Blurred Lines (advertising & my blog)

Last week the ASA wrote a statement regarding ad rules and why bloggers should be aware of them. This is my personal response to that statement and how I feel it affects my blog and myself.

I have been writing my blog for a couple years now and only recently have been contacted by PR agencies and companies. 

Developing my blog into what I want it to be has taken time. I used to just write out recipes and show a few pictures without adding any thoughts or stories to my posts.  It’s changing as I grow in my baking abilities; my blog and I have come a long way.

When I was an art student at university/college it was in my art classes that I learned a process of creatively thinking out how I wanted my piece of art to be portrayed. It’s the same process that I use today when I am deciding what to bake/make next. 

First I decide what I want to make, then I research recipes and how others have made them. After choosing a recipe that is the easiest to adapt to my needs, I go shopping for the ingredients that I don’t already have. I do all of this before I make the recipe. It's a process and it takes time. 

So, when I get sent an ingredient to try out for exchange of a review, it’s not always an equal payment for what goes into what I do. Not only adding in the time, but ingredients. One free ingredient doesn't always make up for the other ingredients.

Sometimes the recipe doesn't always work out the first time. I have made donuts twice now and neither time has it turned out how I wanted, so hopefully third times a charm. I wanted to make them to fill with a jam that was sent to me to bake with. 

I am not trying to sound like I’m complaining, as I have a choice, I could say no. 

When it’s just a simple exchange of product for review it gives me more freedom and less pressure to do what I want with the product. As a general rule I usually ask the questions of the company before I accept anything so that we are on the same page. I have to assume when it’s paid content you have less say in what it’s about.

I will say here and now I have never been paid for a positive review. Nor will I ever accept payment for a positive review. I will always state if something was provided for me. I will also not accept anything that is unrelated to my blog and that I wouldn't use myself. 

However I will accept payment for ads, advertorial or sponsored content, if that opportunity ever arrives. If I do receive that opportunity it will be stated clearly in the note section of all my posts. 

I further want to elaborate that from here on out I will clearly state if I bought something myself so there is no confusion or question in the matter. However if the post is older then this one, if it is not stated that it was sent to me, than I purchased it myself. 

I have stated most of this in my contact/policy tab above. I just want to write it here again as it’s recently being talked about.  

Overall, I write my blog as a type of journal for myself. It is a bonus that I have lovely readers who comment and share what I do. It’s also a bonus to occasionally receive an opportunity to try products, but it’s not why I write my blog. Baking is my current form of art and blogging is my way of sharing it.

notes: ASA stance on advertising and blogs. My blog contact/policy tab. Hopefully jam filled donuts will be up on the blog soon! The pictures of these donuts were edible, but were too brown and crunchy to fill with the jam. Which is what happened to my first batch, I took pictures, but cannot find them anywhere! I think I need to reconsider what oil I'm using and frying time! The recipe for these were adapted from the current issue of the Jamie (Oliver's) Magazine.