Wednesday 10 February 2016

Thought We Had A Thing?! #BrandsandBloggers Expectations & Disappointment

Brands and Blogger Relationships: Dealing With My Disappointment 

Hey! Over Here! Remember Me?! I thought we had a thing.


It's not often I question a brand's choices when it comes to who they pick as influencers, ambassadors or to work on a given campaign. Each brand has a vision for their overall branding, specific campaigns, and targets they want to reach. I understand that many factors go into each campaign, and there is no shortage of great bloggers who bring impressive skills to the table. But every now and then I feel disappointment in a brand which I find hard to brush off. 


This post is not about a single brand or campaign. I can count on one hand the number of times I have felt this way about a brand in relation to my blog and blogging. It is not a rant, but rather a personal reflection and a statement that "it's just business, and not personal" isn't true for me. It is personal for me with each post, or decision to share content. 

I find it hard not to feel snubbed, if after willingly supporting a brand, sharing their content, and working with them more than once on a specific campaign I discover by way of social media I have now been overlooked for that campaign. It could be that the brand is looking to a whole new group of bloggers, or influencers in a specific niche. But Nope, that was not the situation in these cases. It could be they didn't think I was a good fit, but I have had nothing but positive feedback about my participation in the past. It could be that a different PR team is handling the campaign, but it's the brand that hires the PR team., surely there is some conversation about who has participated in the past. So I can only assume they have simply failed to see me, or my value. While for the brand this choice may be for a single campaign, my feelings about being included or excluded last much longer. 


Realistically the bloggers participating in these campaigns or ambassadorships are successful, with a proven track record, and numbers I only aspire to have, but even so I think my long-term value makes it worth including me in select and specific campaigns. I don't begrudge those chosen to participate. I'm at the same time both happy for the bloggers' success, and disappointed in the brands short sightedness. I'm small but not invisible or insignificant, and besides I thought we had a thing.Wait! Did I just get the brand equivalent of being dumped by text message?! 

So I respond in the only way I can. I simply stop sharing or engaging with that brand.
They won't notice, nor will the PR firm for the brand that has made the decision not to see me. It's unlikely that the brand or the PR firm will ever read this, or know I feel this way, and that's okay. The posts I write aren't about getting something or getting back. Writing it down helps me to take a critical look at what I'm feeling, and gives me a place to file those feelings, and move on. Plus it helps me to better manage expectations for future brand relationships, and these are all good things.

Blogging is similar to being a stay-at-home mom, in that it rarely comes with the clear and easy to interpret feedback regular performance appraisal provide. I do wonder if others feel this way, or am I just being too sensitive. I try not to think out loud about this type of thing because I don't want my expressing these feelings to be misinterpreted as whining or having entitlement issues. Although I'm quite capable of both of those it's not the case today. Well enough of that, time to file this under Blogger Issues and move on, because tomorrow is another day filled with possibility.


Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about my #BloggerIssues

8 comments :

  1. My numbers have tanked and so all the pr agencies I know are sending me 'its not you, it's me' emails and dumping me for younger fresher and more eager meat than I and because of the buzz that still surrounds blogging for stuff, there are plenty to step up whether they are a good fit or not. Until that changes the brands and agencies will keep moving on to fresher pastures and we will nurse our wounds alone and unloved :)

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    1. So true, (maybe not alone - we can nurse our wounds together) May be the age or the PR firm team members or they are just unaware (not good if you're a PR team) Interesting fact - with age came more disposable income ... and as I tell my younger fresher kids - always important to cater to the person holding the Visa card if you want to close a sale. Thanks for reading Kerry and for taking the time to comment.

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  2. I get this sometimes and I have found that there is a short period of grief and I also get a surging sense to redeem myself and then get an even better opp. Screw them if they can't see the value in you, someone else will...and soon

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    1. I can totally relate with feeling a desire to proof them wrong. Even if they don't see my value or a better opp doesn't come it is important to me to have a voice. Every person and brand have the right to act how they want, but I have the right to react how I want. This is how I chose to react, it felt right for me, but may bite me in the butt. Thanks so much Aneta for reading and taking the time to share your support and thoughts. It is very much appreciated.

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  3. I get this sometimes and I have found that there is a short period of grief and I also get a surging sense to redeem myself and then get an even better opp. Screw them if they can't see the value in you, someone else will...and soon

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  4. I am an old time blogger as you know and this has happened more than once...more than twice.My numbers are good too. So its not numbers, sometimes they are trying to reach a certain demographic with an ad campaign and they don't think us older folk have much influence on a young hip crowd of moms. Little do they realize my average reader is under 40. That's ok though, I simply go on...there are some brands that I use EVERY day that I NO longer support on social because of being overlooked one too many times. There are others WHO will engage, others who know how to treat a blogger with respect even if they are not to be included in the budget.

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    1. Yes Hollie the key word is respect. A nod to your contribution. I agree there are many who do an excellent job of engaging and treating bloggers with respect. Respect doesn't mean getting all or even any of the opps, it is a way in which you deal with and treat others. And of course I have lots of influence through my disposable income and the fact I have teens who are a huge targeted market. Until my kids support themselves I pay the bills. Always need to cater to the person holding the purse strings or the Visa card. As you say ...simply go on. Thanks for reading and commenting Hollie, it is appreciated!

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  5. Interesting article. I never read blog or celebrity trends when i pick my clothing or items. I go with what i like, with whats comfortable to me. I never stay "trendy". These things should not be important. My husband and I actually wear the same thing just about everyday and we are relatively young.

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