Bloggers and Brands 3

[CookingUpAStormTonight]

New thread I hope.

I buy loads from them DogZombies (great name!).

It seems to be one of those shops that whenever I try something on, it doesn't fit my body shape, so I am hesitant to buy online because I know I will end up sending it all back (I don't have one nearby). The quality seems great though.

I think it’s a little unfair to have a go at MP for her Flex Appeal campaign. One of the points she often makes is that flexible working shouldn’t just be for mothers returning to work. She’s also advocating fathers having access to flexible working, or people who care for elderly parents, or people with health issues who may benefit from a more flexible arrangement, as well as a variety of other situations. No, she didn’t invent the concept of flexible working, but she is doing a lot to promote it and make it more acceptable by visiting large companies and talking about how it can work for them, as well as promoting companies that have good flexible working policies. I really can’t fathom at all why someone would want to criticise this kind of campaign.

I agree Titus.

Titus, I don't think anyone is criticising the campaign, just the idea that MP invented the concept.

MP has never said she invented the concept. That would be ludicrous. She does, however, campaign to promote flexible working. Why criticise her for it?

I should clarify. There are a number of posts that are dismissive of her campaign saying they haven’t heard of it or it probably doesn’t make a difference. Maybe that’s right, or maybe it isn’t. She does go into companies to give talks about flexible working. She doesn’t promote it only for the benefit of SAHM with small businesses. It feels very catty to smugly dismiss her as not having made an impact simply because you haven’t heard of her campaign.

her campaign is conducted mainly via instagram, and her kids are young, its quite feasible those with older kids may not have come across MP, I'm aware of her but don't follow her.

• and by saying I don't follow her, I am not being catty, smug or dismissing her campaign, its simply my kids are older now and I've already been down the flexible working road.

To clarify I asked about the Flex Appeal because I genuinely don't know what it entails, I wasn't in any way being dismissive, genuinely asking. I started recently following MP and still it wasn't clear to me, she would #flexappeal posts but I wasn't aware that she went in and spoke to companies to raise awareness.

When they do the try on sessions in the changing room do you think they're sponsored in some way?

Most trying on sessions that I’ve seen seem to be in either H&M, &OtherStories or M&S so potentially sponsored.

One (can’t remember who) does trying on sessions in Zara and I don’t think they do paid partnerships/affiliate links?

I quite often do trying on insta stories, usually in H&M, & Other Stories, Anthropologie, Zara, Topshop or Mango.. because.. well, that’s where I usually want to go and try things on. But they’re never sponsored. If mine were, they’d be tagged as #ad.

i'm guessing the try on sessions are not sponsored as such but any swipe up links are bound to be affiliated links so they'll get paid if anyone purchases.

meant to add, I find the try on sessions on insta stories really useful, particularly from CLTS and the Fashion Lift as both are similar height to me

Thanks @KatFarmer - like others I like the try on sessions!

I might have said this before, but the Insta Stories “swipe up” link thing really irks me just now - I watched one the other day where the poster linked to numerous Topshop jumpers during the bad weather. I bet every single one was an (undisclosed) affiliate link. The fact they’re time bound means there’s no chance of ever being challenged on it.

The only affiliate that will work on a swipe up link is Reward Style (owners of Like to Know It as well) l. So if a link begins with rstyle or something like that, it will be an affiliate link.

I think there have been big strides being made with the #ad and #gifted disclosures but the "swipe up" links need to start being challenged as well. They're consistently not being disclosed as commission earning affiliate links. I saw Erica Davies added wording to some of hers recently so again, she seems to be leading the way in being completely transparent. Good for her.

The links I have seen are often pasted in with shortened URLs (so you cant see its a Reward Style) or you click through a picture and end up being shunted through on an affiliate link. Its not clear at all before you click on it that it's an affiliate link (not sure how the swipe up links on Insta look as I actively avoid them).

Generally, I think affiliate links aren't a great form of marketing, I think they can be used lazily by bloggers, are a bit sinister in the way they stay on your computer for a long period and for brands I don't think they are great because they have no editorial control over people using them. You could have someone wholly unsuitable for the brand doing loads of promotion for them and the brand doesn't really have any say in it. I really dislike them.

Itsfiveoclock some may not be disclosing because their swipe links aren’t affiliate links. I personally don’t use reward style links - this is the only company that you can currently make money from on instagram. You can link to a blog, which may have affiliate links - mine for example.. some of my links, not all are affiliated. I do have a disclaimer in the Fine Print section on my blog.. it’s currently being redesigned to have it in every page. Which, actually as I type I probably could do now....hmmmm

@KatFarmer I actually have no issue whatsoever with the "swipe up" taking you through to a blog post which contains affiliate links. And a disclosure on each individual blog post [as opposed to a general blog wide disclosure hidden in the small print]...preferably right at the top in the same size font as the rest of the post, I think would be about as good as it gets!

My only remaining issue would be, for those who are using RStyle links on IG, why are they getting away with not disclosing. Most of them do have a disclosure on their blogs but there just seems to be this blind spot that the rules don't apply on Instagram, maybe because it disappears within 24 hours or because they [wrongly] assume they've covered themselves with the disclosure over their blog.

The post I was watching linked directly to Topshop, not to a blog post. I see this on a lot of “wish list” posts on blogs too, but no disclosure other than something woolly in the “about” section about being a “for profit” site.

I HATE like to know, it makes my skin crawl a little bit!

I don’t mind a link to a blog with affiliate links from there (and disclosure). I just dislike being sent down a rabbit hole via a picture and finding I’ve clicked on a link without realising it. It makes me feel like a dupe.

For anyone interested (god I lead an exciting life 😫) there is an interesting page on the money saving expert website explaining how it is financed from affiliate links. They make it clear that they write their content first and then look to see if any recommendations can be linked via affiliates. If they are, that link is separately annotated so the consumer can make a choice whether to use the link or go direct. I think some fashion blogs can, at times, feel like the content is driven by the links not the other way round. In fact some of them hardly have any content in anymore, just a load of pictures pinched from websites with links (Not referring to yours Kat at all, I really liked your bag post the other day and your small brands post btw)