UK parent blogs are big business. With a weekly audience of around 500,000 unique readers, our bloggers are popular, engaging – and influential.
So it’s hardly surprising that so many brands want to work with UK Mum and Dad bloggers to spread the word about products and services.
Each month, the Tots100 Brand Panel will be highlighting some of the best and newest blogger outreach campaigns, and providing their expert feedback as bloggers on what works well – and what lessons can be learned by PR agencies to do even better next time.
This month, we asked some of our bloggers to cast their eye over four brand campaigns from Motors.co.uk, Apetina, LEGO, Knorr and . Here’s what they told us:
First up, BeSafe and Motors.co.uk teamed up last month to raise awareness of the availability of rear-facing car seats for older children, and to promote a video showing how to fit such seats – since they’re sometimes seen as being more complicated. The Tots100 supported the campaign on a voluntary basis, as we think it’s a great idea. Bloggers got involved, writing reviews and promoting the safety video.
What did our bloggers make of the Motors.co.uk campaign?
Ana: I love this, I saw a lot of conversation about it, I think because it’s such an important issue. Lots of people seemed to have opinions about it. One thing, though, I’d have preferred the video to be on the blog, rather than linking to the video on another site.
Simone: I was unaware that you could get rear-facing seats for 4 year olds before this campaign – it looks well thought-out, and I’ll certainly be more likely to look out for information in future.
Mags: This campaign reached me through a number of channels so the message definitely got through, and I think it was a successful campaign in sharing the message about rear-facing seats being safer.
Kate: I’m a bit ambivalent about this because no figures were given for how many deaths these seats could prevent – I’m uncomfortable with sweeping statements without evidence to back them up.
Penny: I picked this up via Twitter and the message that these seats are safer came through loud and clear. But I’d love to see pics of how they work in the car, and see specific results about this car seat and the safety stats. Are the seats expensive, too? I don’t know.
Sharon: I read two of the reviews and loved that the children could see more in a rear-facing seat – it dispelled the myth that children won’t like rear-facing seats. But having said that, it’s too expensive for me to make the switch, having already bought car seats.
Next up, Knorr invited parent bloggers to a cookery master class with Marco Pierre White in July to learn about one pot cooking – what did our bloggers think of this campaign?
Ana: I’m so jealous, what a once in a lifetime experience! But I’ve not seen people Tweeting about it, and didn’t see any blog posts personally. Maybe it would have been more effective if more bloggers were encouraged to make the dishes, with the ingredients, and then invite the best to a day. Or produce a video of the day, perhaps?
Simone: I was vaguely aware of seeing mutterings about this on Twitter but as – like most events – it was in London, I didn’t pay much attention. But I think the idea of learning to create easy one pot meals is fantastic.
Kelly: I do love a cookery demonstration and the tips on the blog posts are useful. It’s not overtly about the product, which I like.
Laura: Blogger events are great, I just wish there were more up my way!
Kate: I thought it sounded like a Knorr ad in places, but the posts with personal advice are better.
Penny: I’ve seen lots of Tweets and Facebook updates – how great to meet a celeb chef and love the one pot theme. Great to see MPW tips translated to home cooking. Maybe having a photographer along to capture some fun shots would be good? Knorr got a little over-shadowed by MPW for me, I think.
Thirdly for this month, Apetina ran a cookery campaign of its own, challenging bloggers to make a salad using its cheese, and then inviting readers to vote for their favourite recipe via Facebook. Here’s what our bloggers thought:
Simone: I saw this campaign on Facebook and loved it – I love making my own recipes and reading the reviews was valuable, and I’ll certainly add a pot to my shopping in future. A campaign that invites bloggers to be creative is always fun to take part in.
Mags: I’m allergic to dairy but I saw and loved several of these recipes. A great campaign.
Kelly: It’s hard to judge a competition like that because it depends entirely on the ability of the photographer. There are no ingredients – or links back to posters – so it’s not a competition that I would vote on.
Penny: Have seen a few posts, I presumed it was a competition, but now see it was a sponsored post – I am glad the bloggers were paid for their time. Nice prizes and incentive to vote. Love the recipes and it makes me want to try new things with Apetina.
Sharon: I took part in this and loved it, but I’m not sure it was highly publicized – it was a weekly Facebook competition between four bloggers. I wonder if it might have been better to have 1 competition for 12 bloggers, and open voting in the final week.
Finally, LEGO sent some of its Duplo reviewers a hamper of specially picked goodies rather than toys. Was that a good idea?
Ana: I think this brings about such goodwill with bloggers, especially if gifts are personal, and chosen with the blogger in mind. Not too sure how it helps the brand, though – if I was looking for new Duplo, would I read this?
Emma: I loved this, it was such a surprise to get something for me, rather than Oli – I thought it was sweet of them to notice that we have to write about the products usually, while the kids get the fun of playing with it.
Simone: Unbelievably thoughtful and one of those stories we bloggers love to hear, and share.
Mags: I loved this because the treat was something I’d pinned on Pinterest, rather than something chosen at random. It felt really special.
Kelly: It was clever as it shows the company gets that building relationships isn’t always about the product, but about making connections with bloggers.
Kate: I don’t get it. Nice to receive, but how does it help them?
Mary: I thought well thought-out and productive as a way to build good relationships, and shows blogs have been read and researched.
We’d love to know if you have thoughts on any of this month’s Brand Panel campaigns. Do you agree with our panel? And please leave a comment if you’d be interested in taking part in future panel discussions. Thanks to Ana, Emma, Kate, Kelly, Mags, Mary, Penny, Sharon and Simone for your time this month!
About Sally
Sally Whittle is founder of the Tots100, Foodies100, BlogSummit and the MAD Blog Awards. When she's not working, she can be found blogging at Who's the Mummy, or having fun with her 7 year old daughter, Flea.
Some great feedback and ideas for brands working with bloggers in the future. Would love to get involved in future panels if you’ll have me.
Definitely, thanks for volunteering.
Great feedback all around! :O)
The DUPLO PR company is fantastic. I love being a DUPLO blogger. x
I was involved in the Be Safe campaign but sadly had to return the seat as it wouldn’t work for us. Such a shame because in principal I liked the idea but it didn’t work for our car in practice.
I saw one blog post about Marco Pierre White but didn’t know it was linked to Knorr, I thought it came across as much more about the cooking than them so a bit of a fail?
I took part in the Apetina challenge and really enjoyed it, being pretty paid for the privilege was good too!
I also think the DUPLO campaigns look great, I’d love to be part of that one solely because DUPLO is the most played with toy in our house!
Is it just me or are brands getting more creative with campaigns now?
I think the company re-allocated the seat for review by another blogger, and it’s great to know if there are cars the seat won’t fit, so I was pleased to know that, I agree
A feedback forum like this is important both for bloggers and companies, as you get a clear sense of what works and what doesn’t. The Duplo campaign is an interesting one: I see Ana commented that she might not read about this if she were looking for new Duplo, and I do take the point, but I think that what really showed was that it’s the relationship between blogger and brand that is key. Bloggers talk about two extremes: bad campaigns, bad service, bad experiences, and the good campaigns. Duplo succeeded in getting people to talk about their brand without needing to refer to their products. If Duplo show that they have this kind of understanding of their blogger relationship, it speaks volumes about the kind of service I as a customer, can expect from them, and that would make me buy their product.
You’d buy a product because a company gave a blogger a gift?
I must admit – I can see both sides. Yes, it’s relationship building. But I would caution against anything that gives the idea that brand loyalty can simply be bought.
Hi Amanda here (from The Ana Mum Diary)
I think all my twitter and blog names, caused a little confusion.
I do see both sides of the Duplo campaign. It’s great for relationships between the brand and the blogger. I would love to receive a gift with such thought from a company myself. I would with grace and write a post about, it without being asked.
I do however stand by my comment, I’m not sure It would inform my decision to buy Lego. However saying all that Lego is the kind of product that stands on its own two legs, as reliable in my opinion.
We love it!
Don’t know where I’ve been, pretty much all of these have passed me by. So this is a great time to volunteer, yes?
I would love to volunteer, please can you add me to the list, thanks.
To clarify about Apetina, it wasn’t just 4 bloggers, it was 4 bloggers per week over 3-4 weeks.
I think it was an excellent of example of how brands should approach bloggers – we were paid fairly in cash for our time and effort rather than being fobbed off with a paltry amount of free product or supermarket vouchers.
I would heartily welcome more brands doing this.
I thought you might like some non-parent blogger feedback as some of these campaigns have a much wider appeal.
I was aware of the Marco Pierre White event, but not that it was part of a Knorr campaign. It looked like it was a great event to attend!
I wasn’t aware of the Appetina campaign and it would have fitted perfectly with the 52 Week Salad Challenge I’m running on my blog this year.
Is your panel restricted to parent bloggers? I’m not in that category (failed IVF person here), but I do get lots of approaches by PR people which are simply dreadful. I’d love to be able to take part in something which helps them improve!
I’ve had a wonderful email from Aldi this morning which is personally addressed, engaging and just the way I think bloggers should be approached. Too bad the campaign is for products I don’t need at the moment, even though they have a perfect fit with my blog. I shall be writing a ‘no thanks’ email, but congratulating them on their research and thoughtful approach.
It’s good to read comments from others on their views of products, and that sometimes companies do their own research to approach a blogger.
I’d like to be involved in something like this.
What a great idea. If you have a new panel would love to be included
I was aware of the Knorr campaign, but didn’t take part. Unless I mix it with another Marco Pierre challenge, it involved travelling for a cooking seminar/masterclass, and though I love cooking challenges, travelling is a no-no for me (I’m a full-time carer, and never leave my kids even for a day).
A pity Apetina campaign passed me by, I would have loved to participate, and last year was one of their winners on FB, and my recipe was published in The Telegraph with the Apetina promotional material (apologies for blowing my own trumpet).
Another fab campaign I’d like to mention that involved foodie bloggers was the Capricorn challenge. It was a pure delight to take part, the PR is brilliant, and Ethel the goat on Twitter is very amusing. That’s the way to work with the bloggers, I think. Perfect communication, very friendly and helpful.
Sorry, forgot to add, if there is any other foodie challenge on the horizon that doesn’t mean I would have to travel, I’d love to take part.
I would love to get involved if there are any more panels coming up!!
I’m new to blogging and these opportunities sound great. I would love more blogging opportunities in the North as the majority seem to be based in London. I would love to take part in any new projects!
This is such a good idea – to use bloggers to showcase PR campaigns that work well. I hope brands can learn from it
All very interesting
I’d love to get involved in future panels too please.
I love the brand/blogger outreach that you do on Tots 100. The panel is a great idea and I would love to be involved in the future x
Great reading. I don’t yet work with brands on my blog but I an thinking of breaching out and these examples paint very positive picture of brand/blogger relations and how brands see and value the importance of blogger interaction.