10 Principles for Ethical Contact by Marketers
Discussion Draft For Public Comment
All Comments
Giles Clark - Splash! PR & Marketing
Let me say at the outset your 10 principles are very worthy, if a little bit naive.
There seems to be an implication in the 10 principles document that there is something special about blogging. That somehow bloggers should be dealt with more fairly, more honestly and more openly than other journalists and media outlets.
It seems to give the bloggers a get out in terms of responsibility. Bloggers, in my opinion, have to be just as careful about sources and the information they "publish" as a journalist or reporter in any other medium. Just because they don't print, or go out on the airwaves, doesn't mean they can abrogate their responsibilities.
Take principle number 10 for instance; "If bloggers write about products I send them, I will proactively ask them to disclose the products’ source." Quite frankly if a blogger is open and honest he will do that without being asked. In fact he will make it absolutely clear at the outset that if you send him something he will say where it has come from.
If the blogger doesn't then it is the blogger that is being less than honest, less than open.
Is there a problem with blogs and bloggers? Probably yes. We wouldn't be having this conversation if there was no significant problem. However, I believe the problem is not soley an agency problem. It is an industry problem, and it needs both side of the industry, bloggers and agencies, to join together to stop it.
Bloggers know which companies/agencies are offering inducements to write nice things, just as agencies know which bloggers are "up for it". It is very tempting especially as there is no other control on the sites. No editor to have to explain the reason for the overly fawning review to.
There is no easy answer, I don't pretend there is, but it has to start with openess about the problem, and it has to include the bloggers.
Giles Clark, Director
Splash! PR & Marketing
www.splashpr.co.uk
November 3, 2006