Darlings,
I appeal to you for guidance.
I have been approached by a high-end skin care line representative who wants to know if I would like to do a giveaway of one of their products on this blog. She is also happy to send me products to review, so it doesn’t sound like she expects me to endorse any products that I haven’t personally tried.
First of all, I would never endorse a product I didn’t like for any reason.
Secondly, it’s hard to tell if a product works from just a sample, but you can at least make some preliminary assessments by doing so.
PeaceBang gets no money, discounts or “favors” in return for promoting websites, products or artists. Ever. (Even when she thinks it would be nice to get something as a thank you for providing free advertising!!). Her only recompense for the work of this blog is when readers choose to send gifts or make contributions through PayPal, which, believe me, have never amounted to more than it costs to host this website.
So I’m not sure if this “giveaway” thing starts to cross the line from Totally Non-Commercial into fuzzier territory. Lord knows that I collect samples like a fiend whenever I’m able, but this is the first time a major skin care line has contacted me to do so (by the way, I do like and respect their line but they’re generally way above my price point).
What do you think? Should I do a giveaway and get some samples from this swanky skin care line?
Kiss of peace, PB
This seems to have become a pretty common practice in the blogging world – it’s popping up more and more on the blogs that I read. As long as you are free to give your honest opinion, I think it is fine.
Greetings wise one–don’t sweat it; as long as you are up front about what you are doing and you give an honest opinion about the product I don’t see the harm. I do have one question…if you like their products, will they begin to quote your blog as an official endorsement of their line?
Peace, sarah
[Sarah, I first read this as “I don’t see the HAM.” Which I thought was very hip and cool, until I realized I had read it wrong. But I think I’m going to start using that expression. “Hey, no ham done.” “What’s the ham, man?” – PB]
Yep pretty common in the blogosphere–just google the new FTC regs about disclosure and stuff like that
I’m always looking to try new products, and would love to hear not only your opinion, but have the chance to win something? Fun!
I’m a guy, so you can discount my opinion about 99%. [Why would I do that? Guys and gals get equal cred here, baby! – PB] However, I think that the value of the work that you do here is that you pick and choose from the same shelves and store racks that your readers do. The fact that the manufacturer’s product is generally above your price point suggests that there is a temptation here. I’m always impressed when you are able to give good solid counsel to clergy and seminarians who are struggling with how to transition as they mature or transition into community leaders who command the respect and dignity of their positions. You had a good example of this with the ‘first lipstick’ entry and photo.
You are doing good work here. Give this prayerful consideration and proceed.
I think you should go ahead but when you discuss them mention that they were given to you by the cosmetics firm.
Sarahc
It’s funny, because a publisher sent me a review copy of Marilynne Robinson’s novel HOME, a sequel to Gilead, and I gave it a really negative review on the PeaceBang blog.
I was one of the only religious reviewers who did, but I felt like I had to give my honest opinion. Bet I won’t get any more free books from that publisher in the future!
My motto is: If its free its for me. But, if its way above your price point its probably way above most of your readers too so I don’t know if it really is much of a service to review it here. I don’t mind one way or the other though.
Oddly enough, I have panned a book on the Chaliceblog and then recieved a copy of the sequal.
Anyway, as long as you disclose, seems fine to me.
CC
Wait, why did you give Home a negative review? Not to threadjack, I’m just curious. Maybe you can point us to the link? [If you go to PeaceBang.com and do a keyword search you will find it! – PB]
As to the present issue, I am of two minds. On the one hand, I would love to hear your honest assessment about these things, and if you are honest in your disclosure I’m not sure there’s a huge ethical issue. Also, if it’s totally amazing and worth an occasional splurge, I’d like to know that, as I am often tempted by certain brands and I wonder if they are worth the price. Or if it is so not.worth.the.money, that also helps me reduce my own temptation to splurge.
But I also like WBJ’s point – in fact, this week when I had a mascara emergency (I ran out the day before a funeral), I checked here before I went to the grocery store in case there was a choice to be made. (The only choice was in color, not brand. *sigh*) I love that you deal realistically with our budgets, etc. and if you did a great deal more reviewing of stuff I could never afford (that is, if this became a “thing”), I’d probably lose interest after a while.
I don’t know if it’s helpful, but I do know I love your blog!
No ham, no foul! Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
I think this is absolutely 100% fine. Standard practice on most blogs of this sort these days, and as long as you always state clearly when you’ve been given a free sample or otherwise compensated, I say give and receive away!
And I could NOT disagree more with the idea that because the particular products in question are beyond the financial reach of many minister-types, your review of them wouldn’t be useful for us. For one thing, let’s not be so sure that every minister who reads this blogs is in the same financial boat. Financial circumstances differ, even among women of the cloth. For another thing, why wouldn’t it be helpful for me, a minster of modest means, to know where high-priced Product XX does or does not work well? Just because I can’t afford to bath myself in the stuff doesn’t mean I’m not curious about it. 99% of the products and clothing featured in most beauty mags are beyond my budget too, but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in them. Even here on this blog, you routinely talk about clothes and skin care items that cost beyond what I would pay. So what? Maybe I’ll ask for them as a gift. Maybe sometime I’ll feel like a splurge, and I’ll be able to splurge wisely.
And on the Home front, I can say that I was thoroughly, thoroughly disappointed with that book after the brilliance of Gilead….so your reviewer-of-free-samples career is already off to a good start as far as I’m concerned.