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!

I've followed Kat for a long time (I 'knew' her from a mums forum over 10 years ago) and recently have noticed how its ramped up, got shallower and more expensive. Theres more and more events, hours and hours in changing rooms. It all feels false and now I realise that has coincided with signing to Gleam. Its going to be an unfollow from me soon too. Not relatable at all anymore.

That’s interesting. She’s obviously loaded though so a freebie is meaningless to her probably!

And I see this morning there must be some kind of nespresso/coffee promotion coming. Cant take any comment at face value anymore!

Interesting to see the comments under DMBL40 post on a festive capsule wardrobe today and her reply...

Yeh ...To be fair to her she replied to all the comments stating who she had and hadn't worked with and who have paid her and who haven't.

Hush
M&S
Shoeholics
Chambers & Beau
Miranda Dunn
Missoma
Air & Grace
& Other Stories
John Lewis
Ted Baker

See I’ve only heard of a few of these. I’m mustn’t be the right demographic.

Elspeth Seven boot lane!! have literally never heard of it outside blogs.

Shoeaholics is the outlet for Kurt Geiger (add that to the list, you'll have seen KG mentioned lately on insta!)

And LK Bennett.

It puts me off too. Makes me feel they think I'm stupid that I'll fall for the shadiness of it. Ugh.

I like blogs where it's clearly not their only source of income.

Also doing the Instarounds at the moment are Boden, Monica Vinader and L'Occitane.

I'm another one who isn't comfortable with the disposable fashion that's being encouraged. I really wish there were more blogs where people focused on the less is more, sustainable fashion approach. But how can such blogs compete with others who are offering daily (shallow) content on the basis of freebies. I'll be checking out some of the blogs mentioned on the previous page and would love to hear of any more.

I do love the standard disclaimer that most blogs now use - I.e. all items featured have been gifted unless stated otherwise. Funny how none of the posts seem to review something they've just bought at Boots or Selfridges.

One of the reasons I gave up on bloggers was the never-ending 'This jacket looks really great with jeans.' Well yes, thank you but I could have worked that out for myself.

Hahaha!!!!!!!!

*I really don't understand all this dining and going to events organised by brands and then posting about it.

It's of no interest for me, as a potential customer. It didn't make the brand more desirable, quite the opposite actually.*

Agree with this

Oh and Glossier! Poor old Anna Edit (whatever her name is, can never remember, the one who's pals with Lily Pebbles) seems to have honestly sold her entire blog/YT business to them. It's like she's in a cult!

L'Occitane with all their flipping lavender fields with bloggers throwing their heads back and laughing in the French sunshine.

Every bloody year......

Course they're laughing, they're paid to!

Oh l'Occitane and that awful almond oil overpriced shit wash stuff is everywhere too!

It's interesting - these new advertising platforms. I wonder was it similar when radio and television started advertising and was is similarly opaque at the start until the world caught up with it? Anyone know?

It's a question of balance I think. When bloggers are finding new things that I might otherwise not come across, and are suggesting I might like them, I think it's fine. And happy to click on an affiliate link should I buy it, I have no problem with them making some money.

But when they are turning up to every single opening of an envelope and frantically trying to sell me stuff, then it's not. And that goes hand-in-hand with the mad consumerism. I mean, I like to consume, but there are limits, and I don't particularly like watching someone who seems to be in the throes of a shopping addiction! It's interesting to see Kat Farmer's response on Ted Baker in her blog today - she says that she had forgotten about Ted Baker but having been 'reminded' it turns out she really likes them. I guess it might be more convincing if we could see the list of retailers that she has turned down, because it turns out she doesn't like them. I guess there must be some. Either way, I still think Ted Baker is bloody horrible!

Also I sometimes find that certain bloggers' apparent commitment to body confidence etc just doesn't quite fit. Stylemesunday does this a bit, emphasise that her body is not perfect (it's not at all bad)! But the fact is she's really gorgeous. And she has loads of bloody lovely clothes. It just seems a bit disingenuous to me although I am sure the intention is good.

Yes, I might be "reminded to look more at Ted Baker if I was given a free leather jacket and silk blouse worth around £500 too...

Note that in replying to comments on her blog, Kat specifically only talks about blog posts that she has or hasn't be paid to write. Instagram posts and stories are a different platform and she would have different agreements for that.

The bum is 40 woman isn't very dating is she? A year ago was all harem pants and biker jackets now it's floral dresses and biker jackets. I've noticed she don't shop in Zara as much now she's on sponsor money. What do they do with all these outfits? Surely they don't keep them all- the mind boggles

I'd suggest she passes one of her twenty billion maxi-dresses on to me, except I'd look like a kid wearing my Mum's clothes. Which is also why her blog has become less relevant to me, I simply can't wear what she does and maxi dresses are not part of my life(style). But I do recognise that's a personal issue due to being a short arse!

She never seems to feel the cold. I'm baffled.

Not many bloggers appear to feel the cold!!
I also like Fashion mum of 40, but I must admit that her voice sets my teeth on edge! Posh Scouser!!
What Lizzy Loves also has the most irritating voice. She will also advertise anything.

I'd never watched any of FashionMumof40s Stories before, so I just found one and she sounds nothing like I imagined! Better that than the slightly projected, posh, enunciated, identikit voice adopted by the majority of the London IGers though.

I also really like CatwalkSchoolGates - she moves in a totally different sphere to me, but I really like that she really makes the effort to seek out different brands and really thinks about what her target reader would like, rather than just pushing any old brand that has approached her. She reminds me of MidlifeChic in that respect in that she really thinks about her reader.

I also "know" DMBL40 from her forum days and she has always written in exactly the same, slightly stream of consciousness way that she speaks so I do think that is the genuine her.

Elspeth, Air & Grace, and Davina Mulford trilbies. Accessorize a while back.

'She doesn't get paid to write a blog about it'

That might a true statement, but is she being paid to feature them on Instagram/Instagram Stories, going to their dinners and getting lots of free stuff???

I realise that that's not payment but surely anything else is not being done as she's suddenly rediscovered it in House of Fraser?

I'm also reading doesmybum less and less. Her blog has lost the individuality it once had. No-one's mentioned That'snotmyage, which is still really well done - she has a real mix of things, and quite often highlights small UK designers. En brogue is always worth reading, also The Pool (though that's not really a blog). I still like The Frugality and also Mad about the House for interiors stuff

I am also fed up with seeing bloody Hush, Air and Grace and Marks and Spencer!

Are there any other bloggers that do school run mum style specifically on the school run?!!

Wonder if DMB40 has an affiliation with Bicester Village. She credits Chloe at Bicester in her recent post.

Gosh - getting very snippy with her replies. Not taking being mildly challenged well.

I went shopping today, lots of lovely things in Monsoon. Doesn't seem to feature in any blogs posts I've seen in general. M&S was dire.