Bloggers and #ad (Naming bloggers means a ban!)

IRE60

I’ve noticed a definite division here where some of the commentators, I think, feel that this particular forum is vindictive or ‘green-eyed’ – I don’t.


I worked in the media and now more on the fringes. I think the rules laid out by some by the ASAI are treated with impunity in parts. It doesn’t apply to them because of a or b. But they do. And if the ASAI is based on self regulation then perhaps forums like these are a way to encourage some of the defaulters to act properly – within the spirit of the ASAI rulings.


If one medium is bound by the rules, then they all are.


Can someone send me a pm a link of the ‘flower rant’ if still available?

Hopeful2016

idunno78 wrote: »

Some one posted about this last week. Don't know if they were on about same person tho? Same is happening with iron this week. I haven't heard back from ASAI yet not sure how long it takes tho, was only Friday!

This was just last night, she was re-promoting it again. Yeah she was plugging it last week too.

miamee

This article I read at the weekend reminded me of this thread. I read the thread but haven't commented before now. I find the whole thing fascinating despite having no interest in beauty or fashion bloggers myself.
In my opinion a blogger does a hell of a lot more work than a snapchatter/iger, blogging takes a lot of time and effort to create your own written content, the others take a lot less time.

Top Irish PR body seeks to curb rogue 'influencers' being paid to sell products and not admitting it

THE BODY THAT represents public relations practitioners in Ireland wants to devise a set of rules to protect consumers from rogue ‘influencers’ that fail to disclose advertisement payments.
The head of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII), John Carroll, said he plans to host a round-table meeting with Ireland’s top snapchatters, instagrammers and the like to hammer out a set of principles on how to handle paid-for ‘content’...more here

Dolbert

Just wondering if lifestyle websites are subjected to the same #ad rules that bloggers are? I'd have assumed so, but I've seen more than one "article" from a popular Dublin-based site that's really blatantly a giant ad, with no declaration of the fact whatsoever.

meeeeh

Dolbert wrote: »

Just wondering if lifestyle websites are subjected to the same #ad rules that bloggers are? I'd have assumed so, but I've seen more than one "article" from a popular Dublin-based site that's really blatantly a giant ad, with no declaration of the fact whatsoever.

They should be. I am not in marketing and pr and I studied in another country but I presume rules are similar. Advertising articles should be clearly marked as ad and font etc should be different than the rest of newspaper. (IT for example clearly does that in regards to above mentioned VHI promotion). But samples don't need to be disclosed. I don't know how is with bigger pr activities like free cruises or other holidays. I've seen disclaimers that author didn't pay for the trip but I think I also saw articles without mentioning who covered travel cost.

But the whole area is complete minefield. Sometimes some articles are very little more than whatever was passed on by pr companies to media. Similarly you could see big clothing brand advertise heavily in a magazine and their clothing would feature heavily in completely unrelated feature.

In regards to that PR code, I very much welcome it and I suspect this is actually a subject they will be very vocal about. I suspect strict adherence is in their interest because bloggers are cannibalizing their profession.

Sunny Dayz

I think the Social Media influencers (or whatever the correct term is for them) should be governed under the same guidelines as magazines.


To be honest I don't follow most of the main "bloggers", the ones with the most followers whom only seem to post selfies on IG. I follow those who actually buy products, work in paid employment or self employment and blog (as in real blog posts) in their spare time because they have a grá for fashion/beauty/health etc.


But from having a nose at the facebook and instagrammers, their content is more like that of a magazine. Now the only time I buy a magazine is when I'm going on holidays but I get the same kind of vibe. With a magazine much of the content is sponsored, is paid, that's how magazines make money, and they do distinguish advertorials. And you know and understand that from looking at a magazine, there's no second guessing or scepticism required on the part of the reader.

fitzytour

There's one Dublin mummy blogger who is currently talking about infertility! She was doing so on her snapchat and mentioned VHI, I thought nothing of it until I saw on her Instagram she had a post up about VHI and had #ad underneath. I just commented referring to the fact, I didn't see a #ad on snapchat and now the post is deleted! Call me naive but what's that about?!!

miamee

Surely when other media outlets are doing a push on the same thing in the same week, e.g. VHI infertility services last week, they realise that people will know it's an ad anyway?! Or do they think their readers/followers are that clueless?

idunno78

miamee wrote: »

Surely when other media outlets are doing a push on the same thing in the same week, e.g. VHI infertility services last week, they realise that people will know it's an ad anyway?! Or do they think their readers/followers are that clueless?

You would think so! But not necessarily! The blogger that was doing th3 VHI thing I follow on snapchat but not any other social media!! So I didn't realise it was an ad until I saw it posted here!
Also the 2 bloggers snapping about folic acid I only follow one on Instagram. Neither had that it was an ad on snapchat. I looked just now on FB and one has it's an ad in the headline of her shared blogpost the other doesn't!! They both have #ad on Instagram. But unless you follow on all platforms you might not know!

Lux23

miamee wrote: »

Surely when other media outlets are doing a push on the same thing in the same week, e.g. VHI infertility services last week, they realise that people will know it's an ad anyway?! Or do they think their readers/followers are that clueless?

Lots of people are clueless though, they have no concept of how a marketing campaign works. There is zero case law in enforcing consumer protection legislation in this area so bloggers will probably get away it unless someone takes a test case to the courts.

heyjude88

I'm just so annoyed. Im in my 30s and can see through all the pushing. But younger people might not.

These "gift guides" are a total joke. One though has really hit a nerve. So a blogger (is an employee for a business woman who is prominent on snap chat) has done a gift guide.....

Literally in the last 2 weeks she has shown these on snap chat that she has received these products along with many other bloggers. She has never said ad, I presume as they were "a gift". But now her gift guide blog is literally everything she received. Does she think people are stupid? I knew before I even looked what would be on it.

A hairdryer... she has been using the past 3 weeks and loves it
A straightning brush.... she swears by it and has used it for ONE week
A steam-pod... she got to go to a salon last week and got her hair done with it and swears by it.

No where has she declared she has gotten this all for free. So misleading and in a way so cheeky I think! Sorry for the rant.

Hopeful2016

fitzytour wrote: »

There's one Dublin mummy blogger who is currently talking about infertility! She was doing so on her snapchat and mentioned VHI, I thought nothing of it until I saw on her Instagram she had a post up about VHI and had #ad underneath. I just commented referring to the fact, I didn't see a #ad on snapchat and now the post is deleted! Call me naive but what's that about?!!

I find this blogger very disingenuous, she's all "I'm just a new mummy trying to help other new mummies" when really she's cashing in left right and centre pushing endless product and neglecting to disclose they are paid for promotions. It's the fact that she's so obvious about it that annoys me. She hash tags some of the ads but not all, like the VHI one, hashtagged on Facebook but not Snapchat or instagram until it'll she was pulled up on it by a follower. She clearly knows full well that it needed to disclosed or she wouldn't have included the #ad on Facebook but was trying to deceive her followers on Snapchat. If she's not disclosing it to her followers it would make me wonder if she's disclosing it to Revenue either... deceptively pushing products to new mothers while pretending to be some kind of "friend" is pretty low Imo. Having a new baby is expensive enough.

idunno78

Someone queried safe food for using a beauty blogger to advertise folic acid! She said she was a lifestyle blogger and ambassador for various lifestyle brands. Then someone asked what exactly is a lifestyle ambassador? Answer? 'Buy my book'. (Gave me a laugh)
I wonder when bloggers advertise things like this do they actually do a bit of research or just go by what there told!?

hearmehearye

idunno78 wrote: »

Someone queried safe food for using a beauty blogger to advertise folic acid! She said she was a lifestyle blogger and ambassador for various lifestyle brands. Then someone asked what exactly is a lifestyle ambassador? Answer? 'Buy my book'. (Gave me a laugh)
I wonder when bloggers advertise things like this do they actually do a bit of research or just go by what there told!?

One blogger in particular has a post up on her blog, and it's basically a copy and paste from Safe Food. There's maybe one or two "personalised" lines added in, like "now that I am a mother I feel I need to not just write about fashion & make up but other topics that may potentially help someone down the line"... etc.


Same goes for the Dublin blogger... yeah it's really helpful when all of a sudden there's numerous bloggers/influencers taking folic acid and vitamin D. :rolleyes:


It's blatantly obvious when a big press release/campaign is going on. Sure, maybe folic acid is important to you, but at least make reference to working with SafeFood!

Sunny Dayz

hearmehearye wrote: »

Same goes for the Dublin blogger... yeah it's really helpful when all of a sudden there's numerous bloggers/influencers taking folic acid and vitamin D. :rolleyes:

It's blatantly obvious when a big press release/campaign is going on. Sure, maybe folic acid is important to you, but at least make reference to working with SafeFood!

While I do think that they are just "copy and paste" jobs from press releases I do think they are a good fit to post these things. Their target markets are 20's something year old women who wouldn't think of taking folic acid or VitD but they should be. Only problem is they are out promoting a particular brand rather than just creating awareness.

hearmehearye

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

While I do think that they are just "copy and paste" jobs from press releases I do think they are a good fit to post these things. Their target markets are 20's something year old women who wouldn't think of taking folic acid or VitD but they should be. Only problem is they are out promoting a particular brand rather than just creating awareness.

I'm 21 but lately I feel like content is aimed towards mid 30 - something's. There's very few bloggers who I enjoy but I follow the majority, and that's the vibe I've been getting in the last 6 months or so. Especially when I click on worshipping comments on Insta/FB etc., expecting to see a 17 year old or something but instead it seems to be women 30+!


I have been taking Vitamin D since I was about 16 but have zero intention to have kids so I can't see why I would bother with Folic Acid.

Sunny Dayz

hearmehearye wrote: »

I have been taking Vitamin D since I was about 16 but have zero intention to have kids so I can't see why I would bother with Folic Acid.

I'm in the same mindset as yourself with the Folic Acid but on the other hand I feel that I probably should be taking it "just in case". I think that's what the blogger, sorry the marketing campaign is trying get across is that sexually active women of child bearing age should take it just incase.

SpillingTheTea

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

hearmehearye wrote: »

I have been taking Vitamin D since I was about 16 but have zero intention to have kids so I can't see why I would bother with Folic Acid.

I'm in the same mindset as yourself with the Folic Acid but on the other hand I feel that I probably should be taking it "just in case". I think that's what the blogger, sorry the marketing campaign is trying get across is that sexually active women of child bearing age should take it just incase.

Safe Food posted something on Instagram saying something along the lines of 'even if you aren't planning on children just yet, you should take folic acid' and people aren't having any of it.

I know this isn't the same thing because bloggers are now promoting vitamins and I'm obviously not against taking vitamins, but these people aren't healthcare professionals. What's next?

There should be something saying #ad or #spon on posts like that because they're alluding to us being their friends and they are telling us about something they find helps them, when that's not entirely true.

hearmehearye

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

I'm in the same mindset as yourself with the Folic Acid but on the other hand I feel that I probably should be taking it "just in case". I think that's what the blogger, sorry the marketing campaign is trying get across is that sexually active women of child bearing age should take it just incase.

While I get exactly what you're saying, that's all on the principle that said surprise baby would be kept

Hopeful2016

miamee wrote: »

Surely when other media outlets are doing a push on the same thing in the same week, e.g. VHI infertility services last week, they realise that people will know it's an ad anyway?! Or do they think their readers/followers are that clueless?

Some people do appear to be clueless about these things, there were a good few comments under the Dublin mummy blogger's post on Instagram last week plugging this VHI event. One of the comments was someone saying they had no idea it was an ad when they heard her plugging it on Snapchat. Another few comments on how she should have been #ad her snaps. Then there was one follower who said what does it matter if she didn't #ad the VHI snaps because it was talk that was being publicised, not a product. This person seemed to not make any connection between the VHI talk and the fact that VHI are now selling/promoting health insurance plans which include enhanced cover for fertility tests/procedures. She seemed to think they were doing some kind of public service announcement, not flogging their health cover.

heyjude88

My friend knows a blogger who was at the pennys launch today. All the stuff that was "bought" and is now being showed on snapchat, was purchased using a 200 euro gift card given to both blogger and their plus one.

Have not seen one blogger disclose this.

One big ad. So annoying as its gifted they don't have to say it.

fed_u

I'm not one bit surprised about the Penney's outing! Saw they were brought to lunch also so figured they were being well looked after! You'd really wonder why Penney's feel the need to bother with such measures...

idunno78

Kinda was wondering about that! Just saw one person I follow on Snapchat at it. But she had 2 full baskets and so did all the others in her snaps! They were making a beeline for baskets when they walked in the door to! I guess there is just so many loopholes for companies to use so they get away without having to say it's an ad!!

Sunny Dayz

I seen the new store opening post a video on their facebook of an Irish blogger promoting their new store. I don't follow the blogger but out of nosiness (and because I'm not in the form for working!) I clicked her facebook page to see what she had up about this and most of posts she had for the store brand were hashtagged with #ad or #sp (which I take it means sponsored).

retro:electro

Why are they acting like its the first Penneys in Ireland?

LizT

Currys PC world sent some nice gifts today...

tatumkelly

LizT wrote: »

Currys PC world sent some nice gifts today...

Anyone else notice one blogger blatantly lie and say she had got the Currys package as a gift for her mum?

Hopeful2016

tatumkelly wrote: »

Anyone else notice one blogger blatantly lie and say she had got the Currys package as a gift for her mum?

Yeah, the same one who wasn't disclosing the VHI ad on Snapchat too. I'm sure Currys will be thrilled to not even get a thank you like the others gave them. She's shameless.

Also a makeup artist blogger snapping this morning about the Siurca Ireland promotion but not including #ad, snapped later in the day after other bloggers had done, including #ad.

jockeyboard

No one giving out about the two male bloggers who did the gingerbread house without any mention of #ad. Just thinking there are not many complaints about those two male bloggers who i have NEVER seen #ad on snapchat.

Hopeful2016

jockeyboard wrote: »

No one giving out about the two male bloggers who did the gingerbread house without any mention of #ad. Just thinking there are not many complaints about those two male bloggers who i have NEVER seen #ad on snapchat.

Personally don't follow either of them.

retro:electro

One blogger decked out head to toe in V by Very, no mention of it being sponsored or an ad when it quite clearly is.

heyjude88

tatumkelly wrote: »

Anyone else notice one blogger blatantly lie and say she had got the Currys package as a gift for her mum?

oh my!!
Just catching up after work.

DISGUSTING. she should be ashamed of herself! scarlet for her, passing off freebies as a thank you present to her own mother !!!

Again, another gift so no need for an ad! grrrr

idunno78

Hopeful2016 wrote: »

Personally don't follow either of them.

I saw the videos so know who this is. I folllowed one of them but stopped because it just got to annoying!!! Was defo fake him scaring his Mam! Haven't seen snaps yet about present for bloggers Mam but jese that's bad form!

Saw similar on Instagram a YouTube from Uk saying she was doing a giveaway to give back to her followers to say thanks. Next day it went up and was #ad! She receives way more stuff then any of the Irish bloggers like ya couldn't use quarter of what she gets so you would imagine she would give some of that away! I unfollowed her to because all she did was show the stuff she got! At least the Irish girls show more then that!!

SpillingTheTea

Is the #ThanksPenneys on Instagram their way around saying #ad?

retro:electro

I don't know who ye are talking about but how do ye know that she didn't just order something separately from Currys herself?

forumuser

anna080 wrote: »

One blogger decked out head to toe in V by Very, no mention of it being sponsored or an ad when it quite clearly is.

Saw that this evening, I don't know if I've ever seen her use #ad actually

heyjude88

anna080 wrote: »

I don't know who ye are talking about but how do ye know that she didn't just order something separately from Currys herself?

Came in a big red box, with a big bow and a a big currys sticker on it.
She said "and a big package arrived from currys today for my mam, hopefully its gonna fit where I want it to fit" "I wanted to get her something that she needed to say thanks....."

Was the same as the others bloggers got. Same box, bow and sticker. I know when I order from currys I get a boring brown box with an invoice inside.

scarbouro

forumuser wrote: »

Saw that this evening, I don't know if I've ever seen her use #ad actually

Agree, I don't think I've ever seen this particular blogger use ad on any of her social media. She collaborates with quite a few brands too.

Sunny Dayz

anna080 wrote: »

One blogger decked out head to toe in V by Very, no mention of it being sponsored or an ad when it quite clearly is.

I think she mentioned earlier in the day that she was shooting some looks with the brand. See I think this is where the lines get blurred. She worked for so long as a model, obviously she got paid to model clothes, so why should she now have to disclose something which was her bread and butter.

miamee

SpillingTheTea wrote: »

Is the #ThanksPenneys on Instagram their way around saying #ad?

Sometimes in a campaign, the PR company/ad agency/whoever will give a hashtag to be used. You'd often see it at a specific event (alunch, etc.) too, I guess it helps them to keep track of activity about the campaign. Not sure it replaces marking something as an advertisement though.

SpillingTheTea

miamee wrote: »

SpillingTheTea wrote: »

Is the #ThanksPenneys on Instagram their way around saying #ad?

Sometimes in a campaign, the PR company/ad agency/whoever will give a hashtag to be used. You'd often see it at a specific event (alunch, etc.) too, I guess it helps them to keep track of activity about the campaign. Not sure it replaces marking something as an advertisement though.

Nah I get the reason behind it, also it's a play on when anyone asks you where you got something and you say 'Thanks, Penneys' but I mean it as in there's a MUA I follow on Instagram and instead of saying she was gifted stuff or instead of using #ad it just had their hashtag. To me I think it's a bit of a cheeky way to get around saying #ad when it clearly is paid for content/Benefit in kind/gifted.

miamee

I didn't even think of the play on "Thanks, Penneys!", lol. I don't think it gets around the need for #ad either, I'm just not sure if it was intended to do that or if they were using it because Penneys or their representatives asked them to.
Ftr, I don't follow any of these bloggers, am friends with a couple on FB but I don't necessarily follow their beauty stuff very closely. I'm just speaking as someone who has blogged in the (distant) past.

meeeeh

If they were just gifted stuff and not paid for promotion they don't need to use #ad anyway.

SpillingTheTea

I actually do think it is a play on it because some of them where using #ThanksHunPenneys as well.
The way I see it is, I don't have any problem with bloggers getting gifts or anything because that's their job, but there should be some transparency. That's my opinion. Getting gifted something and playing if off like they got it themselves just makes me as a reader/viewer become more dubious about any reviews because imo, how can I tell if it's a real opinion or paid for? I'm clearly not the only one who thinks this either

SB_Part2

I think there are two issues here when it comes to #ad and #spon. For the likes of the Pennys thing, it's not the blogger at fault here. It's Pennys. They are the ones the ASAI will come down on, not the blogger. It's up to them to ensure that their paid content is hashtagged accordingly.

And secondly, people want to know if something is given for free because it changes their opinion on it. The bloggers who don't use #ad #spon are going to lose more and more followers because people will see them as dishonest.

Hopeful2016

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

She worked for so long as a model, obviously she got paid to model clothes, so why should she now have to disclose something which was her bread and butter.

It's not really the same thing though. If she was booked as a model for a magazine campaign or fashion show then that would be obvious as a paid engagement. Being paid to wear them on a night out and document it on your social media making no mention of it being a paid promotion is not as obvious and the guidelines say it needs to be disclosed. It's irrelevant really who she is or what she did in a former life, the guidelines apply to all equally.

I'm not saying she got paid tho in this instance, it wasn't clear if the clothes were just for the shoot and she decided she was goina wear them out because she liked them. Tho heading out head to toe in the brand suggests to me it may have been an ad.

retro:electro

They'll all be kitted out in River Island gear for the next week

silvervixen84

SB_Part2 wrote: »

And secondly, people want to know if something is given for free because it changes their opinion on it. The bloggers who don't use #ad #spon are going to lose more and more followers because people will see them as dishonest.

The sad thing is, they won't really lose followers as many of their fans are young girls who hang on to their every word and will want to buy anything they promote.

Perhaps using #presssample for gifted items to distinguish from paid #ad campaigns might make things more transparent for the public.

retro:electro

One blogger is collaborating with Rimmell lipsticks but she only disclosed this yesterday on her Instagram, but for weeks now she's been plugging their lipsticks on snapchat without #ad.

Hopeful2016

anna080 wrote: »

One blogger is collaborating with Rimmell lipsticks but she only disclosed this yesterday on her Instagram, but for weeks now she's been plugging their lipsticks on snapchat without #ad.

She's been plugging them on Snapchat again this morning without #ad.