle and fragrance free. It reminds me of Cetaphil cream but it’s more lightweight. However I won’t purchase the full bottle coz of the price tag #honestopinion
I’m with you on the price tag! It’s a nice product otherwise right?
I’ve seen a lot of Australian beauty bloggers go from having the “PR-friendly” badge on their blog to having “not-PR friendly” as their tagline. They each have different reasons as to why they’ve gone the other direction but mostly it’s because they’re sick of having to deal with PRs and tired of that sense of obligation on their shoulders. I don’t know how the PR scene is like in Malaysia but as a blogger who has received a lot of products over the years to very few now, I completely understand where they’re coming from.
I don’t see the problem with beauty bloggers accepting products for review. It’s financially impossible for most of us to be able to buy every item in the latest collections just to review on the blog. That’s where the products from PRs come in. What I find hard to stomach is the notion that bloggers want to keep everything on their blog “100% positive”, which means that if the product doesn’t work for them, they will not mention it at all, which makes every single product review published on the blog absolutely glowing. This does a disservice to consumers because even though it could be the blogger’s honest opinion that the products are good, it’s hard not to think that the blogger’s lying about the products when every single thing is so good.
We need beauty blogs like Temptalia, Makeup and Beauty Blog and more to review the latest products and tell us if the items are worth checking out, worth buying or not worth even looking at. And for that to happen, they NEED to get products from PRs because they cannot buy every single beauty product under the sun. I have no problems with bloggers receiving products for review at all, but like you said, be honest about the product. If it’s good, say it’s good. If it’s bad, then for goodness’ sake, say it’s bad.
Sekian, my essay. 😛
I have noticed the switch as well, not only in Australia, but Europe and N. America too. Here? Don’t hope lor. If you choose to be not PR-friendly, there’ll be 20 others waiting to take your place to bodek the PR LOL! But I also get where the switch comes from, simply because I have done it myself on a smaller scale. I work with brands I like and people I like. Those I work with, are quite noticeable, as the brand will pop up often on my blog. The sense of obligation is there. But I’ve been sidelined and dropped and I get approached a lot less now than I did before, because I’m independent, not attached to a “community” or company or mainly because I just don’t want to kiss ass. I feel the ass kissing should be the other way around, which sounds arrogant, but a fact. They need us, we don’t need them – at least not all of them. Besides, the shift here is to other platforms with large numbers, me? I’m a kuchi-fry 😀
I have always held to the notion that all bloggers owe the readers and public a duty to tell the truth because money is at stake. This is true on all fronts, not just beauty. Even restaurants – I HATE paying for a crappy meal, but food blogs rarely criticize. I did once on my old blog, and the restaurant owner actually left nasty comments on my blog (they didn’t know who I was). I deleted it of course. Why give them the pleasure 😀
But as you’ve correctly pointed out, the good bloggers need that pipeline of products to survive and to go on. Sure, we buy stuff – we both do – but we can’t buy everything out there. Brands who understand that, I respect. Those who don’t, well, they’re still around so I reckon they probably don’t need the press anyway 😉 End of the day, we owe it to everyone to be honest, be it a bought or sponsored product. I can’t even understand why that’s so hard.
Oh one more thing – the not wanting to review a bad product. It happens to me too, to be honest. I don’t blog about every product I receive, but I do if it’s abysmally bad or if it’s good, or if it’s interesting. If it’s mediocre, I tend not to mention it. But if it’s a hyped product, that is mediocre or that I hate, then it’s open season! 😀
I am extremely glad to see this post and happy to see every point being covered. Being a beauty blogger for almost six years now, I actually saw the influencer market evolving. While I admit that there are bloggers who review and praise every single product which they receive, there are also bloggers who maintain their integrity and one look at such blogs should tell the category where they belong.
Even I buy most of my products. But, over the years, I have made connections and I tend to receive quite some PR samples. Truth be told, I cannot purchase every product which comes out in the market, yet, my readers look forward to the reviews. And I see no point in refusing either. I make it a point to maintain my honesty and integrity because I do not want my credibility being questioned and no matter what I do, lies can never go undetected and what is a blogger whose reviews are dishonest?
I do not want anyone to waste her hard -earned money just as I would not want to waste mine either. And if I am recommending a pricier product, I also tend to suggest an alternative which have been effective for me. That way, there’s something for everyone.
Hi there, thank you for reading and finding this post useful! 🙂 Like you, I saw the evolution of the blogger-PR relationship, and you are right also to keep in mind the fact that people looking for reviews actually have to spend money buying a product you recommend. I have always maintained that being a blogger who reviews/recommends products is a serious affair – we owe everyone a duty to be honest because people are actually SPENDING money on a product we may receive for free. It’s the same way I don’t want to feel cheated when I read reviews on products I intend to buy, and the best way is to read widely. The sad truth is that those who don’t tell the truth far outnumber those who do. But as you’ve said, one look at the blog should tell you just where they belong 🙂
It’s great that you’re talking about this, Paris. It’s been going on since last year, and there were many times when I didn’t know what to think of it. I read all the comments from such posts, and it comes down to one common thing – disclose! For some bloggers who don’t accept PR samples though, it doesn’t sit right with me when they make it sound like they’re the honest ones while those who accept PR samples are mostly greedy and would write glowing reviews just for the sample. And that is not cool.
I might have also taken it personally because I do accept PR samples (from brands I trust and I decline many too) and I am honest. Not everyone who accepts samples are greedy. Not everyone who accepts samples are ‘afraid’ to write a negative review for fear that the samples will stop. However, we are human after all, and humans do get biased. I might be biased due to some personal experience and it reflects in my writing. Who knows? Also, who gives a rats ass if the samples didn’t come anymore? If the product is good enough, I’d go buy it myself. It only means that there will be less reviews on the blog. And like you said, when readers ask for comparison, well, too bad then!
Some readers, this is the minority I think, expect the bloggers to buy everything for an honest review. I disagree. A blogger can’t buy everything, so with the limited products that he/she tried, said blogger can’t really give an in depth review of the product, whether or not it’s one of the better ones in the market. I think Jane from BBB talked about this before.
I can go on and on about this, Paris. But one thing’s for sure. As long as we’re honest, readers can tell. Sure, there are some bloggers out there who give us a bad rep, but I trust that most readers do their own research.
The end.
OH yeah. Stop with the bashing already.
It’s incredibly frustrating isn’t it? Knowing you’re doing it right and STILL getting bashed, or being labelled a sell out. Gosh, I think my life would be a lot more rewarding (product wise) if I WERE a sell out. Would there be readers? I doubt it, but hey, free stuff! LOL! Like you’ve said, I may be a little kinder on a sponsored item, but not always. I think Shu Uemura is smarting over the cushion thing LOL! At the end of the day, we know best how it is, and everyone should just do what they do and stop trying to police everyone. Sure, I’d love for there to be more bloggers with integrity and the balls to tell the truth, but it seems the new generation doesn’t think so. C’est la vie!
I think it’s good for PR Bloggers to receive samples for them to review. There are gazillion products out there and if they keep on going out to buy or scouring online, I think that’s wasting resources (time, money, energy). I’m not sure how early you can get the samples but correct me if I’m wrong, I think companies will give out the samples days ahead from the product’s launching date so it’s good to have reviews before the products are available.
Whether the reviews is innocent or biased, it’s all up to the users to accept or not. I think the best way for the users to decide is to not just depend on one review but find more details about the products from other reviews and the product’s information from the brand website. Even if the reviews are sponsored, I don’t mind if it’s to show latest trend or how to use the products or introducing new line.
For users asking to compare product ABC with product XYZ, maybe either they have complete trust to their favourite bloggers or they are too lazy to make their own research 😛 I’m not sure if I have asked that kind of question to compare products from different brands but I do recall I’ve asked the difference between new and old version of a product, I think it was Clinique Even Better serum, hehe.
Oh, I don’t think I will be a good beauty blogger – I might lean too much towards Bobbi Brown, haha.
Sometimes, samples go out weeks or months before they are available for purchase. But that’s the exception, here in Malaysia anyway. Quite often, I receive a product long after it’s available in the market, and when it’s a limited edition product, it really bugs me. How to tell people about a limited edition item if it’s already sold out?! That’s why I’m glad I don’t work with MAC – how la to keep up?! HAHA! 😀 You’d be amazed at some of the comments I receive, often a long time after a post is published, which is why most regulars don’t see them. Often, I don’t know where to laugh or to cry – how am I supposed to go out and buy a product that I might not like or want to use, just to tell you how it is? Why not just buy it yourself?! Lazy? I don’t think that begins to describe it LOL! 😀 Oh you might be an excellent beauty blogger – Bobbi Brown will love you anyway! 😉
Recently, a law was passed in the UK where bloggers/Youtubers now have to disclose if they have had a product sent to them for consideration and they are reviewing it.
This is largely to protect a more younger audience. I am much longer in the tooth and can work out who has had products sent and who buy them.
I am not bothered by products reviewed which have been sent for consideration if the review is very objective. I don’t want to hear gushing about every single product though because i don’t believe them bloggers at all.
I do follow bloggers who get products sent to them and i also follow bloggers like myself, who don’t. We can be very honest about products and believe me, if i don’t like a high end product i review, it is said clearly.
What i really hate though is, if they keep reviewing week after week huge hauls and say they bought them. That makes me very angry. Don’t lie to your readers, that is unforgivable.
I think having a law requiring disclosure is a good thing indeed! I doubt we’re anywhere near that, but it’s nice to hope! I think that mainly, people are a little more judgmental of those who do receive products because they might be less critical, whereas if a product you buy disappoints, there’s no reason not to say so. It’s your own money after all! But oh boy, the hauls! We don’t really those sort of blogs here (or maybe I’m not following the right people) but I often seen “Haul” videos on Youtube, and gosh, if anyone shops like that week after week, you’d bet they’re either broke all the time, or have lots of money, or are lying through their teeth! LOL!
There are soooo many things that lay underneath this issue both from bloggers’ view and readers’ view. But when I ask myself “what don’t you like about PR promoted posts?”, the answer is simple: I don’t find them objective anymore.
When I go back to times when I started to read beauty bloggers, it was the time when I realized that the ads and paid reviews on magazines and newspapers don’t help me anymore. I needed an objective view. That’s where the beauty blogs came in. Blogs were “personal”. It was a private space for the writer to share his/her opinions on said object. And it was soooo good! It was so good that blogging killed the magazines and everything shifted to the internet platform. And now, PRs know that sending their stuff to bloggers benefit much more than sending them to magazine writers. So, things have changed ever since… Now there are bloggers that go to Coachella with Kiehls or to Bafta Awards with Lancome, and so I do know now that I can no longer trust their reviews.
Don’t get me wrong, as you said, you can’t buy everything on your own, but you know what? That was fine with me. I’d rather read about a fewer products from an objective blogger than to read a million products from a bias blogger.
You mentioned that the readers are not stupid. You are right (most of the time, teen readers are still somehow more ignorant and gullable). So, what I do is I eliminate these kind of bloggers and read other blogs like yours or some other (more personal) blogs or I read other blogs where I know that they both buy products (because they love cosmetics) and also recieve lots of PR samples (like Temptalia or Musing Muse).
But, I should definitely mention that, a few years ago, I was dying with jealousy when the bloggers recieve loads of PR samples where I could not find the money to buy them 😛
Thank you for reading my blog even though I too am as “guilty” of featuring sponsored products Haha 😀 But you are right about how blogs have evolved. I was there right from the beginning so I definitely see the big changes that have happened. Like you, I too miss the days when blogs were personal, and people actually used it as a medium to share their experiences with others. These days, that doesn’t fly anymore. Being honest doesn’t make you successful, but being a “magazine” does. It’s weird how people are embracing what they once rejected! I think having some feeling of envy is normal – it’s what makes you human! I can’t deny that I sometimes feel that way too – or a feeling of unfairness. Like, why don’t I get what that person I’ve never heard of is getting?! But then I remind myself that at the end of the day, it’s just things, and things are immaterial at the end of the day – but involved readers, they’re much more important! 😀
Anyone with common sense would be able to discern themselves already everything that you’ve put into this post. I’ve said it before and I will say it again:- the reader also bears responsibility for what he/she absorb from reading (beauty blog or any other reading material for that matter). If you find yourself being suspicious of bias on the part of the blogger for reviewing PR products, just move on to another blog that you find you trust. What’s the big deal?
A large part of the problem , I think, is that the shamers don’t really care about the reasons why a beauty blogger may or may not decide to accept a PR product to review. Or whether a reviewed product was purchased with the blogger’s own hard-earned cash. In fact, many probably don’t even give a damned about the efficacy of a product. They derive some kind of perverse pleasure in running others down. So, one could explain till the cows come home all the reasons why accepting PR products should not be subjected to shame and they won’t get it.
I also don’t get why people feel envious about the “free” products that beauty bloggers supposedly receive. They’re not free. They often come with the burden of expectation of a review, and a positive one at that. They are given out to certain beauty bloggers because the bloggers have put in time and effort to position themselves so that the PRs think they are worth sending out a product sample to. Not everything of value comes with a $ or RM sign behind it.
I’m not a beauty blogger, I’m not a blogger at all. But I’m a reader and these things are obvious if one just looks beneath the surface of things. That is what the shamers can’t or don’t want to do. And they’re not worth being given the time of day.
*stands up and applauds* You’ve succinctly put what I tried so hard to communicate, without calling everyone a d*ckhead LOL! 😀 Thank you. You are right that a lot of the detractors or complainers are actually trolls. They don’t care, but there are those who are also bloggers, and they hold themselves up like some paragon of virtue. That only they, the PR-free ones are honest. Everyone else is spinning lies. Who died and made them King I don’t know. But you are also correct to say that readers are, and should be clever enough to make their own choices about what they perceive to be right and wrong. Whoever is dumb enough to believe everything they read on the internet deserves it. Oh and those feelings of envy, they’re there. And often I feel, felt most sharply by these paragons of virtue LOL! 😀
Definitely! Sitting on their high horses is surely a compensation for the envy they’re trying to deny/conceal – including to themselves. See see … jatuh baru tau. Duduk tinggi-tinggi lagi la!
Hahahha too true – the higher you sit, the further you have to fall! 😉
Reading all of the above comments made me realise that I’m from a unique demographic amongst your readers.
I’m much older for a start.
I buy what I like.
Might sound frivolous, irresponsible or even arrogant but true.
I really don’t care if it’s sponsored or not.
I just read the title, name of the product and just get on reading. I don’t read the disclosure tbh.
I will then go in-store and decide if I’d like to buy it.
No blog reviews make me buy anything.
For eg: I discovered Guerlain Météorites from you, yes.
But whether you like each tin from every collection does not affect me. You told me you skipped a few but I went ahead to buy them anyway.
Basically the info I seek from you is the product launch date, where to buy, the shades available and price.
What irks me as a consumer is this: why do brands give PR samples/gifts to young socialites, social influencers etc who clearly do not have the experience on beauty? Just to snap a pic and upload on Instagram?
It is disappointing to see many well known brands taking this route.
Sorry. Not sure if my comment is out of topic lol but we discussed this the other day and you knw what I mean right?
Haha you’re what I term a reader of news. You know what you want, so you just want info on where to get it and when. I’m a little more suggestible, so a glowing review does sway me, except that I also go and look up 5 more just to see if everyone thinks so. What to do, limited $$, but so many wants! LOL As for the other thing, well it’s a whole different topic, but I feel the exact same way you do. The only answer I have is this – numbers and community and a willingness to sell their souls for a piece of pretty makeup. It’s the “future” of digital marketing, I’m told, so every brand is doing it. No one wants an opinion, they just want to make sure as many people see it as possible, so the product sells. Better if it’s a product that isn’t wonderful, because a critical person will say so. But an influencer’s job is to influence, so pretty pictures, pretty girls sell products! Critical hags like me don’t LOL! 😀
Hi 🙂
Well done for addressing this topic! With all the ‘issues’ surrounding bloggers, I think this is what’s needed…flat out honesty, no matter what side of the fence (or in the middle) you are on. Since you mentioned BBB, I love her for this very reason – she’s so honest and up front and isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind. I also love that she does so as a big blogger, not only for the influence she has but also for her perspective.
Until I read your post, I didn’t know PR product shaming was/is a thing???? Seems so weird. I mean, I know people have their opinion (for, against, or whatever) but I didn’t realize they would take it so far as to bully or shame. That’s so sad. Trolls though, they’ll do whatever they can to get attention and create chaos.
I also didn’t know it was a thing to go PR-free?? I guess I don’t read enough blogs ha ha.
I don’t care if someone reviews PR samples or not. What I get annoyed with is if they don’t disclose PR samples. Even worse is if they try to pass it off like they actually purchased it. At the top of that list is if it’s a sponsored post and that’s not disclosed. It comes down to honesty…because if you can’t be honest about these things then how can I trust your review?
The number of blogs I actually read has greatly dwindled over the past couple of years. Some for the above mentioned reasons. Some because even if I didn’t mind their sponsored posts, they slowly became so out of line with what their blog was about that it was a total turnoff. I don’t want to read about car rental on a beauty blog.
There are a few I read that review a majority of PR samples and only give glowing reviews – those I skim mainly for release dates and swatches. And that’s another thing you touched on – sorry can’t remember if it was in the comments or the post? Anyway – I fully respect what a blogger chooses to do, but as a reader I don’t want to read only good things. I also want to hear what the blogger didn’t like, or even was just meh about. I find very helpful information in critical reviews just as much as with positive ones. Or even lukewarm reviews I find helpful!
I’ve actually had my blog for 6 years. I was really naive and had no idea what the blogging world was about or had to offer for the first several years. I found a few blog friends – mainly they were people whose blogs I read and commented on a lot – and that was as far as I ventured. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve really started open my eyes. I could write a novel here, but I’ll simply say…where there’s money to be made, it’s inevitable for things to get very commercial – especially as bloggers continue to grow their influence. Luckily though, there are still honest bloggers and there are still personal bloggers – they are just a little harder to find.
I haven’t accepted any PR samples to date for a number of reasons (ok, there was one but it was a brush I had already reviewed and the company wanted to send me a new one because they said the glue was better and wouldn’t shed as much – it still did so I never put it on the blog):
1. I have highly reactive skin, especially with skincare and I always have to read ingredient labels before purchasing to make sure it doesn’t look like it will bother my skin. There’s actually a lot I don’t put on the blog because even if I read the label, I had a reaction right away and couldn’t continue to use it. If there are other reasons I didn’t like it, or if I actually did like it and the only thing that was ‘bad’ was my reaction then I might still mention it somewhere or write a mini review. Anyway…I’d hate to have to ask for ingredient lists prior to getting the PR sample. That would be annoying for me and for PR.
2. I don’t want to waste my time trying stuff out just because it was sent to me. On top of that, I don’t want to feel obligated to write about it or mention it on social media or whatever. My time is mine, so I’ll talk about what I want, not what someone expects me to.
3. Breadth and experience has been mentioned. Sure trying out as much as you can leads a blogger to have a wider knowledge and reference base. Two points though 1) My blog is not just about pumping out reviews, it’s also about my personal beauty journey. My aim has always been to talk to readers as if we were friends sitting over coffee, talking about our beauty yay’s and woe’s. 2) I’m already overwhelmed with stuff I buy on my own – I can’t imagine finding the time to test out PR samples. Really both points go back to the fact that I just want to talk about what I want, not what someone asks me to.
Bias has been mentioned as well. I think it’s completely impossible to not be biased in some form or fashion…whether you accept PR sample only, don’t accept any PR samples or do a mix…there’s always going to be bias because it comes not only from PR but it also from personal experience, environment, preferences, etc.
Ultimately, what’s great about being a blogger is that you can choose your own path. When you put yourself out there, especially on the scale of the big bloggers you have to accept the good with the bad, the negative with the positive. I don’t mean you have to listen to it all, but you have to accept people will talk about you. It’s up to you to choose whether or not you take it to heart and get upset, or just ignore it and continue to do you.
As a reader it’s even better. If you don’t like what someone has to say – hey guess what, you don’t have to read it or watch the video.
I mean, I’m not trying to say I don’t have my opinions lol because obviously I do! In the end I just know it’s not all that serious. It’s only makeup 🙂
Then again, I’m still a small potatoes blogger, and I don’t make any money from my blog. If it was how I earned my living I might feel differently?
Sorry for the novella LOL
Hiya Gummy! Thanks for sharing very insightful thoughts on this! Apparently, PR-free is most certainly a thing now! I’ve seen so many people opt for it, for reasons I can understand, including frustration, but I felt that they were entitled to their actions. Just don’t make the rest of us feel bad because we didn’t all agree to take the same route! I think in many ways, as you’ve said, content and variety of content only really matters if you’re writing a more “public” blog, as opposed to a product diary style blog. But I so feel you on a blog that claims to be a beauty blog, but often diverges into other random topics, like cars, as you’ve pointed out, or locally, stepladders. I kid you not! There was a campaign where all these beauty blogs (who later transitioned themselves into “lifestyle blogs”) suddenly started writing and showing pictures of them on a step ladder. It doesn’t get more random than that, and while I understand that perhaps they really REALLY wanted that free ladder (and maybe some payment that went with it) it jarred! Don’t worry about being a small potatoes blogger. Small potatoes, big potatoes, they all make excellent fries and all opinions matter! 😉
This is gonna be a rant so beware. To begin with, I agree that pr samples are ubiquitous and that it’s unfair to shame anyone for accepting a product in return for a review. I haven’t heard anyone complain that there should be a threshold concerning the amount of products being sent to reviewers that shouldn’t be exceeded though. And if they have, it doesn’t sound right to me. As long as they have the time and desire to test out the products and aren’t overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stuff they’re getting then by all means, test stuff to your heart’s content (There’s always people grateful to see reviews, and i’m one of them.).
One can’t glaze over the fact that through product reviews, many bloggers offer a service that has simplified shopping for makeup for so many people. At the same time I think biases will still exist whether the item was sent or bought with their own money. Some people do persistently sing praises for certain (similar) types of product and therefore have a bias. More often than not, the products that garner the most praise are high end. Now, I know that expensive makeup has a specific audience and none’s saying that expensive always means better just ’cause they tend to prefer shopping from High End brands. But I think that it still plays into the common assumption that there are positive correlations between how expensive something is and it’s presumed quality.
My biggest gripes are with consumer culture and the deceptive advertising in the beauty industry, which beauty bloggers are inevitably a part of. I think some of the distrust that consumers feel towards sponsorships is probably related to how difficult it is to gauge reviewers’ transparency regarding the agreements made with companies thats provide the sponsored products. or example, the drama w/ Gerard cosmetics brought to light an e-mail from a GC representative that stated that all reviews must be positive as they didn’t want the reviewer to “promote something they didn’t like”, so there exists pressure to give favorable reviews or otherwise they’d be in breach of the agreement/contract. (source: https://vadisrad.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/gerard-cosmetics-drama/) I do not know how common such agreements are, though. Either way, the relationship between companies and reviews are mutually beneficial: companies get free exposure through the review and the reviewer gets new content to publish. Taking all that into consideration, It’s ultimately up to the individual to approach reviews with a fair dose of skepticism.
It’s not really in their best interest for the average reviewer/vlogger/blogger who benefits from their special relationship with the beauty industry to challenge the status quo. Discussions over whether the pricing is fair are few and far in between precisely because it’s highly contentious. Yes, we have now way of knowing a company’s overhead so let’s not be hasty and decry brands for charging such high prices blah blah blah. Disregarding the laws of supply and demand and other economic factors for a moment, makeup can get quite overpriced. The beauty industry has even been referred to as a “Racket” by some. “”Essentially, the price of cosmetics is related to the image of the brand,” Romanowski says. “Premium brands demand premium prices,” because they can.”
(see:http://www.alternet.org/story/148140/the_cosmetics_racket:_why_the_beauty_industry_can_get_away_with_charging_a_fortune_for_makeup)
Granted, you’re also paying for something to be easily accessible and the overhead has to be taken into account (that hot celebrity’s face plastered in the new nationwide campaign does not come cheap) but eventhen there’s a lot of deceptive pricing that remains largely unquestioned within the communities. This is purely hypothetical but a company that charges $20 USD for fractions of a gram of eyeshadow selling say, 10 of those shadows in a palette for $60 USD is seemingly always touted as a “steal” in blogs and videos. Realistically, even if the formulation is great, the eyeshadow is not worth $20 a pop. I’m not a fan of the rationale thinking that is often used to justify the high pricing. Neither am I fond of the “brand buyer” philosophy which dictates that one ought to buy expensive cosmetics primarily because they’re a status symbol. I’d like for there to be open, frank discussions regarding this subject. No more sidestepping.
Thanks for the insightful comment, and the food for thought! I do tend to agree with you about the commercialization of cosmetics, and the push for people to buy more and more. But I believe that the marketing has always been there. It might perhaps be a lot more in our face now, what with the advent of the internet and social media, but I can’t deny that it’s been good for the industry. That said, as for whether a high end product is worth its price, when there are lower end options, I think it will depend on the locale. Here, for example, because of taxes, exchange rates and shipping costs, a lot of what would be lower end makeup ends up being just a little more affordable than a higher end one. In that sense, it would make more sense to pay a little more for something that is usually (not always) better. As for palettes, I get where you’re coming from. $60 is by no means a steal, but looking at the bigger scheme of things, if a single shadow from the same brand would cost $20 otherwise, then a palette of 6 would be a steal. Compared to a lower end brand where you can get a palette for $20, then maybe not.
As for the sponsorship bit, I didn’t know there were brands/companies that specified the type of review they wanted in exchange for product. In my experience, that would usually be the case for a paid advertorial. But I know it happens. Brands don’t like negative reviews and the implied understanding is that if the product goes out, you give it a good review. So yes, there’s that pressure on the blogger which then comes down to that blogger’s ethics and how they approach blogging and their audience. The sad thing is that many will do it for the free product. So it comes down to the readers to be discerning about who they choose to follow 🙂
I’d write a more in-depth comment but I feel like everyone else has said it so much more eloquently than I ever could haha (or am I just lazy? :P)! But I totally agree with your sentiments!
I don’t get to many PR samples BUT the majority that I have received, I have not liked and have publicly said so – so there you go haha! I do think that the majority of super popular bloggers or youtubers aren’t very ‘trustworthy’, so I just don’t follow their blogs or channels. I’m more interested to hear about the opinions of those who have a passion for makeup and skincare, while those who may have at one point but are now more ‘lifestyle’ orientated, don’t interest me. The same goes for bloggers or Youtubers who only ever discuss ‘luxe’ brands, because it’s about the image for them as well – to the point that I think it obstructs their judgments. This one is a little trickier to navigate, but you can tell after a while (and I say this, even though most of my collection would lean towards the higher end of the spectrum).
Just my two cents – or five 😉 xo
I loved the long essays that were appearing in this one LOL! I think that ultimately, it comes down to us to decide what we want to read and who we want to follow. As bloggers who want to be a little more than just a hobby blog, it’s almost a given that PR samples will have to be accepted. It’s up to us then to look at ourselves and our ethics and decide how we want to approach the business. As for blog focus, I’m just as guilty of preferring the finer things in life 😀 A lot depends on where we are in life. At the time of my life, it’s understandable how I can afford what I buy. But if I were in my 20’s and still in university or just starting out in a career, then I don’t think it would be very wise at all focusing on a luxe lifestyle.
There’s nothing wrong with a bit of a PR post here and there, in my opinion. We all have our own way of doing things right, not one person is the same with the other, only similar. What I did last year in order to build a platform and a solid base for my blog to get a bit more recognition, is I accepted just about every single PR thing I can get, just to show people that my blog actually exists. Now that my blog is a year old and I’m comfortable with where I am in the “blogging world”, I can finally relax and pick and choose what PR invites and offers I want to accept and do. It’s mostly peer pressure for me, because whenever people find out that I blog, they wonder why I’m not famous. I went to a party held by a certain brand recently and a fellow blogger asked, “So, how many readers do you get on average?” and I thought it was so rude because that’s like asking how much money a person makes, in my opinion. I just said, “Just enough, I’m satisfied with my numbers”. But yeah, I was so pissed off.
My point is, there’s nothing wrong with doing a little PR thing as long as it doesn’t consume your blog and the voice behind the words you put on your posts because it’s so easy to get caught up with the glitter and sparkle of free things (glitter, not gold) that you forget your identity and the reason you blog in the first place. A couple of freebies is nice, but there has to be a good balance.
I hear ya Hani 🙂 It depends on what we want and where we are, and what we want to do, as well as our personal ethics. I’d like to think that there are still a lot of ethical people around (albeit eclipsed by the greedy, pandering majority!) so it doesn’t bother me as much now as it used to. But your experience with the other blogger reminded me of one I had recently too, where I was practically grilled about my approach to blogging, social media and what I work with. I was taken aback after a while – like hello, I just met you. No need for the third degree!
you hit it right on the head. that was one of the extreme challenges i faced in my previous employment (cough cough). its not only happening to social media, print media such as the mags are also pressured to do similar stuffs due to media ad spend. and the ‘product seeding via influencers’ part, it’s real and yes it’s about the numbers. what ever happened to real, honest and transparent PR? i’m glad i am no more in that ‘sandwich’ position – because i love my job, and i do it with integrity.
Hi WQ 🙂 Yeah, I can imagine it must be hard balancing things, when you’re on that side of the fence. Management demands rarely match up with the reality of the people who can work with! I can understand mags pandering to the brands, because they are paid anyway via ad buys. If there were brands willing to PAY me, maybe I’d be a little more bland too haha! 😀 I think the real PR challenge is to take a bad situation and turn it into a positive one, something to learn from perhaps. Rather than just shutting off that channel. Happened to me! 😉 Haha
Also a sidelined blogger, I actually have the same approach as you. If the brand is trustable and the PR ppl are good, I work with them. Or else, I’ll reject.
But I do understand why some bloggers switched to non PR-friendly though. They’re probably tired of being dumped and replaced after a few collaborations.
That being said, we don’t need to shame those who do. But what I can’t bear is those who claimed they bought the product when it’s clearly sponsored!
Saying that we’ve recently discovered the product isn’t wrong though. Because they’ve probably never encountered the brand before until they got sponsored 🙂
Hi Charmaine, I think the PR-blogger relationship is very important and paramount for both sides to understand where everyone is coming from. But then, a lot of it is human relations. So when someone I know or work with leaves a brand/company, that usually means my relationship with the brand ends as well. Happens sometimes. Locally, I haven’t yet met bloggers who have gone off PR-relationships though. If anything, they are more than welcoming! LOL 😀 Oh I didn’t know there were people lying about buying product, when in fact they were given it. Erm… why would they do that?! 0_0 I know of people who buy and then pretend it was given (to fake credibility) but gosh, it must have been a requirement of the campaign, you think?