In the last formal, WOMMA Living Ethics Review the WOMMA Membership agreed to include the following language in the revised ethics code: “We stand against marketing practices whereby the consumer is paid cash by the manufacturer, supplier or one of their representatives to make recommendations, reviews or endorsements.”
Three WOMMA members, as part of the Living Ethics Review process, have formally asked that this issue be revisited. Through this blog, we are hoping to generate comments from WOMMA members, industry insiders, bloggers and brands. At the end of June, the WOMMA Board will consider whether to revise the Code, as currently written, or to leave it as it now stands until this Fall, when the formal review period commences.
Paid Blogging: Ethical or Not
Forrester’s Josh Berhnoff, is an AdAge Article, stated that paying bloggers for recommendations is “easily the most contentious issue I’ve dealt with recently.” He’s right. It’s driving strong points of view on all sides.
So, please make your opinion heard. Is it ethical or even acceptable for brands to pay bloggers cash to write reviews?