Bloggers and Brands 3

[CookingUpAStormTonight]

New thread I hope.

All the 'haterz gonna hate' and 'some people are jelly, jelly, jealous!' comments on the cereal post are tedious.

I think most people are complaining about the frequency of ads rather than the ads themselves. Out of the last 10 of MODs posts, 8 have been 'paid partnerships'.

Whether they have a right to complain or not is another matter, but without followers, would these brands be interested in these bloggers in the first place? I think there probably needs to be some balance between between ads and content.

It'll be interesting to see how this develops.

Flugel I agree. It has made their feeds become boring. I don't have a problem with people doing ads but these ones just don't add anything interesting. Mother pukka's ads on the other hand can be quite funny so they don't bring down her whole feed.

I wonder how the bloggers feel about their uber fans in the comments. Some of them are crazed in their defence and manic love of people they don't know and have never met I think I'd be half amused and half freaked out! It would certainly feel like a massive intrusion on my family life.

I think people have the right to comment on it. I grumble to my husband about ads interrupting films and I’ve stopped buying magazines when the balance of content and ads felt wrong. Insta has comment boxes. There is the option to turn off the comments I suppose which would make them more like traditional ads but that kind of negates the point of social media and probably isn’t what the brand wants. Like it or not it’s a new form of advertising so the rules are evolving. Arguments comparing it to traditional channels or the Michelin guide 😳 don’t always stack up.

The comments are hilarious, "you are nothing but love and light"

www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/influencer-marketing-damages-publics-perception-brands-survey-finds/1457318

I found this quite a surprising read - small survey but finds that use of influencers damages brands across all age groups.

‘ there are too many ads’

I think most people are complaining about the frequency of ads rather than the ads themselves.

This is absolutely the crux of it for me. The blogs and insta accounts I enjoy are more unpaid content than ads. The minute it starts to tip the other way, I lose interest. There are enough ads out there, it's not what I read blogs for.

Of course it's entirely up to the bloggers if that's the way they want to go - to make a living out of it, why not? I'm sure I'd be tempted myself. But equally it's my choice to stop reading.

What I like about blogs is the personal feeling, that the blog is driven by the blogger's real life / personality / preferences / interests / experiences. Not by what they're paid to write about.

I follow several plus size blogs (although I'm not plus size - but size 14 with big boobs, so relate more to slightly larger bloggers than I do to the standard fashion bloggers). There is plenty of gifting and ads but it doesn't seem as relentless as it is with the standard fashion blogs; the ones I follow are clear and open about what they've received, and it still feels more personal and interesting than just 'here's today's load of freebies'.

Thanks to everyone who's kept these threads going - I've been reading from the start, and it's fascinating

It was disingenuous of iamalisonperry to post that she supposes anyone who has a problem with MOD and FOD's ads will 'stop watching ITV, Channel 4, Sky, never listen to commercial radio again and boycott all magazines and newspapers'.

I'm fairly certain she is a former journalist so she'd know those mediums all have falling audiences partly due to people seeking ad-free news and entertainment.

She'd also know that with more traditional channels of communication audiences can generally distinguish between content, ads and editorial. This makes transparency and disclosure even more important in the newer medium of online advertising because consumers don't like to feel they are being tricked and an ethical businessperson would ensure their audience isn't being misled either inadvertently or purposefully.

Also, some of the adoring comments on that post would have me investigating witness protection schemes! I think it was completely bonkers for MOD to mention the suburb they moved to.

It's the weird manic comments about the bloggers children that would freak me out. The over the top gushing about how much they love them etc. I would be removing my dd's from public view very quickly if it were me!

Agreed about some of the comments on that post being bonkers! One defender said something like thanks to this post she was inspired to have a lovely family breakfast at the table with her children instead of all sitting on phones or tablets. The idea of being "inspired" by a blogger eating a bowl of cereal made me laugh out loud.

Interesting article Debi, thanks for posting. It does seem to feel like a turning point at the moment, interesting to see the research backing it up. Does leave one to wonder where the brands will be popping up next.

I was under the impression most Instagrammers were posting a majority own content (with the majority gifted) and the occasional ad, not the other way round. I can understand the criticism from that regard.

The ultra manic fans fascinate me too, I'd be terrified to death of them personally but that's probably as I read this article quite recently about an obsessed fan:

YouTube couple targeted by 'single, lonely and disturbed' gunman in home invasion attack

Wren that is what I meant upthread when I said I thought the gushing fanz can't be that intelligent; if it hadn't occurred to you to eat breakfast with your family until you saw an influencer advertise it then you are definitely lacking something.

The over the top gushing about how much they love them

It's very strange, isn't it and reminiscent of all those who rushed in to defend Elle Darby. They're very invested in it all. There's a difference between commenting on what you think about transparency (on both sides) but the fangirling is downright weird.

I worry about Esther Walker. She seems to drink an awful lot.

June - please share your Insta tips for busty size 14s!

Bit disappointed that MP has liked a comment saying if you don’t like the quantity of ads or what brands are being promoted then unfollow but don’t comment. Surprised that someone who is campaigning for change and being disruptive to the status quo is basically telling other women to put up or shut up. I don’t see the problem with debate if it’s constructive and not done in an aggressive way. The level of fangirling is frankly scary on that post.

@ithasbernalongtime. I read that thread but didn’t see it as a put up or shut up scenario, certainly not by MP.

MOD is now tagging posts with the #ad where relevant, she obviously got advice on this/listened to feedback but is now being criticized for the number of adverts/advertising brands that are out of reach of some/the quantity. It seems as if she can’t win.

MOD & indeed MP are paid by brands to advertise, it’s how they generate income, as long as we’re all aware when something is being advertised, we do have a choice, either follow knowing a lot of content are adverts or else disengage.

Surely we can’t expect MOD to refuse adverts because a handful of people think she features too many adverts or because what she advertises is unaffordable to others. The whole influencer/advertiser thing has a limited time span imo so she might as well make hay while the sun shines, as long as she’s transparent.

that article! Shows that there is a very real threat and its not hard to work out where people live. Scary.

I agree with most of what you say @DillyDilly and my personal policy is to do a little groan and skim past if I see ad after ad, but querying the mix of ads v content is a valid question for followers who are waking up to the fact that their Instagram isn't what it used to be. I'm not suggesting they don't accept ads at all - I have repeatedly said on this thread I don't care if they monetise their blogs as long as its clear and I think the brands should compensate them properly for the work they do. I think if they get the balance wrong though, thats a poor decision for them commercially because they will lose the essence of what made them popular to start with.

The comment MP agreed with said "If followers don't like the amount of ads, then unfollow but it is uncalled for questioning the amount of ads or her promoting Disney or whatever".

We've had lots of discussion on here about what brands are a good fit for bloggers and how extensive ads are and whether that is a good thing or not. To say one of her followers (who supports her through the reach they provide the brands she promotes) shouldn't question it as well then just stifles any debate about this form of advertising. As usual, the whole row boiled down to one person asking a simple (which I read as being quite tongue in cheek) question "Do you pay for anything?" - it can hardly be classed as trolling (unless I have totally misunderstood what trolling is). The only reason MOD is getting flak for the number of ads is because she is being clear in terms of which ones are ads. She's not doing anything more than what she is supposed to do under the rules. If everyone else was playing by the rules as well they would be getting the same sort of comments, I am sure. I think its unfair that too many of MOD's fellow bloggers aren't playing by the same rules.

In Esther's defence, every other Instamum seems to neck gin every single day. Kat Farmer drinks her body weight in red wine.

Don't think it's particularly fair to single her out.

I follow Jess On the Plus Size. Brilliant girl, really enjoy her, she's funny. But she was massively upset by a comment on some forum (not here, not sure where) which was mildly bitchy. And her attitude was also "Just Unfollow, but don't say anything on the Internet about me thats negative, just keep it to private conversation with your friends if you must be negative about me"

And whilst I do like her, that's a strange attitude from someone who invites thousands of people literally into their home everyday, surely?

It's like a performer in the Coliseum asking nobody to boo.

Esther Walker did a post on drinking a lot recently and it was a bit worrying based on now she worded it. I like her account and also hope (well, as you would for anyone) that she’s ok.

Here, as aware I’m projecting vs her own words:

onthespike.com/2018/01/01/dry/

Wow. I hadn't seen that. I'm sure there is a bit of exaggerating for effect but yeah, that doesn't read well.

Or am I just being a total killjoy? I can't even tell anymore. Too many babies too close together has warped my sense of what normality is I think.