Just Say So: Disclosure, Transparency and Social Media
The FTC says bloggers must disclose the relationship between a blog and any corporate or commercial ties that could be deemed sponsorship or endorsement, or pay the price. To which I say, DUH.
On a corporate blog, unless it’s over-hyped that it’s really done by the C-level exec, most people understand that someone else is involved. Other people are probably:
- Advising the firm, shaping the message strategy, and checking it against the overall marketing and PR plans.
- Helping to draft that entry, research relevant sources and links.
- Doing the physical typing, linking and posting.
In the old days a dictated business letter had two sets of initials at the bottom, to indicate that the person signing the letter did not do the actual typing or drafting. It’d be wise to stick to that model and include a “written with so-and-so” whenever appropriate.
I took a look at the DisneyParks blog today, written by different people, with their names and titles front and center. I’m sure someone is kicking the tires, selecting the bloggers, deciding which entries to publish, as part of the overall marketing program.
Motivation matters. Why are they writing about this?
For a “private” or general consumer blog, it is different. Even though there may be tons of ads, banners, links all over the blog, some readers may not realize they are reading the “paid” work of a blogger.
Would a reader feel burned more by the blogger they trusted when they find out they only wrote about that vacuum cleaner or this hotel because of a free gift or promotion, or do they blame the brands? Does this “fraud” damage the brand?
Depends on the nature of the campaign. While someone may think less of Royal Caribbean for their promotions and whether or not they disclosed the free cruise arrangements for their Champions, RC is a business after all, and they are about making money.
Maybe I’m cynical, but it’s not all hugs, free ice cream and glitter-farting ponies; it’s business. Dell, Ford and Victoria’s Secret are using social media to build relationships and create brand ambassadors in order to–wait for it–SELL Stuff…their stuff. As you recover from the shock let me add: water is wet, sky is sometimes blue, and [my love of] Coke Classic and chocolate make me fat.
A free sample of dish detergent may not seem like much and maybe that’s the point. So what if you rave about Dawn because you really like it but only did so after they sent you a free bottle? It matters more that you say so.
Disclosure is key. Just say so.
If someone gave you a product sample, a free trip, or computer for a six-month trial, say so upfront loud and clear. In the end transparency and disclosure may actually earn more trust and loyalty for the brand, the brand advocate and the blogger.
The fine print: No brands or companies have participated or promoted the development of this blog. If any wish to do so, my wallet will be open. 
Gini Dietrich just did a wonderful post on women and equality in the workplace. All about how both genders need to step up to the professionalism, close those gaps. Then there’s this.
The Crime: Summer’s Eve tells women the way to close that pay gap, get that raise is … to douche… Continue reading
5 Responses to “Just Say So: Disclosure, Transparency and Social Media”
Leave a Reply
Additional comments powered by BackType
October 11th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Davina – I’m struggling with whether or not I agree with the FTC ruling. What I don’t get is why the rules are different for bloggers than they are for consumers. You and I both know that, as PR pros, we send products to reporters ALL THE TIME for review. So why is it they don’t have to say they received a product to review, free-of-charge? Yeah there are some media outlets who either won’t let reporters accept the products or return (or donate) them after review. But there also are a lot of outlets who don’t have these guidelines, yet the FTC doesn’t require them to disclose they received a product to review. Why bloggers and not journalists?
[Reply]
October 11th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Gini- I know what you’re saying. Over the years, I’ve read tons of reviews of new Macs and almost always they’re prefaced with “while I only had a week to play with the tester iMac Apple sent…” A small disclosure, but makes me wonder.
Like when I read a short review of a cruise itinerary, and wonder: how much was comped by the cruise line, subsidized by the magazine or paper, and/or written off as a “business” expense?
Is it that the reporter is being paid salary/fees by the media outlet, where as the blogger is being “paid” via product comps or sponsored posts that are undisclosed that’s bothering the FTC? It’s naive and dangerous for the FTC to assume that consumers understand how it works with journalists but not bloggers, or to create separate classes in the age of social media and citizen journalists.
I just vote for disclosure across the board. Thanks for your comment.
[Reply]
October 9th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Just Disclose It. Transparency and the new FTC rules http://bit.ly/iYNk (my latest blog)
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
[Reply]
October 12th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
@ginidietrich Thx for the smart comment on my blog about Transparency & FTC rules http://bit.ly/32MAj1
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
[Reply]
October 15th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I agree with Jeremy that the FTC will find great difficulty in implementing this regulation. Tuesday’s F.I.R. podcast touched on the issue from an international perspective that I believe has been neglected during the analysis of the FTC’s new regulation.
I know enough about the new regulation only to be dangerous, but from what Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson were saying, I got the impression that in order for the law to be effective on a global scale, all countries would have to implement similar rules. How will this law effect bloggers in countries outside of the U.S.?
Perhaps a representative were to send a product (let’s say it’s a consumer tech product) to a blogger in Eastern Europe. That blogger then decides she likes the product and writes a positive blog – in English – without expressly disclosing the free sample. A reader in the U.S. then reads the post, sees the positive review of the product and buys the product because of it.
I agree that disclosure is the foundation of ethical communications – both on the part of organizational communicators and those reviewing the products. Holmes makes an interesting point about bloggers being held to a higher standard than journalists. Take writers for magazines, for example. Am I expected to believe that the writer of an Esquire article focusing on an Ermanegildo Zegna suit priced at $3,000 paired with shoes that cost $2,000 actually went out and spent such a substantial portion of his salary to review the products? I don’t – I’m sure Zegna provided him with these products. Perhaps the magazine footed the bill. But I’m inclined to believe that the product manufacturer provided it. Based upon the new guidelines provided by the FTC, a blogger in the same position would have to disclose, while the Esquire writer would not. Interesting situation, to be certain.
This comment was originally posted on F.A.D.S.
[Reply]