RANT AHEAD: The Sponsorship Effect

It's pretty sad when I log on to Youtube and have three new videos from different gurus all reviewing the same product sent for *shocker* FREE from some random online company. I'm not totally against this as it is a nice way to find out about online stores with cute stuff/good deals. I just feel like it's so fake! Of course you love the product that you didn't have to pay for and didn't potentially waste your monet on! I guess what I'd really like to hear in these annoying reviews is; if they had to purchase it with THEIR OWN hard earned cash, would they buy the product? Is it worth it? Or is it just "so cute and so awesome!!" because it was free.


I'm so sick of sell-outs and I miss the old youtube (2-3 years ago) when gurus actually did it for the fun and to help other makeup lovers.

People who use youtube just to make sponsored videos and to compete with each other and to hoard makeup like MAC and high end makeup suck!

WORST case example: The Fowler sister allthatglitters and juicystar..especially are RUINING the beauty community. It's supposed to be fun and genuine sharing of makeup tips. Not just sponsored videos and greed and PLASTIC SURGERY.

I think it's time to stop it and to voice our opinions on this subject!!! ENOUGH.

Make videos that are real and respect the viewers. UNSUB from the ego tripping greedy spoiled so called "gurus"!

Elle makes about 12,000 USD a month. Blair makes more than that, I'm not sure of the exact figure though. Elle also had liposuction as well as a nose job, for those of you that didn't know.

hey guys let's all organize and start flagging videos as mass advertising because that's what this crap really is!

SAVE youtube and start FLAGGING sponsored videos especially by juicystar and allthatglitters. STOP THE GREED.

*cough* QVC sisters. *cough*

Totally agree. That company Purple Lab with their stupid Cheek Implants in Six Inch Heels or whatever? Ughh, I signed in today and there was like 5 gurus raving about it. Fabulous. One of them even called Purple Lab one of her favorite makeup companies. Yeah, I'm sure they're GREAT just because they're kissing your ass and sending you free products just so you'll kiss their asses back. It's pathetic and getting REALLY ridiculous. Even if the company DOES have good products, are they so good that you'd use your own money for it? Or is the product just good enough that you won't feel guilty telling your subscribers to go out and buy it? I miss the 100% sincere honestly that most of these girls used to have. :/ Now it all just seems like a commercial.

I agree. It is sad. They're all sell outs now. But I still really like Xteeener. Did you guys hear that a bunch of gurus are going to be on a reality show together?

To the poster above: Which gurus?!

I hate it when a guru talks about how it's her favorite product EVER and she's always gonna use it and blahblahblahhhh, but you never see it/hear of it again.

I also hate how limited their vocabularies are when they're describing products. Here are the only phrases they can use:
-"Super duper pigmented!"
-"Gorgeous!"
-"Adorable packaging!"
-"Super pretty color!"

i think im going to blow up if i hear one more of

"it gives BEAUTIFUL SUMMER GLOW"

everything gives them the damn glow...ugh!

glow wrote:i think im going to blow up if i hear one more of

"it gives BEAUTIFUL SUMMER GLOW"

everything gives them the damn glow...ugh!

AGREED!!!

It's rumored that Michelle Phan, Hollyan...something, Blair & Elle, and some other are all moving to LA for that reality show. Well more opportunity for people to see how ugly they are in real life. It's like all of a sudden everyone is moving to LA.

im flaggin vids as mass advertising now. i didnt know about it! thanks guys. love this forum. the fact that youtube provides the option to tag as mass advertising is telling. i think we can get these losers to stop making videos.

i agree the beauty community pretty much as been ruined now, i think it has all gone hill due to elle & blair!

Lisa wrote:It's rumored that Michelle Phan, Hollyan...something, Blair & Elle, and some other are all moving to LA for that reality show. Well more opportunity for people to see how ugly they are in real life. It's like all of a sudden everyone is moving to LA.

And where are you getting this from? Lol.

I definitely wish they were all doing honest reviews

Channels to FLAG and unsub and Boycott!

Elle
Blair
Dulcecandy
Pinkie charms
Wendy AKA Thenewestchic aka dulce's sluutier sis


Feel free to add!

It's funny...I knew this thread was mainly about Elle and Blair before I even clicked the link...ha. I do think those two are sucking the fun out of Youtube, though. EVERY video has to be sponsored, EVERY look seems the same (and uses sponsored products), and EVERYTHING is a secret.

To be fair pinkie charm does buy and get a lot of her stuff in swaps for her channel and reviews. She's not a complete sell out like the others. Although she probably is a shopaholic / hoarder, but we can't be sure. ???

Seriously all these companies are turning youtube into one big infomercial channel!

I am sure they are looking for good reviews, not necessarily HONEST ones.

I think many of you dont realize HOW MANY companies e-mail these girls a week...and how many they turn down. I am a beauty blogger, and i dont even have that many subs..and i get ALOT of messages. The only reason you think we are lying is because we all say we only do reviews on companies we like and are confident in... and we DONT review bad products/companies...which might make it seem like we like everything. I have sent stuff back, said no before they even sent stuff, and not reviewed MANY things. I can only imagine how many things elle and blair and others of their size turn down.... its ALOT because they DONT want to lie to you....

how else are we supposed to tell you guys that we DONT lie.

i dont udnerstand what other kind of proof beauty bloggers can give.

lets just say i have around 20,000 subs and i get at least 3 contacts a week... if not more. imagine bigger gurus.

do you guys just not like watching reviews?

yeh it is a difficult situation i think you guys are in as people are so cautious and sceptical these days.

the thing i think that tends to build peoples' trust is when beauty bloggers (i like that better than 'gurus' lol) actually give some negative sides to the product as well. you see, tv adverts don't ever do that and so when we watch bloggers' vids and see only positive reviews on a product and seem to push it a bit unnaturally, you can understand why sometimes we might feel that it is just another paid advert...

just my feelings on the subject!

Also...as a blogger.... if you are going to trust someone who does sponsored reviews... trust the people that have more subbies and are bigger... BECAUSE people that first start out getting sponsered..say yes to everything. lol. they get excited that they get free stuff...so they want it, and will do a video. If someone gets their 1st 2nd or 3rd sponser are probably not going to say no. haha As for larger gurus....15,000-20,000 and up are more trustworthy and actually say no alot.

Actually, there are some of us who are just starting or plan on starting and who want nothing to do with being YT Famous.

I think it's about personality, again. You can see if someone's genuine. Look at the Fowlers! They were pretty big when they started doing sponsored videos. They wanted to get bigger. And where did it lead them?

MP could never be trusted on reviews. I could name so many more «bigger» vloggers who would sell their mother for a free ride and a little high.

im not saying ALL smaller bloggers will.... but its pretty common. Also, i dont believe in what you say about the fowlers. They do alot of sponsered videos... and yes they do want to make a career out of YT obviously... but it doesnt make what they say wrong, or a lie. I think people should give them a break. Like i said.. they turn down alot of things... yes they get compensated for videos... but who cares. if you like to watch their videos watch them and if you dont then dont.... i wouldnt base viewing their vids on whether they get paid or not. More power to them really. i could care less if they make millions. i like watching them.

but throwing the other side of the coin out there, why should they review free products at all? i know it would be really hard for them to say no to everything but the blogger i would trust the most would be the one who buys everything with their own money. as blair said in one of her recent videos; "you feel bad trashing a product someone sent you for free but if it's something i bought with my own money it's not so hard to do"

in effect, admitting that she feels slightly pressured to be positive about it.

we just want to keep it real.