Bloggers and brands 2.

[Merriboo]

continuing the discussion from the previous thread about transparency and disclosure (or lack of) by bloggers

This is one of my problems with blogging and has been for years. Some of them spend 5 days a week at home in their dressing gown and/or jogging bottoms with a messy bun. Their instagram outfits of the day are actually from a photoshoot situation from a few days before. Or they'll review a designer bag they've had for a few months and say it's worth it because there are no signs of wear. Well, no, because you leave the house max three times a week and then it's to go for a coffee or one meeting. And you've also got 7 to choose from on rotation.

I just feel that they end up blogging about being a blogger, in the same way YouTubers do vlogs about editing vlogs.

Wears my money is another blogger who works. I really like her style, although she isn’t particularly transparent about gifts, links etc and seems to be gifted clothes by brand ambassador agency.

Midlife Chic posts about work wear but she wears heels with everything so i find her look a bit too ‘grown up’ as a source of ideas

Style mum works in financial services in the city, I believe. Love her style, but her freebie opening videos are astonishing! She gets so much free stuff it’s almost a joke.

buynowbloglater was always the one who worked for an employer. Then she started her own consultancy but she works in "user experience" which I don't understand but I know it's nothing to do with fashion.
It's the reason she was so popular but also the reason she doesn't still do it anymore

lovelygirliebits had a "proper" job for the last 9 years in some office but she quit this week to do blogging full time. I have fears shes gonna just be sponsored all the time now but we'll see. She already seems to do ads for HomeSense every month.

Ditto Clemmie Telford who worked at Facebook until Christmas. Shes about to have a baby but dunno whether she'll go back to anything like that or will be a blogger. It's certainly more family friendly. It's just a poisoned chalice these days.

I really, really like Clemmie Telford.

I really like Thankfifi, but she has spent days advertising for Land Rover...this is not the kind of stuff I want to be seeing on insta!

Yeah, Clemmie is sound. Another one who's really grown on me is Steph Don't Buy Me Flowers. What I like is that even though she runs a company that provides loads of products to people, she never publicises them much. I mean, a little bit but I never feel it's her MO. She just wants to blather on about her day, really.

BrummyMummy has written a blog about how she makes money and was able to quit teaching.
Name checks the old thread too.

Yes, Steph is another one who has her head screwed on. Also, her new baby is extremely cute.

Blossoming
Birds works full time as the manager of a major supermarket. She's glam and funny with two kids and a gorgeous house but it realistic about how much a juggle it all is. She doesn't blog all the time but it often on Instagram.

Oh yes!! Blossoming Birds is very funny!

FOD has just announced that he's releasing a book, too.

Saw FOD advertising his book still keeping those girls out of the public eye I see.

Who is FOD?

Got it after a quick google.

Looks like the girls are on the cover of the book

Once again reality is being obscured....... when a blogger thanks someone for the invitation to stay in their castle am I to assume it was a freebie, an advertising collaboration or something else? It comes back to transparency. It was interesting to read Brummy Mummy's blog post on how bloggers make their money. I wish the "please be transparent" message was one that bloggers would all adopt.

To be fair re castle if it’s DMBL40 she has got it marked as #gift in her IG post.

Ah ha, yes - you're right. I hadn't realised that #gift was a reference to the castle.

I agree totally re transparency but I do feel Kat has taken comments on board as is now very transparent. She has finished her post with #castlename and #gift so I see no issue.

On another note is shitty weather here at the moment and would LOVE to be in a castle!!!

I quite enjoy Brummy Mummy.Despite having zero in common with her other than Asos and Amazon Prime.I just cannot bare to watch her when she is with those other two.The one with the teeth who has just had a baby and the other one in Scotland.
Also,is DMBL Just trying to be Trinny? Can't stand the intakes of breath and fast talking.
Much prefer the original in Trinny.

In fairness to DMBL40, she’s among the the most transparent bloggers around just now. I think Chloelovestoshop and the Fashion Lift should take note.

Good luck to FOD with his book, won’t be buying it myself. I find those books which are marketed as ‘spit your tea out laughing’ are too contrived. He’s not first man to be a fully hands on Dad, there are lots of them around and to be honest, I sometimes feel a lot of his Instagram stories about what his kids get up to are contrived and planned out. But he’s lots of loyal followers and will probably sell lots of books.

I think the most transparent is easily MidLifeChic - she is always very clear about what a gift is ie a paid collaboration or an exchange for a review etc etc.....