We can see in many ways that bloggers are no longer seen as whiners, free loaders, or bitter customers. In the cosmetic world, for instance, two years ago bloggers were seen as an annoyance. Now, it's hard to leave their calls asking for free samples unanswered with such a big possibility that one blog could inadvertently or (let's be honest) purposefully send a product's sales through the roof. Even Alison Brod PR founder admitted that these bloggers are no longer seen as bottom feeders, but influential journalists. The firm has recently created a new position whose job is to get bloggers to write about clients.
In Kristen Kelly's case, her BeautyAddict blog generates 3,500 visitors daily and is thought to be one of a handful of other bloggers to trigger the first waiting list in Lancôme's history for her approval of a limited-edition lipstick created by the designer Behnaz Sarafpour. Bloggers like this have the influence that companies want...and are receiving the benefits because of it (and these guys aren't stingy with their $250 face cream or luxurious trips). All the free makeup they want, designer purses and all-expenses-paid trips to Paris are in some cases the swag that keeps these bloggers happy. Beauty editor turned blogger, Nadine Haobsh, receives 20 to 50 products every week for her blog Jolie in NYC.
Unlike beauty editors and directors, these bloggers aren't obligated to decline these lavish gifts that cost more than some of our monthly rent! In the last six months beauty companies have specifically planned events for bloggers...companies such as Chanel, who flew 15 of them to Paris from places all over the world to meet with its master perfumer and a tour of Coco Chanel's apartment!
Magazines like Allure and Glamour have now started blogging about beauty products to rank the newest thing for their readers. In the last year or so, more women turned to blogs for this advice because of the attraction to a more personable and relatable tone. Not only is beauty blogging appealing for readers, but inspiration for more women to start their own blog in hopes of freebies. I just hope this doesn't mean these beauty bloggers become beauty whores...nobody wants these once trusted blogs to turn into similar- sounding posts that reek of promotion.
There isn't an approximate count of beauty blogs, but there is an estimate of thousands, says Julie Fredrickson, a founder of Coutorture (a network of 240 beauty and fashion blogs and Web sites!). I see unbiased product reviews that bloggers once not unafraid to publish, disappearing as more bloggers are treated to champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. Even though aspirations to become a "beauty addict" might result in an over abundance of beauty blogs, make no mistake, companies look for the best blogs out there to treat: a fresh look, tons of views, comments from active readers, and bloggers with personality are all requirements...misspellings are viewed as a blemish.
Check out the NY Times' article here.
3 comments:
Isn't it amazing what an endorsement can do? Like her lipstick waiting list example, some blogs can make or break the success of a product. A favorable review of an album by Pitchfork, a popular music blog, can literally propel the album's sales, at least among the semi-pretentious indie kids. Not to say I don't buy into it, I'm simply point out that blogs totally know how to niche market.
Oh yeah, it's amazing and I'm so glad we're actually in a class that teaches us to embrace it and use it to our advantage. This article I read said that so many companies' PR firms and marketing groups were bitter in the beginning because they didn't like how anybody could say whatever they wanted and have an audience. It's very powerful...Since writing this post I've started checking some of these popular beauty blogs to see what they have to say about products...I'm probably going to try some of them out and hope these ladies are writing the truth and not promoting for the advantage of themselves.
If you're interested in fashion and PR, you might like this site: http://www.prcouture.com/
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