I know this isn’t the right time for it, with all the controversies going on regarding the 13-year-old kid (frankly, I really hope this issue would settle down already. Imagine the pressure and the stress this gives the kid), but I can’t help it. I just have to let it out.
There are times that I wish that I could thread in two rivers. But I can’t. As a web designer, I am sometimes bound by non-disclosure agreements—especially the outsourced ones. The client privilege of privacy and non-disclosure just sucks when you’re also a blogger. You get the juiciest, first-hand accounts of interesting and bloggable tidbits, but you can’t write anything about it. Sometimes, I really wish it was as easy as disclosing PR involvement (like, it’s as simple as “I got this gift from this company and they fed me dinner, so I’m blogging about it as a gesture of ‘thanks’ even though I don’t have any idea what the product or service really isâ€), but it’s not.
However, that’s not why I’m ranting.
Wouldn’t that piss you off too? Especially since if you know that there’s a grain of truth with this perception. Admittedly, we brought it upon ourselves.
As an advocate of blogging, I don’t really see anything wrong with companies starting to see the power of blogging. I actually think it’s good. After all, it shows that we’re finally getting “heard.†But if it comes to a point when advertisers and PR agencies just wave the free food goodie bag at us and we come running with rave reviews leaking with nothing but praise for a product or service we haven’t actually tried for ourselves (or sometimes don’t even understand what it is), it becomes a bit problematic IMHO.
I know it’s flattering (I myself was struck at rubbing elbows with starlets, celebrities, and the media at the Krispy Kreme VIP party), but when the “other side†starts to belittle your value as a blogger, it’s already insulting. Why waste $100 for a worthwhile review (that’s not even always positive) when you can spend less by inviting a bunch of bloggers to dinner who would be more than happy to write about your product or service even though they don’t really know what they’re talking about or haven’t really thought about it?
What frustrates me even more is that I can’t refute the allegation (or rather, the condescending remark), because there’s a truth in it.
A lot of us are guilty of this, me included. I have to admit that I had been pretty much on the safe side when discussing PR-related events or parties. Well, I guess not recently, when I could be pretty cold or downright bitchy about a party or product I didn’t like. Although I do find ways to integrate PR stuff into more relevant posts and avoid, at all cost, to make my blog into a PR blog, the fact remains that I myself have attended these dinners because they’re free. I guess I felt that I didn’t really have anything to lose since blogging isn’t my primary source of income. If they don’t invite me ever again for a bad review, well, to hell with them. I’m not a charity case. I can buy my own food.
It’s really irritating that there are those who are so confident to receive a glowing review for whatever they wanted to shove onto my face after treating me dinner.
Don’t get me wrong, there are those who don’t think this way, and would treat us like we are valuable instead just waving around the promise of a free dinner. There are advertisers and PR agencies that don’t look down upon bloggers. Well, let’s just hope there would be more of them participating in this growing community.
But as I have said, we did bring this upon ourselves. Maybe it’s time for us to determine whether or not it’s worth throwing our paninindigan (eng. “standâ€), ethics, and real opinions in our blogs in exchange for one measly free dinner.
In fairness, we do spend for our gas/taxi fare , lol
Am wondering how it is the US, UK and Canada, Singapore and other countries which are in different phases of the blogging evolution.
@ajay: hahaha true!
@jun: yeah, I wondered about that too. I guess culture would play a bit role as well.
You can always choose not to talk about their products. But honestly, that’s not my thing. I just haven’t had the time to write about these “PR events.” Besides, we are never expected to write what isn’t true.
I don’t think it’s our fault we get invited to PR events, di ba?
Seriously, everyday we sell a bit of our soul little by little, we just choose how. Live and let live. =)
@Markku: I wasn’t referring to bloggers choosing not to talk about their products. And yes, we aren’t expected to write about what isn’t true. Anybody can say a product is “cool” and believe it’s true, even though he doesn’t really know why or how it’s cool. Kind of like Abe’s example at the Microtel dinner. It’s silly to invite a bald guy to a shampoo event. He can always say that the shampoo is cool and not lie about it, but how can he really know why and how it is cool when he doesn’t have hair? 😛 Anyway, I think this topic more appropriate for my previous post. Sa maling post ka ata nag comment 😀
Yeah, it’s not our fault we get invited to these events. Where else would advertisers or PR agencies get the idea that “pagkain lang katapat ng bloggers” but from us? Sad to say, there are those who are starting to think that way. It was a simple comment, but I found it really insulting to hear, “bloggers? Ah wala yan. Pagkain lang katapat nyan” while talking about advertising costs.
I think culture does play a big role here. My impression is that Filipinos tend to say only good things to keep the peace. Which is why part of me’s glad that everyone’s been throwing arguments/accusations at each other lately. Kasi if we continue to ignore any negative things, walang mangyayari.
But the freebies can actually be a two-edged sword, as detailed in my comment on your previous post. 🙂
i have yet to attend any “free” dinner parties, and was actually looking forward to them. but then i read your post and it made me think twice about why i started blogging in the first place. i’m not in any position (yet) to say you’re right when you said that companies look down upon bloggers (thinking they can control everyone by giving away freebies), but deep inside, i agree with you. i guess it’s part of the trade, and in the end, what matters still is what we really think of ourselves.
@Gsas: yes, exactly. How we go about this perception really does depend on what we think of ourselves.
Great post Gail, too bad I was only able to see it now.
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