Hmmmm

[neadods]

The New York Times Magazine did an article last Sunday on BzzAgent, an advertising agency that recruits volunteers to create "buzz" about products by discussing them, having samples to hand out, or even simply using them ostentatiously. (For example, people were asked to read a Bzzed book on the subway, making sure that the cover was clearly legible to other subway riders.) In return, these volunteers, get free samples and tips on how to market and, as they report back, points that they can exchange for goodies down the line.

I'm flirting with the concept. BzzAgents don't appear to have a quota to meet (the only incentive is accumulated reporting points, which seem to work like airline miles or skeeball tickets). Thus they can decide for themselves if they want to join any given campaign or not - in other words, they don't have to pimp anything they don't actually support, and if I read the page correctly, you get a sample to play with before you have to make that decision.

I mean - everyone who knows me knows that I have plenty of opinions to spread around. I certainly haven't ever been shy about saying "I loved this [fill in the blank]."

So I don't see much of a moral difference between "BzzAgent gave me this and I think..." vs "Reviewing The Evidence gave me this book and I think..." Or any difference in the way I've been chatting up The Librarian, which was essentially exactly what they're talking about, only I owe shawan_7 and terri_osborne for getting me the repeat & address info instead of BzzAgent.

Thoughts?

Comments

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

No! Don't go to the dark side! Stay pure and moral!

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't that require me to have been pure and moral in the first place?

I'm starting to lean against it for the simple reason that there's nowhere on the website that lists the kinds of things being buzzed about. The third party reports discuss sausage (ugh), games (shrug), candy (cheap enough to get for myself), and books (which I already get by the bagful via Shore Leave and Reviewing the Evidence.) I'm not a big believer in reading contracts before I sign, and I'm not being given the option here.

So, meh. If I want more books - and I do, because I'm pathological that way - I'm going to try to get a second reviewing job rather than "buzz." I've got a list of review sites I planned on pitching in February or thereabouts.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'm not a big believer in reading contracts before I sign, and I'm not being given the option here.

Meant to read, "I'm a big believer in reading contracts..." Extra "not."