Recently, the topic of blogger transparency has become more of an issue as the fashion blogging community continues to grow.
But maybe instead of finger-pointing at bloggers who maybe-probably-could-be not disclosing sponsors or gifts, we here at IFB tried to tackle the issue with a different approach — by highlighting bloggers and campaigns that did it right, and showing exemplary practices that you can use as an outline for your own disclaimers.
First, what exactly is a disclosure?
A disclosure is the act of making something obvious. In other words, you are divulging the purpose and interests within a published post, whether it be written or otherwise.
By actively using disclosures, you maintain your freedom to write original content, but also maintain an ethical reputation with your readers by revealing whenever something is gifted, paid for, or sponsored. In the United States, there are currently FTC guidelines that state bloggers must disclose the following:
- When you receive a free product and review it
- When you link to the product’s website and receive a commission (called an affiliate program)
- When you receive money, product or services for posting about a product
- When you review a product or service that comes from an advertiser on your site
How does disclosure work? Well, for example, take a look at the Valentino all-red Rockstud shoes case study:
Recently, Valentino reached out to bloggers to show off his limited-edition (only 100 were made) all-red Rockstud kitten heels — as you can see below, here is how a handful of bloggers showed off their gift:
Grit & Glamour wrote: “The elegant house of Valentino gifted me with this extraordinary pair to celebrate the launch of the Valentino Shoe Room (aka your online Rockstud shopping Mecca). The site launches September 24, 2012—get clicking fast, and you could just snag a pair of these limited-edition, red-on-red Rockstud heels.”
Style Scrapbook wrote: “I came back home from London to find this incredible surprise waiting for me … HUGE THANKS to Valentino for my very own first Valentino shoes and to make it even more special, these are the red on red rockstud limited edition pieces, just in time for Paris Fashion Week. THANK YOU VALENTINO!”
Sandra’s Closet wrote: “When I arrived at my house, a very special gift from Valentino waited for me that left me speechless: RED ON RED ROCKSTUD kitten heels designed by the house’s Creative Directors, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli for the upcoming launch of the ultimate on-line shoe shopping experience, SHOE ROOM.”
Liberty London Girl wrote: “And these arrived this morning: maybe the best gift EVER. A pair of a limited edition of 100 Valentino red Rockstud heels to wear at Fashion Week.”
Atlantic Pacific wrote: “Top: Equipment (also buy here). Skirt: Zara (old but similar here and here). Purse: Celine. Shoes: Limited Edition Rockstuds thanks to Valentino. Necklace: Saks 5th (old). Sunglasses: Dior. Jewelry: David Yurman, Sorrelli c/o, Hermes, Jcrew, Pomellato.”
Shoe Snob wrote: “Valentino has dropped a bomb, and in their case, that’s a good thing. A sultry, sizzling, tamale-hot good thing: limited-edition Rockstud slingbacks in fiery red! Only 100 pairs were produced, so a shoe hardly gets more special than this. I have the honor of already securing a pair, thanks to the generosity of Valentino, and they are now the single-most eye-catching pair of shoes I own, hands down!”
Another solid example is Glam Media’s compensation disclosures. Often times they specifically list the purpose of the post and if compensation was received.
For instance, Style Bomb, a relatively new blogger to the scene wrote a sponsored post for Old Navy through Glam Media:
Here’s another example — a sponsored post about Chevy Malibu through Glam Media from SheShe Blog:
Mashable also does a job well done when identifying sponsored material:
Notice the sponsorship is at the beginning of the post and is 100% transparent.
If you’re still having trouble on what to write for giveaways/sponsored posts/gifted items, here are a few other suggestions:
- Review/Giveaway with no payment: “Financial compensation was not received for this post. A sample product was gifted from _______. Opinions expressed here are my own.”
- Sponsored and/or Giveaway post with payment: “Compensation for this post was provided by _________. Opinions expressed here are my own.”
- If you want to write a full disclosure for your website, but are having trouble, DisclosurePolicy.org let’s you click the options that best suit you, and then basically writes the policy for you!
See also:
Fashion Blogger Burnout
Working with Brands Gracefully
Fashion Blogs + Free Samples
Build Strategic Fashion Partnerships
The IFB Fair Compensation Manifesto
[Images credit to: Grit & Glamour, Yannis Vlamos/GoRunway.com]
I have always disclosed right from 2007 when I started blogging – but that’s because I was a journalist & editor for many years, and knew by instinct from the beginning how the game should be played. Equally, I had no desire to compromise myself: I could hardly write a hotel story for The Sunday Times, with ‘Sasha Wilkins was a guest of XX’ at the end of it, and not do the same on my own personal blog. My credibility would be shot to pieces.
I am horrified daily at the egregious examples of bloggers who do not disclose that, for example, they work or consult for the PR firm that represents the fashion brand they are drooling over; who take stays at hotels and mendaciously never breathe a word that the stay was comped, pretending that they picked up the bill themselves; who eat meals at restaurants and never mention that they were free; or who are clearly accepting payment for posts, but never mentioning that the piece is an advertorial.
IS it really so hard to be open? Disclosure doesn’t have to be clunky: A competent writer should be able to weave disclosure into the weft of their blogpost.
Take this story I wrote about Hotel Seven in Paris. I make it clear in the opening para that I had been invited to stay, as an organic part of the story. Of course, I still make full disclosure at the end of the piece. One should always be clear. http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2012/03/22/llg-hotel-stays-hotel-seven-paris/
Take this post I wrote about Belgraves Hotel in London: they comped my room, but I paid for everything else, and I make that clear in my disclosure.
http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2012/08/20/llg-travel-belgraves-hotel-london-room-review/
With regard to this post here on IFB, I wld like to add that I don’t think that the Valentino gifting campaign is necessarily the best one to highlight the issue. We were all so obviously charmed to be one of the 100 editors gifted, that of course we were going to mention that they were presents from Valentino. A better case study would be one where there was no obvious desire or need to mention that there was gifting involved.
Finally: bloggers need to sort their house out. As someone who still straddles the old and new worlds of fashion, I am distraught to see the blogging community I have been a part of for six years now besmirched by people who, whether they understand the consequences of their actions or not, behave in an unethical manner, give the old guard a myriad reasons not to take blogging seriously.
People may argue that magazines aren’t held to the same standard, but since when was arguing that someone else’s actions was a justification for one’s own? Bloggers speak directly to their readers, trusted for their original and independent voice in a way magazines are not. Let’s not abuse that trust from our readers.
LLGxx