to ask if any of you are watching the Zoella Advent Calendar hoo ha?

[BriechonCheese]

Now, I might be enjoying this fall out because my DS went to the HelloWorld event and was badly ripped off (a YouTuber event which went terribly wrong) but finally Zoella is being challenged on her over priced tat merchandise. Particularly her advent calendar which is £50 FIFTY FUCKING POUNDS for the likes of confetti, 2 tiny candles, a thin copy book and a Pom Pom!

www.boots.com/zoella-12-days-of-christmas-advent-calendar-10235552

Social media is going mad, there are thousands of tweets, a viral video lampooning it is doing the rounds and it was discussed on 5Live last night.

Is anyone watching this fall out?

Do we think this will finally be the end of these terrible, vacuous idiots? Or am I too optimistic?

Wanders off to try to Google the tea drinking reference.

She's a year younger than me too Melj I don't know anyone my age who has the inclination to regularly follow a youtube personality - I found out about her through my now-21-year-old SIL, who has been watching her since she was about 13.

28 year old woman who willlose her popularity with teenagers soon enough. Products really no better than pound shop alternatives. She is not really that gorgeous and her makeup skills no better than most.

My ten year old loves Zoella. But even she says it’s crap

Very good point about the brand trying to hit two different categories simultaneously. I have heard some people say that the make up brand is generally nice stuff and not that unreasonably priced per item (I wouldn't know, I only buy the cheapest brands I can find if I buy make up at all)

Actually I wonder if part of the problem is that she's getting on a bit in terms of appealing to 10-year-olds, and she's making a mistake equivalent to when thingy out of Take That tried to go all death metal, or any other boy band member starts aiming for 'musical credibility' and makes a cake out of himself.

She’s uploaded a 30 min long video with the last few mins her jabbering on about how she is just creative and doesn’t have any involvement in the price. She’s thrown Boots under a bus and I’m surprised they’re letting her get away with laying al the blame on them. She’s either a moron or more cynical than I thought

Fundamentally it's her name on it, not boots! Be interesting to know the breakdown of the profits and what do zoella/boots get?

But isn't it one of the first thing you would ask if you name is on it, how much is it?

I'm shocked to hear that Zoella is nearly 30, she's such a woman child and talks like a little girl.

MillicentFawcett, that link is from Cosmo? Isn't that magazine directed at adults? What adult would want the crap that's in this calendar?

Saying that, I haven't read Cosmo since I was 18 years old.)

What is the point of Zoella?

Serious question.

She'll distance herself completely from this. It'll be Boots' fault,something 'completely out of her control' I expect.

And that's exactly what it was. What a surprise.

Is it just me or is she trying to dress younger than she is? And I don't believe she didnt know about pricing.

Predictable tactic. But interesting how she markets across social media as well as youtube, as a pp said. Very different from youth trends of the past. I don't think all parents realise how all encompassing it is.

I tried watching a Zoella video. I lasted 2 mins before skipping through just to see if she did anything. She didn't. So I went to watch a Beastie Boys video to clear the glittery fluff out of my head.

I'm such a grandpa.

From my limited experience of marketing product (rather than services, which I do on a small scale) I know department stores work with brands on "gifting" way in advance of Christmas. The department store will say to the brand - if you want a deal with us you need to make a selection of gifting items in the following price cats

2 x £7/8
2 x £12-15
2x £18 - 22
2x £25
1x £35
1x £50
(Obviously depends on the store and their brackets etc., they will know what works)
Give us 5 ideas for each price bracket and we'll narrow it down.

They will cook up the ideas back at the brand HQ/via their PR agency. And between the shop and the brand they will narrow it down and go from there. So a £50 will always be the "lead" item, the big one on the shelf, the one in the top price bracket. The item is made with the price in mind, it isn't priced once it is made unless something major has changed with an ingredient or supplier.

They will have always know exactly what that product was going on the shelves at.

Briechoncheese - that’s exactly how I imagine it working.* No-one with a brand like hers would allow their name to be put on something without any say in the pricing either - like people have said, shes obviously very savvy and her brand hasn’t created itself.*

Surely she won’t get away with spouting the lies about it all being on Boots?

I don't think boots will care either way so long as zoella is bringing in the cash.

On a sidelong: Do boots still overcharge on the morning after pill and other contraceptives to placate their conservative Christian owners who hate the same (but not enough to ban it completely) / exploit women to make a bigger profit margin?

If so, perhaps zoella and boots are a perfect match really.

Even Poundland have got in on it...

She/her marketing people seem confused about her target audience. If I was young enough to enjoy glittery confetti and stickers I wouldn't be wanting room spray. If I was an older teen then a teeny tiny makeup bag and a pompom keyring wouldn't cut it. And I can't imagine anyone wanting two boring, flimsy cookie cutters.

@Glittermakeseverythingbetter

"I am uncomfortable with the online bullying of her that is taking place by grown adults."

Never "bullied" anyone in my life, online or otherwise, but get real. This lady is in her late twenties and promotes crap for a living.

Love this!!!!😂

Apparently from Thursday, it’s being reduced to £25 because of the criticism.... still wouldn’t pay £25 for it!

She's not some teen making videos in her bedroom, she's a 27 year old woman who is said to earn £50,000 each month. She';s old enough and savvy enough to take this criticism on the chin.

I was at helloworldlive with my daughter. Total farce of a show. I have been promised a full refund.

So glad this has happened. Zoella was one of the headliners at the event and stayed on stage for about 2 mins. Apparently she suffers from anxiety and couldn't be on stage in front of large crowds.
Didn't stop her from flogging her crap to kids though
Dd was quite upset that she wasn't seen.
And as for Alfie deyes. Her boyfriend What a total prat

Someone has dug up her actual tweets from the past. 😵
She’s like 20 years old at the time.