So, Coca Cola ‘rented’ the blogs of 9 prominent bloggers in Brazil to promote the launch of their new product i9 Hydrotonico in Brazil.
And the Blogosphere went mad….
Bloggers came from everywhere to state they were “not to be bought” and derided not only the ‘rented’ blogs but also Coca Cola themselves.
There was even a new manifesto developed:
“A blog is a personal page, is a time logbook, is expression, is someone saying what they think/reckon/believe for those who want to read it. There aren’t bloggers’ union, wages, holidays, but we do lots of overtime. A blogger is not a journalist or an advertising agent: they can be everything and nothing, teenager or mother, hairdresser or CEO. Each one has the audience they deserve, the credibility they have conquered.”
(Thanks to Trendsspotting.com for this)
Whatever the reaction, Cocal Cola got some great (and not so great) publicity, the blogs in question got far more hits than they would have recieved already, and bloggers worldwide hoisted their petards and chose their side.
Well all I have to say is – Oh purlease…..
Show me a Blogger that doesn’t have affiliate links on his or her site? Google Adsense? Yahoo ads? Get my drift – all PAID ads, PAYING you to PROMOTE the products. So what’s the difference?
I’ll tell you my take on the difference – the Cocal Cola sponsorship was OBVIOUS sponsorship – it was loud, open and and left no-one in any doubt that something had exchanged hands for this to happen (as it happenes it was a mini fridge – hardly a million dollars).
The affiliate links that spring up all over blogs aren’t always so obvious. We don’t always know whether a blogger will be paid if we click on that link or donload that product and do you know what? We don’t care! If you make 5pence or a free ebook or whatever you make from something I click on on your blog – well the best of bleedin’ luck to you is what I say! You’ve spent time and effort giving me something to read – why SHOULDN’T you benefit from that?
See that Get Clicky link there on the left of this blog? That’s an affiliate link – if you download the product and like it after the 90 day trial, I get about £12 if you sign up to the full service. Is that going to stop you reading this blog? I happen to use and like GetClicky and promote them when I can – in most cases I point out it is an affiliate link, but in the ad on the left I haven’t. (The links i this paragraph are, by the way).
Does that make me a rent-a-blogger? Oh goodness, surely not?
So what’s worse? An in your face very openly obvious marketing stunt by Coca Cola and 9 bloggers, or a more subtle and not obvious affiliate link in a blog or advert on a blog?
Personally, I couldn’t care less either way – the blogs that I read deserve the income they can make from their writing (just so you know, this blog makes money from selling its eBook, 299 Steps to Website Heaven).
I really don’t see the fuss. But i bet Coca Cola are rubbing their hands with glee.
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Tags: advertising, affiliate, Blogging, coca cola, fuss, rent a blog, renting
It does seem that there are some out there who are just a little bit too precious!