Michael Rogers, a blogger who was on NewsChannel 8 promoting “Outrage,” a new documentary on closet homosexual politicians and activists who “out them.” Rogers could barely get his promotional explanation out on what the video entails, which is the sole purpose he was invited on the show.
I clearly created quite a firestorm earlier this week when I blogged that I don’t think people should be paid to tweet about a brand. While I think a good number of commenters agreed with me, I think what caused the true firestorm is that I used the recent Land Rover campaign as my example.
After keeping an open mind and reading all of the comments about the post (see it here), I still don’t think people should be PAID to tweet or blog about brands…and now the FTC agrees.
An article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal described the Internet as “becoming so rife with paid blogging that the Federal Trade Commission, which guards against false advertisements, is examining whether it should police bloggers. As it updates nearly 30-year-old advertising guidelines, the FTC is proposing that bloggers, and online marketers and companies that compensate them, be held liable for misleading claims.”
The article is fair and balanced – talking to bloggers both who are paid and those who are not, but also to those that are paid who do and don’t disclose they’re paid.
What bothers me is those that disclose they are paid, but then don’t write anything negative or critical about the products they do review: “In a disclosure at the bottom of her Web page, Ms. Smith notifies readers that she accepts compensation for blog posts, but says, “We always give our honest opinions.” Still, in an interview, Ms. Smith said she never writes anything negative about products she is asked to review because, “I choose not to be critical.”
This is akin to the beginning of my career when a magazine would give you an advertorial if you bought ad space. The advertorial was great for companies because it was viewed as editorial written by the staff at the publication. But very quickly you began seeing PAID ADVERTORIAL at the top of the pieces because the FTC didn’t want the public confused.
Same idea, different decade. Things are changing rapidly and we have to know what is ethical, what is not ethical, and what dips over the line. Let’s not spin; rather be ethical about what it is that we’re doing. It only helps in the longrun.
With all the flack going on in the world today leaving people questioning the boundaries of PR, it’s wonderful to see communication campaigns that are sparking good in people and creating something bigger than themselves.
When I came across the Replanting the Rainforest blogger and viral campaign I was thrilled at what they are trying to accomplish. By reaching out to their online community they are asking everyday people like you and me to write about their project.
As a mother, I have always tried to persuade my children to make healthy, nutritious food choices. When my son was young his cereal of choice was sugar based and almost always had some toy inside that he just couldn’t live without. I read with interest the 9/16/08 article in PR Week by Kimberly Maul read more and was reminded of a day in 1992 (I think)…
when Michael Jordan changed my son’s cereal of choice. I asked him what cereal he wanted and to my delight his response was “Wheaties”! The reason for his cereal choice change was due to the wise decision General Mills made in their choice of Michael Jordan as their celebrity spokesperson. That same son – now in his 20′s – still eats Wheaties! He may never have tried the cereal if it weren’t for MJ! Ms. Maul reported on the recent PRWeek’s Entertainment and Media Roundtable panel discussion of the changing celebrity culture, with celebrities touting themselves as brands, and how celebrities can work with products and companies in the PR world. The right celebrity spokesperson choice can boost the sales of a product for years to come!
Patti Knight
For a second year in a row we have been anonymously nominated for the Blogger’s Choice Awards!
What a great feeling for our team of avid bloggers here at F.A.D.S. We are honored and as my best friend Wiki told me “honour is as real to the human condition as love, and likewise derives from the formative personal bonds that establish one’s personal dignity and character.”
So if you feel the love feel free to vote!
We are in an industry and era where digital success equals company greatness. The hard part is proving it to the old fashioned. I just got an email from my good friend who decided to pack up and travel the world before settling down with his life. Staying in touch with someone who is traveling the world can be very tough or expensive if you dare to make an international phone call. My friend created his own RSS feed so his friends and family could keep in touch and witness his adventure through maps, pictures, and exciting stories.
With new design comes new opportunities! We found out just this morning that your one-and-only spinsucks.com is nominated for best marketing blog by the Blogger’s Choice Awards! And by somebody we don’t even know. So thank you “lamsemjaza”, we appreciate the readership and the love for the nomination.
So, if you hate spin and love FADS, vote here!
We went to the PRSA social media luncheon earlier this week, and it turned out to be pretty interesting. And the food was good, for a change! We weren’t going to blog about this. But yesterday, we saw that one of the panelists, the Chicago Tribune’s Eric Benderoff, blogged on it. As if that wasn’t a sign we should jump in, the comments on his blog got us talking.
Molli: Did Cyrano just call Eric a knucklehead?
Brigitte: Pretty much. Didn’t he realize he was commenting on a blog?
Blog written by Thomas Short
I came a crossed an interesting social media blog the other day discussing the importance of blogging and whether or not PR firms are participating in the highly social media world we live in. The blog was about a man who runs an agency and believes his agency should blog, but has been told by “experts” he should not. I understand it may depend on the audience you are trying to reach, but that is exactly the point as well. There are many business professionals that look at blogs as a great opportunity to show your organization’s culture, views, and most importantly how your business participates in change. In order for your business to grow and compete, you need to adapt to change in the business environment.
Invincible, this troubles me. How can you grow by staying invincible? I don’t get that and I would like to hear an “expert” convince me how staying invincible can benefit an organization. Blog writing is just one of several ways to create brand name awareness. Blog writing gives your audience and consumers another reason to interact or report with your agency. The only thing or someone who should be attempting an invincibility act is Sam Zell, of the Chicago Tribune, for the fear of his life. With times changing, social media is a big part of business success. Whether you enjoy blogging or not, you better get on board, because customers and clients who believe social media promotes their products or services are increasing by the day.
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