Comments on: The Politics of Mommybloggers and PR- A Rant http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/ Breaking All the Rules I Didn't Make Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:32:00 -0600 hourly 1 By: Damien Mulley » Blog Archive » How should PR companies “engage” with Irish bloggers? http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-6127 Damien Mulley » Blog Archive » How should PR companies “engage” with Irish bloggers? Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:07:08 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-6127 [...] asked this question on Twitter a while back and Deborah pointed to this very good blog post on the matter from a Mummy blogger. Digg it! | Reddit | Del.icio.us | Stumble Upon | [...] [...] asked this question on Twitter a while back and Deborah pointed to this very good blog post on the matter from a Mummy blogger. Digg it! | Reddit | Del.icio.us | Stumble Upon | [...]

]]> By: Follow-up To PR E-mail Situation | Suburban Oblivion http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5434 Follow-up To PR E-mail Situation | Suburban Oblivion Sun, 25 Nov 2007 14:16:31 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5434 [...] exchanged several e-mails with Dan Williams, the PR guy with SpecialOpsMedia that I wrote about last week. For those following the story, here is what [...] [...] exchanged several e-mails with Dan Williams, the PR guy with SpecialOpsMedia that I wrote about last week. For those following the story, here is what [...]

]]> By: Marriage-101 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5380 Marriage-101 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:08:49 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5380 Hi! Found you via link from Julie at MotherGooseMouse. I hear what you're saying. As a PR person (who doesn't pitch bloggers) I see both sides. Part of the problem is what Rohit said - about volume. PR people in agencies bill clients in time increments. With the multitude of blogs out there, it's hard to justify spending hours, weeks, maybe months building a relationship with ONE blogger that may or may not write about a product you might be pitching later. We also have deadlines like journalists, but not much lead time. "X product is launching next week. Get the word out with bloggers." That's our charge. And because blogger outreach is really in its infancy, PR folks are bound to make mistakes. It's trial and error, until we find what works. So I'm glad bloggers like you, Stefanie at CityMama and others are writing about this and giving your opinions, no matter how harsh, because it helps us. It's constructive criticism at its best. Hi! Found you via link from Julie at MotherGooseMouse. I hear what you’re saying. As a PR person (who doesn’t pitch bloggers) I see both sides. Part of the problem is what Rohit said – about volume. PR people in agencies bill clients in time increments. With the multitude of blogs out there, it’s hard to justify spending hours, weeks, maybe months building a relationship with ONE blogger that may or may not write about a product you might be pitching later. We also have deadlines like journalists, but not much lead time. “X product is launching next week. Get the word out with bloggers.” That’s our charge. And because blogger outreach is really in its infancy, PR folks are bound to make mistakes. It’s trial and error, until we find what works. So I’m glad bloggers like you, Stefanie at CityMama and others are writing about this and giving your opinions, no matter how harsh, because it helps us. It’s constructive criticism at its best.

]]> By: Jamie http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5372 Jamie Tue, 20 Nov 2007 01:10:26 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5372 Great post on an interesting topic. I'm a self-confessed product whore (like Slackermommy says.) I enjoy receiving free items and I don't receive payment for them (although I did one book review recently for Mothertalk and will receive a $20 Amazon gift card as payment; but that is a rare instance.) I try to be very selective about what I review, though, and I give my honest opinion. I do not have a separate review blog, so I am trying to keep reviews down to one or two a month. Dan actually contacted me in the past few months about two separate DVDs and they came in the mail without a problem. I know he did a recent "pitch" about a new kids' video and apparently he had a crash on his computer or e-mail server and lost the e-mails he sent, so he wasn't sure who he had already contacted. Not defending Dan, but I did work with him on two DVD reviews and had no problems. I have worked in PR for a university and I have to tell you I hated/loathed/despised pitching things. Honestly some of the PR people who do a poor job of pitching to bloggers may just hate their job. And suck at it. They may not understand their audience. They may not realize that bloggers are intelligent, savvy people who can see right through a staged pitch that is being sent to a hundred other "great" bloggers. Great post on an interesting topic.

I’m a self-confessed product whore (like Slackermommy says.) I enjoy receiving free items and I don’t receive payment for them (although I did one book review recently for Mothertalk and will receive a $20 Amazon gift card as payment; but that is a rare instance.) I try to be very selective about what I review, though, and I give my honest opinion. I do not have a separate review blog, so I am trying to keep reviews down to one or two a month.

Dan actually contacted me in the past few months about two separate DVDs and they came in the mail without a problem. I know he did a recent “pitch” about a new kids’ video and apparently he had a crash on his computer or e-mail server and lost the e-mails he sent, so he wasn’t sure who he had already contacted. Not defending Dan, but I did work with him on two DVD reviews and had no problems.

I have worked in PR for a university and I have to tell you I hated/loathed/despised pitching things. Honestly some of the PR people who do a poor job of pitching to bloggers may just hate their job. And suck at it. They may not understand their audience. They may not realize that bloggers are intelligent, savvy people who can see right through a staged pitch that is being sent to a hundred other “great” bloggers.

]]> By: slackermommy http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5366 slackermommy Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:25:10 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5366 Great post. I hate those form letters and especially if they want me to promote their product without me ever touching the product or not paying me. I simply delete those. I'm a product whore so I don't mind reviewing a product without payment. In fact i prefer it. I get a free product to try and I don't feel obligated to only write nice things. I'm honest about the products I review. If I don't like it I write it unless the company only wants positive reviews then I just don't write a review at all. Great post. I hate those form letters and especially if they want me to promote their product without me ever touching the product or not paying me. I simply delete those. I’m a product whore so I don’t mind reviewing a product without payment. In fact i prefer it. I get a free product to try and I don’t feel obligated to only write nice things. I’m honest about the products I review. If I don’t like it I write it unless the company only wants positive reviews then I just don’t write a review at all.

]]> By: Amanda http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5364 Amanda Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:23:37 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5364 I get quite a bit of emails like this and several more from pr companies who want me to review or talk about their product or an event without even sending me a sample. Geez! I do product reviews for free. However, I pick and choose now that I get more offers than I can handle alone. Another thing that bothers me is when HUGE companies want you to post their link or ad for free on your site as if they cannot afford ad space. I was recently contacted by a very well known multi-billion dollar company and they wanted me to promote something for them for free. NO WAY! I get quite a bit of emails like this and several more from pr companies who want me to review or talk about their product or an event without even sending me a sample. Geez!

I do product reviews for free. However, I pick and choose now that I get more offers than I can handle alone.

Another thing that bothers me is when HUGE companies want you to post their link or ad for free on your site as if they cannot afford ad space. I was recently contacted by a very well known multi-billion dollar company and they wanted me to promote something for them for free. NO WAY!

]]> By: Rohit http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5308 Rohit Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:58:37 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5308 Hi Sara, Thanks for pointing me to this blog post. I am on both sides of this ... I work for a PR agency, and I also write a marketing blog and get these pitches all the time as a blogger. We all know the situation you are talking about and the reason it is such a plague is because of one word: volume. For many PR folks, it has stopped being about relevance or relationships, and more about volume. They try to hit as many "media outlets" as possible, and are judged by their clients on volume. Sounds a lot like spam, right? The better PR pros are the ones that only send relevant messages to people that would care about them. That's the kind of pro that I hope to be, and the kind our whole team wants to be as well. We're definitely not perfect, but we took a first stab at coming up with guidelines for our own teams to follow. We called them our Blogger Outreach Code of Ethics, and you can see them here: http://blog.ogilvypr.com/?p=244 What do you think? Could this work, or is it better to just separate the blog from the review site and just start charging companies to review their stuff? As a blogger, many of these ideas (such as not pretending like you are reading my blog when you aren't) are great and obvious things. Now if I could just get people to stop sending me press releases about someone changing jobs from one agency to another - I'd be set. I've never cared about anyone's new job unless I knew them or hired them myself. Hi Sara,

Thanks for pointing me to this blog post. I am on both sides of this … I work for a PR agency, and I also write a marketing blog and get these pitches all the time as a blogger. We all know the situation you are talking about and the reason it is such a plague is because of one word: volume. For many PR folks, it has stopped being about relevance or relationships, and more about volume. They try to hit as many “media outlets” as possible, and are judged by their clients on volume. Sounds a lot like spam, right?

The better PR pros are the ones that only send relevant messages to people that would care about them. That’s the kind of pro that I hope to be, and the kind our whole team wants to be as well. We’re definitely not perfect, but we took a first stab at coming up with guidelines for our own teams to follow. We called them our Blogger Outreach Code of Ethics, and you can see them here:

http://blog.ogilvypr.com/?p=244

What do you think? Could this work, or is it better to just separate the blog from the review site and just start charging companies to review their stuff? As a blogger, many of these ideas (such as not pretending like you are reading my blog when you aren’t) are great and obvious things. Now if I could just get people to stop sending me press releases about someone changing jobs from one agency to another – I’d be set. I’ve never cared about anyone’s new job unless I knew them or hired them myself.

]]> By: PR Conversation Continues | Suburban Oblivion http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5301 PR Conversation Continues | Suburban Oblivion Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:31:34 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5301 [...] by yesterday’s post, I have decided to do a short series based on the topic of PR and bloggers. In the next couple of [...] [...] by yesterday’s post, I have decided to do a short series based on the topic of PR and bloggers. In the next couple of [...]

]]> By: cate http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5300 cate Thu, 15 Nov 2007 06:39:29 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5300 oh man...i've been getting tons of those lately! the way i see it, if they don't think i'm important enough to write a personal email to, rather than a form email, then they aren't worth my time. oh man…i’ve been getting tons of those lately! the way i see it, if they don’t think i’m important enough to write a personal email to, rather than a form email, then they aren’t worth my time.

]]> By: creative-type dad http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5298 creative-type dad Thu, 15 Nov 2007 06:18:07 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5298 I've been getting a lot more of those form email the last few months. Usually I stay away, most of them are just looking for free advertising with a product that isn't pertinate. I’ve been getting a lot more of those form email the last few months.

Usually I stay away, most of them are just looking for free advertising with a product that isn’t pertinate.

]]> By: jozet at Halushki http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5297 jozet at Halushki Thu, 15 Nov 2007 05:37:54 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5297 Fabulous post. I was wondering if you could read my blog and then tell your readers about it. I'm sure that they will love it. :mrgreen: I've never even been tempted to take up the offers in the emails. But not once has anyone offered to send me 30lb of world chocolates to sample. And I do like the idea about asking for money for reveiew writing time. Hmmmmm. Fabulous post.

I was wondering if you could read my blog and then tell your readers about it. I’m sure that they will love it.

:mrgreen:

I’ve never even been tempted to take up the offers in the emails. But not once has anyone offered to send me 30lb of world chocolates to sample.

And I do like the idea about asking for money for reveiew writing time. Hmmmmm.

]]> By: Jerseygirl89 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5296 Jerseygirl89 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:09:09 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5296 I'm ashamed to admit this.. . . .but I sort of want one of those emails. Just so I can feel cool. I do payperpost on my review blog and I really don't understand why more marketers don't go that way. I guess it's too honest. I’m ashamed to admit this.. . . .but I sort of want one of those emails. Just so I can feel cool.

I do payperpost on my review blog and I really don’t understand why more marketers don’t go that way. I guess it’s too honest.

]]> By: Lisa @ Corporate Babysitter http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5293 Lisa @ Corporate Babysitter Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:50:12 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5293 Funny -- I've never gotten one of these requests. Not one! Do you think it was something I said? Funny — I’ve never gotten one of these requests. Not one! Do you think it was something I said?

]]> By: David Wescott http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5290 David Wescott Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:10:32 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5290 Wow. Nice post. This won't stop until people get called on it. Nobody's perfect, least of all me, but you gave this person plenty of chances. Wow. Nice post. This won’t stop until people get called on it. Nobody’s perfect, least of all me, but you gave this person plenty of chances.

]]> By: Gunfighter http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5283 Gunfighter Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:10:58 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5283 It isn't only mommy bloggers. My nom de internet is gunfighter... I work with guns... guess which industry tries to get me to promote their stuff? They even clock my traffic... realizing that most of my readers are women. I have had offers of firearms to demonstrate. Firearms for women... so they can protect their children. In a word... NO. It isn’t only mommy bloggers.

My nom de internet is gunfighter… I work with guns… guess which industry tries to get me to promote their stuff?

They even clock my traffic… realizing that most of my readers are women. I have had offers of firearms to demonstrate. Firearms for women… so they can protect their children.

In a word… NO.

]]> By: Qtpies7~ http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5280 Qtpies7~ Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:41:32 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5280 Great post. I have yet to be offered something that I haven't recieved. Thankfully. I don't mind blogging about something that I have tried without monetary compensation, but I want to tell the truth about it. I also love to promote for free if I love the product. (I think I am the biggest advertiser for the board game Quelf!) However, most of my advertisments do pay me, some of my book reviews are just for the book, and include giveaways, but several also pay me and include giveaways. I am not looking forward to my first crappy offer. Great post. I have yet to be offered something that I haven’t recieved. Thankfully.
I don’t mind blogging about something that I have tried without monetary compensation, but I want to tell the truth about it. I also love to promote for free if I love the product. (I think I am the biggest advertiser for the board game Quelf!)
However, most of my advertisments do pay me, some of my book reviews are just for the book, and include giveaways, but several also pay me and include giveaways.
I am not looking forward to my first crappy offer.

]]> By: Alli ~Mrs. Fussypants http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5279 Alli ~Mrs. Fussypants Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:35:54 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5279 Wow, How can I follow up Playgroupie? Can I just second everything my peeps said? Don't send us cleaning products, send us a free Merry Maids service. Now, THAT, I'll pimp! Love, Fussy P.S. Dyson (vacuums), L.L. Bean, Apple (iphone, anyone?), and Chico's- Y'all can send us some free stuff. I think we will accept. Wow,
How can I follow up Playgroupie? Can I just second everything my peeps said?
Don’t send us cleaning products, send us a free Merry Maids service. Now, THAT, I’ll pimp!
Love, Fussy

P.S. Dyson (vacuums), L.L. Bean, Apple (iphone, anyone?), and Chico’s- Y’all can send us some free stuff. I think we will accept.

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5277 Jennifer Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:39:22 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5277 I don't like being a marketer's bitch. I don't mind writing a review of a product I've found and love without being asked by a PR firm. However, I don't like PR firms assumptions that since I'm a silly, dumb, SAHM that I want to take MY time to write a review simply for a free product. I also don't appreciate that PR firms seem to think that we silly, dumb SAHM only care about cleaning products and baby care items. I don’t like being a marketer’s bitch. I don’t mind writing a review of a product I’ve found and love without being asked by a PR firm. However, I don’t like PR firms assumptions that since I’m a silly, dumb, SAHM that I want to take MY time to write a review simply for a free product. I also don’t appreciate that PR firms seem to think that we silly, dumb SAHM only care about cleaning products and baby care items.

]]> By: Velveteen Mind Megan http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5276 Velveteen Mind Megan Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:13:38 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5276 This is a great post. I have always deleted these emails, from day one. It never occurred to me that they might be legitimate. The fact that they might be is actually more disturbing. I recently decided to add some affiliate marketing to my blog for the holiday shopping season so that I could recommend companies from whom I actually shop and adore. The control is all mine and I like it. So far, I have received some lovely emails from the companies based on my placing their ads, all of which have been personal and specific. Hopefully it will remain that way. They appreciate what I am doing and I appreciate their being solid companies, so I'm willing to extend my recommendation. We shall see.... This is a great post. I have always deleted these emails, from day one. It never occurred to me that they might be legitimate. The fact that they might be is actually more disturbing.

I recently decided to add some affiliate marketing to my blog for the holiday shopping season so that I could recommend companies from whom I actually shop and adore. The control is all mine and I like it. So far, I have received some lovely emails from the companies based on my placing their ads, all of which have been personal and specific.

Hopefully it will remain that way. They appreciate what I am doing and I appreciate their being solid companies, so I’m willing to extend my recommendation. We shall see….

]]> By: Lela http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5275 Lela Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:55:06 +0000 http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2007/11/14/the-politics-of-mommybloggers-and-pr-a-rant/#comment-5275 Isn't that the truth? Do they really think we are stupid enough to blog about a product we haven't used yet? Hello, they better kiss my butt plenty before I start raving about their product on MY blog! Isn’t that the truth? Do they really think we are stupid enough to blog about a product we haven’t used yet? Hello, they better kiss my butt plenty before I start raving about their product on MY blog!

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