Bloggers and brands

[homebythesea]

I love blogs, YouTube, Instagram etc but sometimes do wonder what's in it for the brands especially regarding blogger events.

Straight up reviews of things they get sent I totally get- they try things on/ use a face cream, wax lyrical about how great the thing is, people click through and buy said item. Straightforward advertising. No problem with that at all.

But when a blogger is invited to a dinner, or night away at a hotel, or a movie premiere by a brand I just don't get what is worth the expense? From the blogger perspective they get a night out and a goodie bag and maybe even paid to attend. But what does the brand get in return? A brief tag on an Instagram pic, some photos of beautiful place settings at dinner......but not necessarily sales?? These events must cost thousands to put on.

Hopefully someone with some knowledge about these things will enlighten us!

Yes, I have started looking at them on Instagram. It is quite interesting how many of them are running around promoting this perfume, this shop, this gin ........ I see now why they are called influencers not bloggers any more. They really are just salespeople for all these brands. Guess it is just how it is for the moment until the next big thing comes along. Still don't think I will ever really "get" Instagram - all a bit mad for me. Trinny seems to be doing it a bit differently though and says she doesn't get paid by anyone.

Some interesting "collaborations" this week. Dress like a mum was flogging marmite for stocking fillers earlier this week .

Being quite so ubiquitous does cheapen the Liberty Advent calendar.

Oh yeah, marmite is all over the place this week!

I don’t think any amount of money would tempt me to flog marmite one of my favourite bloggers has also done an Insta post in the last few days #spon by marmite and I’m like it doesn’t fit with her image or brand in any way, shape or form.

Money talks, I guess.

Window 2 of Liberty candle: marmite

*calendar

Marmite candle perhaps!

Nothing evokes the spirit of Christmas more than a jar of marmite 🤪

Honestly, it’s quite apt & a real case in point that some of these people will sell out for a few quid mum and style bloggers/influencers/whatever they’re called today advertising marmite? I’m still

Hasn't marmite (is this with the personalised name?) been recommended before, in previous Christmases? I thought that and Nutella had been. Marmite has definitely been mentioned in Sunday Times Style magazine, so I'm sure it's a gift that's doing the rounds.

I think I'd rather have a jar of marmite than an Advent Calendar. Admittedly I have sensitive skin so just the thought of using a different, random product every day is making my face itch but even that aside, I don't get the fuss. Whatever happened to free samples?

I feel a marmite advent calendar coming up in 2018 Flo, I see no appeal in those beauty calendars either, I would toss more than half out due to sensitivity issues but even without them I fail to see the appeal for myself. They are however filled, usually, with luxury brands that are arses about giving out samples or only available in select cities and every blogger and their grandmother has raved about products from those brands. I mean there's the added joy of opening up a door each day and all that but still. I think most wouldn't be able to afford those items in the full sizes or be able to test the next new thing at the same pace as beauty blogger but these calendars give a sense of thay. The rise of their popularity alongside bloggers is not a coincidental one IMO. Anyhow, like last year I will simply wait and watch the 'OMG I burned my face off' threads to start rolling in over the next two months.

Can we talk the brands that engage in this way? I mean Marmite has a saying dedicated to it, people love it or hate it ergo their market share isn't one that's going to grow by leaps and bounds. I'm struggling to see the angle, unless their thought process is weaning people off supermarket own brand versions and back to pricier Marmite because people really want to emulate a blogger

M&S is another oft mentioned one, it's a crumbling empire if we look at the fashion department in isolation. The difference between what was reported in various forms of media about that pink dress and how much it was appreciated by the average M&S customer on here was telling to say the least.

I'm just curious if these campaigns are actually effective, or if they're merely measuring levels of engagement to determine success. I assume most of that is internal information but there surely should be case studies out there to study?

Yeah I'm not a complete Grinch and I do get that the surprise factor must be fun. But they still make me think of selection boxes - you eat all the things you like and then you're left with the Maltesers.

I'm guessing the Marmite slogan is perhaps a reminder to people like me - who actually quite like it - to buy it more often. It's nicely self deprecating so it doesn't feel like an advert so you feel well disposed towards it. M&S - I really don't know what they're playing at. The way they kept on promoting that pink dress made me embarrassed, both for them and for everyone associated with the campaign.

I think they might be confusing getting people talking about a product with people actually buying it. But I'm no marketing expert, I'm just a rather grumpy consumer who tends to assume that if they have to push a product that hard then it can't really be very good.

Yes, basically in this era of information and sharing overload is it really the case (if it ever was) of any publicity is good publicity or are these somewhat dusty brands being advised poor strategies with old sayings as they desperately try to get with the times instead of ahead of it, missing the mark spectacularly as a result? Surely there must be views from within the marketing field about that.

The M&S Advent Calendar is an exceedingly successful marketing tool, I reckon. I'm actually sitting here as I type with Day 2 of this year's calendar smeared all over my face. And there's a brilliant swapsies thread on MN every year, so you can swap your unwanted "Maltesers" with someone else's Bounty Bar. I have discovered/repurchased several products after discovering them in an advent calendars. It can only serve to increase the hype if the bloggers are all over them.

I'm reminded of that classic ad where Leonard Rossiter spills his drink over Joan Collins. It was funny and everyone was talking about it but apparently it turned out people were too busy laughing to notice what the product was.

Yes, I reckon the M&S calendar is an effective campaign as you can only get one by buying their difficult to shift clothing so it's a win win on that account alone. Miraculously their beauty department is actually good and the curation seems well done. Liberty's on the other hand will have a lot of buyers who aren't regular shoppers there, it's a special annual treat and is seen to be great value for the contents but I'm not sure if they see a lot of sales on the back of that as Liberty's doesn't have a wide spread presence, nor will they be selling it at the lowest price available online. It's different when luxury does value as opposed to M&S which has it more as its core value rather than a rare opportunity that's almost too good to be true. I'd say bloggers with a free M&S calendar wouldn't taint the joy of it but bloggers receiving a free highly sought after Liberty's one is another matter. Especially since many do miss out on the Liberty's one as it sells out so quickly.

I too bought an 'Initials bag' after seeing it on numerous bloggers pages.
I went for it as it's in keeping with my style but mainly because it looked big,so I thought I could put my laptop etc in it.
However,when it arrived I was so disappointed.
The straps on it are so thin and flimsy.
I haven't dared to put my laptop in it or anything too heavy for that matter as I'm sure the strap will break.
I've had it about a month now and yesterday I've notice the letters are starting to come away.
IMO it definitely wasn't worth the money.

Still not getting it. If you're going to do swaps why not just buy a load of Bounty Bars in the first place - probably much better value?

But I'll shut up now as I don't want to spoil the fun. And I promise to keep my joyless thoughts off the advent calendar threads

I think it would be loads cheaper Flo as you didn't have to spend X amount on clothes at M&S you otherwise never would have bought to qualify for the advent purchase. Add to that all the postage costs for all the swaps. I reckon that's a lot of Bounty bars but joy can be bought in stock quite like in an advent calendar, I suppose. I promise to shut up now too.

*can't be bought although I do think the Americans have a candy bar named Almond Joy...

Midlifechic did an interesting post about Advent Calendars and said they are developed as loss leaders and are effective marketing tools. This is also probably a clever blog post, you're being given some insider info so you feel like you are in the know then she gets a cut if you buy anything through the affiliate links. But I'm sure it works, just like I use to buy Clinique when it was bonus time so I'd get the bonus gifts. And niche perfume houses sell samples that perfumistas then discuss if they are 'full bottle worthy'.

I don’t “get” the advent calendars either, or beauty subscription boxes. I would rather just have one thing that I know I really want, however I agree they are effective loss leaders for M&S. M&S’s dine-in is the most perfect loss leader too - essentially you are missing one item to make a meal for your £10 anyway, so you’ll always buy at least one thing on top, and probably a couple of bags of Percy Pigs to boot.

Marmite have a huge marketing budget, and tend to do quite innovative campaigns. I have only seen one Instagram post about it, but it linked into the proposition that you are genetically a lover or a hater which is part of their current ATL advertising.