Bloggers and brands 2.

[Merriboo]

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

Am I the only one that doesn’t really get Bella Freud jumpers? It seems like fashion bloggers have always worn them (but don’t often mention sponsorship) and they seem really expensive for something that seems a bit ‘done’ at this point?

Ok, I’m talking to myself now but I’m also over the self congratulatory Top 10 posts on instagram, talking about ‘these little squares’. Arghh!

I unfollowed an Irish FB blogger who had really good fashion tips and bargain hunting when suddenly she started waxing lyrical about wall paint, home printers (!), carpets etc. Hmmm....new house done up for free, maybe? She got critical when people dared to question the change in content, too. As mentioned here, if she had been transparent about the sponsorship/discount I would have been happy enough to scroll on. But by denying it all, she lost many followers. Not sure if she has changed her tune in recent times.

I agree on both points adios. I don’t get why everyone wants a 1970 jumper, they don’t appeal to me at all after seeing EVERY SINGLE
Blogger in one. Although they didn’t really in the first place. Also these little squares, agghhh!

There was one on Fashion Lift flogging wine which I thought was a bit off.
I like her style but that did put me off.

Yes, that 1970 one or the ‘Ginsberg is God’ one

Jesus. Is that 1970 jumper really THREE HUNDRED QUID?! Jumpers bobble. Madness.

@PNGirl I’m sure you could get 10% off with an exclusive blogger discount

I have loads of BF jumpers.

If the Bella Freud jumper was £50, pure wool, and wasn't 1970 (I'm close enough to 47 that I'd have to deal with people asking me if it was my year of birth all the time) I might buy it. But I fail to see what is so fabulous about it. Bum40 seems to have paid for hers though.

I think they were somewhat cool back in the day when Kate Moss wore them, but since every 'mummy blogger' on Instagram has four, not so much.

I think the same goes for Golden Goose trainers, Gucci loafers etc.

It all begins to looks a bit 'sheep' like, you start to crave some individuality especially if you are going to follow someone for their style.

I’ve got GG’s too the thing is it is still individuality... because for most people in their everyday life they won’t see a single other person in either...Yes, they are very ubiquitous on insta, but that doesn’t matter to me, as I don’t know anyone IRL that has either.

Ah, the Gucci loafers are different, that's a classic shape. But Golden Goose trainers just look like dirty converse, I have the look already for a lot less money! I do agree that they still look individual (and exclusive) though, the cost is prohibitive for most people after all.

The Gucci is a classic shape, but when something is everywhere for me it loses the appeal. That's just me though.

Miffy, you're not missing anything. It's essentially the same outfit over and over anyway. There only so much you can do with skinny jeans, heels and a blazer.

I didn’t read all of the first thread, so apologies if somebody has already said this, but does anybody else look at the most popular YouTube bloggers and think, but they are such no-marks?

I genuinely can’t understand why some of them are popular. You haven’t been able to move without seeing that Tanya Burr woman recently (I think she has released some awful money grubbing Christmas cookery book), but what is interesting about her? Ditto the dull brothers of the Pixiwoo women (who are actually decent make up artists, I’ll give them that, even if they aren’t great presenters).

They feel like ersatz, sub-D-list, wannabe TV presenters. Which is, I suppose, what they are.

I watched a Zoella post out of curiosity after the (hilarious) advent calendar stories were reported and bloody hell. Talk about moronic. Her boyfriend especially. Christ.

LOL Mulberrysilk, I guess not.

Hard to find decent Irish bloggers these days - I cannot stand the perma-tanned, hair-extensioned P*ppa wannabees who come across as desperate for attention. Sigh.

The best 9 posts are doing my head in now too, its at that bashful "Oh I know its corny but here are mine" stage now as well. I love the interior blogs but Instagram winds me up every year. Towards the end of November (!) they all get the tree up and the its pictures of the tree at different angles for weeks on end. Then GUARANTEED by Boxing Day they are all sick to death of it and the tree is gone and there are millions of "Oh its so fabulous to have a a fresh start" posts. Arrrggghhhh.

I have noticed a few posts that look suspiciously like they may be sponsored creeping in on the interiors instgrammers that I follow as well. No credits of course.

All of those people are or were with Gleam Futures. They now have their own publishing arm.

www.thebookseller.com/news/gleam-futures-launches-literary-division-digital-writers-583951

Basically if you're willing to sneeze out a few ideas to a ghostwriter, ta da! You're an author. If you are willing to give Superdrug your range, you can have a beauty line. They magically appear in the Mail too. It's no different to TOWIE stars releasing workout DVDs.

I think I spotted my first blogger/instagrammed recently. I was at a popular attraction and saw a lady posing whilst photos were being taken. The photographer kept wandering over to show her the photos.

This person was totally overdressed for where we were (but in saying that, it's a popular attraction in London, so very diverse in terms of fashion and style). No idea who this person was, but it was obvious.

I still can't really believe they get a professional photographer to take these pics!

A Model Recommends has just bought a £1.65 million house hence the extra sponsorship. Lily Pebbles has got a lot of flack this week for doing a sponsored video with Special K where she showed how to prepare and eat the cereal.

A lot of bloggers seem to be expanding their remit and diversifying into 'lifestyle' type content rather than just fashion/make up type blogs. I suspect that readers in general are getting a bit bored of basic fashion blogs - I find blogs can be quite monotonous after a while.

The small things blog is an American blogger who did hair tutorials in the beginning and moved onto fashion and recently, lifestyle since having children. The problem is that she is neither fashionable or has a particularly enviable lifestyle (other than being a full time blogger). Small things has collaborated with lots of random companies and it's just painful reading - the brands are American so not really worth a mention.

Yes, lifestyle blogging seems to be quite the thing now. Fashion bloggers I have followed have evolved into beauty/home interiors etc......... I don't really mind but, for me, it does weaken their "brand" appeal. I followed them for some fashion ideas, not to see how they decorate their homes.... it kind of smacks of opportunism.

Lily Pebbles has deleted a number of ‘negative’ comments on her Special K instagram post. It’s just so disappointing; if you have an opinion other than fan girling & lavishing praise & fawning, you’re immediately dismissed as a jealous ‘hater’. This is the case across so many ‘genres’ of blogger/influencer.

I might delete Instagram for a bit