Mom bloggers and Publicists have a strange and necessary unnecessary parallel relationship. We both have stories to tell, and we both have a distinct point of view.
Publicists would love to reach you, my readers, my community, and at times I like to share products with you all. Where we differ, is that I’m typically letting folks know there’s a recall, a reason to not buy an item or their hotel has “lost” my car, and is too busy catering to prostitutes and drug dealers to care about my lost BMW.
In any event, I continue to receive some of the worst pitches on the web, and in my move towards adulthood, I simply delete them. I also get some of the best pitches on the web, most recently PUR, and I’ve got a Jewelery Giveaway coming up a little later today. Really, quite wonderful.
The issue becomes this. What is a Mom Blogger’s relationship with PR. How much is too much, and who does it benefit?
Is there any benefit to a blog that regurgitates press releases?
Is there any benefit to a blog that features products that the blogger hasn’t purchased on their own?
I have two new cars to buy. I spent part of Saturday test driving cars that didn’t dazzle me, but should have. Is that information worth sharing? If so, how do I share it? Do I just say:
Listen, the BMW 650i is rocketlike, but at $85,000 base price, and $101,000 the way I drove it, there should be enough of a back seat for my 8 year old to be somewhat comfortable and the roof should be quieter.
Or is there a car review post everyone is waiting for?
Does anyone know of another brand that also offers all service included? Because really, I buy my cars with safety and service in mind, speed and luxury are next, but they’re all just rubber and metal.
I’m thinking more about the dance that public relations and bloggers do. Mostly, I’m left with questions, and no real answers. I’m grateful that anyone knows how to spell my name so I won’t be too prickly on the bad pitches. For now I’m trying to keep the product reviews at Whrrl and Amazon.
When it comes to blogs, I think that people should write about whatever they like – as long as they are honest. Some people like to talk about products. Some people like to talk about the minutiae of daily life. Some people like to do a combo of both. There’s a reader (and a place) for all types. At the end of the day, you know your audience and your self. One of my favorite quotes: “To thine own self be true. And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou can not then be false to any man.”
It’s no BMW, but I just bought a Hyundai Santa Fe, and LOVE it… it’s QUIET, has a really nice ride, came up really high in the safety ratings, very roomy, has a VERY nice warrantee. And frankly we liked the service in the dealership so much that my husband just traded in the Honda Civic (which he was never crazy about) for an Elantra.
Oh I’m thinking about something just like that for my car (we have to buy two cars) and my brother swears by his Hyundais (yes plural) but there’s no dealer within 10 miles so service becomes a big commute that I’m unwilling to do.
Did you wind up getting something?