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!

Not sure what you mean fivefour - anyone with 5k subscribers will have another job/be a student/have a working partner as their main income. But you get ad revenue if you monetise a blog, write sponsored posts, can write things off for tax...

Yeah I just spent the night at a once in a life time destination, it was fab. Look at me complain about my size 10 waist after 236 Michelin courses.

Now I really MUST go back to Bicester and change this Gucci scarf.

Did I mention BICESTER, GUCCI and LE MANIOR everyone? Wooa is me.

Life is suuuuuccch a draaaaag.

I'm no longer your demographic Kat, you've lost me. But hey, I'm no where near those places or influenced by your now weird style.

I've just I followed everyone I moaned about on here. Not sure who/what comes next.

I love the concept of Instagram (minus the cash flow) just not how it's currently being used.

*unfollowed!!!! (Autocorrect)

Agreed re Does My Bum Look 40. Also noticed today on instagram stories that Esther Walker/Coren shoe horned a mention of White Stuff pjs that had arrived for her kids into her chat about relaxed Christmas days. It was so obviously that it was a sponsored plug for a White Stuff, a brand she had never previously mentioned and one I can’t really imagine fits her style.

Yes I fear Esther is well on the way to selling out

Oh no not Esther - I love her! I do think she’s struggling to find her niche with her husband hogging the limelight.

Yes, DMBL40's weirdly deluded whinging about how FAT she is prompted me to unfollow too. I know it's perfectly fine for anyone, of any size to think that they must lose a few pounds - all body stuff is relative and personal - but given her platform and the breadth of her audience she must have realised what a fecking ridiculous stealthboast it would appear to many, many people. (And if she didn't, she doesn't deserve to have a platform.)

Yes and dmbl40 is now pushing laredoute Christmas stuff! Used to really like her blog, but agree that the “too tall, too pudgy me” has worn thin, add to this the obviously gifted items which aren’t always obvious, and the increasing price tags.......

Sorry, I'm still entertained by DMBL40. She is clearly doing very well at her business and is not short of money, but she still deals with the usual struggles in life to do with raising a family. And has the same insecurities about her appearance as the rest of us. Also, she seems genuinely excited about some of the opportunities she has been given.

I agree that she is very engaging, obviously has contacts and has easy access to London, and works hard. But I don’t identify with her issues with body image, can’t afford most of her clothes and certainly don’t live her lifestyle/social life. Much prefer fashionmumof40 and the instagram account of luludumas.

I am worried about Esther. 3 press days today. Which is of course the beginning of the end. If she starts banging on about M&S and La Redoute in every second post I'm done. Those two brands have bought and sold every flipping woman on Instagram.

The flogging of M&S shit is doing my head in. It’s all frumpy as fuck, we know it, they know it.

And Hush, is there anyone who doesn’t get gifted!

Yes, I see the sparkly jumpsuit is doing the rounds at the moment. Yawn.

I have huge problems with Kat Farmer. Huge!! I was with friends once in Shepton Mallet about two years ago. We spotted her and a few ventured over to say hello, to let her know she had European fans. She looked at us like we were shit on her shoe, was dismissive and unpleasant . We dispersed quickly, suitably embarrassed and continued to shop. She was incredibly loud and domineering in shops and proceeded to ignore us as we cringed through several more encounters round various shops. We saw later that she had tagged herself there, full of bonhomie and in her usual ‘I’m your friend really’ tone.

So the appearance of being a down to earth, friendly nice lady - just like one of us - all BS. And I know she has an online persona and it is work, but the fakery of it is what got to me. The conversational nature of how she posts is entirely contrived. I just think that the swathes of followers (I am not one any longer - am sure that keeps her up at night!!) are the mugs in these situations. Being polite, being friendly when your whole business model depends on being liked and admired seems a no-brainer to me. And the way in which she crowed to sales assistants made it really clear that whilst she has no time for the people who follow her, she has plenty for those who can furnish her with discounts and stock her wardrobe.

The telegraph most read (?) fashion article just now is S/S18 lookbook from M&S.

If it's really the 'most read' I'll wear that flipping pink dress of shame.

Leorange that’s awful re Kat Farmer! If that’s how she behaves she is now unfollowed by me.

Any other bloggers who were disappointing in the flesh?!

LeOrange, I find that all too easy to believe. The I'm your friend/all girls together/so down to earth had begun to feel forced to the point of being a piss-take to me.

Interesting answers from Kat Farmer
www.diarydirectory.com/newsarticle/featured-influencer-kat-farmer-from-does-my-bum-look-40-in-this/13671

That’s hilarious! Send me a present and a free holiday and I’m yours!!

And the nanny is never ever mentioned!

I know I was always very impressed at how she managed everything with just the occasional “sitter”!

Wipsglitter-I know I was always very impressed at how she managed everything with just the occasional “sitter”!