Bloggers Are The New 30 Second Spots, Billboards and Advertisements
November 9, 2009 – 10:58 pm | by Daryl TayFor some reason today it hit me how many tweets I read from the local Singaporean bloggers have become increasingly brand-focused over the last few months. And in many instances not because they are genuinely fans of the brand, but because they’re part of this programme or that outreach or whatever it is.
If Twitter (and social media) is a channel, then these brand-pushed tweets are no different from the ad in the middle of my magazine, billboard when I drive on the road or 30 second ad in the middle of my tv show. They’re disruptive and we’re back where the whole problem with traditional media began.
The problem here is twofold:
1) Agencies are lazy
I think it’s time to go beyond blogger outreach. This is a whole blog post on its own so I won’t get into it here. The other problem is
2) Bloggers allow it
I don’t even know if this is a conscious or subconscious decision, but how many bloggers are blogging about what got them started in the first place? I look at a couple of blogs who I used to follow and now the word “advertorial” is in every other post. I think we (bloggers) need to remember what got us those readers to subscribe to our blogs in the first place. What got the first 10, 50, 100, 200, 500 people to follow us on Twitter in the first place. I’m pretty sure 9/10 times the reason is not “so they could get messages from brands” and to be free walking breathing tweeting advertisements for them. As Jo from Flowing Motion put it to me today while discussing the topic: “what about your reputation?”
The whole promise about social media was that it would be a conversation. People would feel passionately (or not) about products and services and by communicating with each other, hopefully community is built and advocacy is developed. And yes, I recognise that it won’t always be organic and that sometimes a brand will reach out and we bloggers will respond, but really, let’s try to maintain some decorum of self-dignity and refuse to be the new marketing vehicles of companies because we have worked hard to build up our credibility and to be relevant to our audiences and have their trust.
Is that really worth that extra blog post just so you’ll get invited to that next event that has barely anything to do with your blog content?
You decide.
Tags: 30 second spot, advertisements, billboards, bloggers, Singapore, social media
3 Responses to “Bloggers Are The New 30 Second Spots, Billboards and Advertisements”
By Daphne Maia on Nov 12, 2009 | Reply
daphne maia likes this!
i have had this discussion a few times with several bloggers, and some of them are those who get invited to events often. they do agree that this is becoming the case, that bloggers are basically turning into a huge advertisement board for brands just so they’ll get invited to the next event. so u wonder… all those “reviews” – how genuine are they? do they only write good things so that they ensure they get invited to the next? or do they really like the product? in which case, is their judgment of it skewed towards liking it also because of their subconscious need/want to be included again the next time round? … which makes me wonder, why are they so hard up for those invites?
they want attention, they want to feel popular. hence, they are willing to trade in their reputation and credibility? well, when there’s a need for such, companies WILL exploit it. they don’t have anything to lose out anyway.
By The Merry Traveller on Nov 12, 2009 | Reply
Well, because getting invites to anywhere is an indicator of popularity and blog success and is a skewered perception of recognition and internet love.
No brand will invest their products in the lesser known bloggers who have no readership simply because there’s no purpose. It doesn’t help sales so they don’t care for them. And for those whom they do endorse, they treat with care and generosity till one feels obliged or predisposed to the positive feelings even without trying on the products/services. Everyone likes to feel special. It is so easy for the endorsing companies to gratify these hungry bloggers by making just a teeny effort e.g. putting in extra samples, a little whisper in the ear that others are not getting as much as you are. And I think most products are about the same anyway, they probably won’t differ too much. How does dove shower gel differ from shokobutsu anyway? As long as they make you clean and not sprout a farm of pimples afterwards, they generally garner good reviews.
I miss old style blogging even though emotions tend to get a little exaggerated at times and people are not what they seem but at least the reason to write is right.
By The Merry Traveller on Nov 12, 2009 | Reply
My bad. I mean to write skewed and NOT skewered. It’s not good to be thinking of satay when you are commenting for sure.