If there’s one part of pop culture I know very little about, it’s comics about superheroes. Yet, my husband loves Spiderman, so I’ve seen the first two movies. Naturally, the very eloquent line delievered by Spiderman’s Aunt stuck with me, as it surely did everyone, and that is, a reminder that with great power comes great responsibility.
Yeah yeah. I know, surely Spiderman’s Aunt didn’t really coin the phrase. Regardless, I am noticing a trend and feel that it is time to discuss it.
Being a Communicator, it is my job to know the latest and greatest ways to reach out to your target audience and well, influence them.
With the popularity of the Internet and now Blogs, comes a whole new avenue for reaching out to target audiences. I mean, really, isn’t it a marketers dream to have easy access to a highly specific, targeted group of individuals?
And isn’t that what marketers have access too with the growing expanse of Mommy Bloggers?
Mais oui, kittens. That is exactly what is happening.
Large, sophisticated companies and industries are investing marketing dollars on reaching out to large and influential mom bloggers. I mean – isn’t it a no brainer? These women generate thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of clicks a day. The mom bloggers aren’t jaded like reporters – you can approach them and pitch them on something, and if you throw in some perks like a trip to the set of TV show or a visit to the set of a Movie, or an insider’s glimpse into a McDonald’s corporate kitchen -well, they’re likely going to think it’s pretty cool.
And the unstated goal in all of this – is that these powerful and influential mommy bloggers will go home and well, blog about it. And then their readers will do what – go watch the show? Go see the movie? Go buy the product.
Of course.
Just this morning I read about McDonald’s new effort to combat negative stereotypes about their unhealthy food (I’m sorry, did I die and wake up in heaven? Fries aren’t bad for you anymore?) – by inviting popular Mom bloggers to their corporate kitchen over the course of the next few months.
(NOTE: to any corporate communicators patroling mom blogs out there – I’m open to fashion invitations, like say, from baby gap. but McD’s – not so much).
OK. OK. So really – what’s my point in all of this?
From the communications standpoint, pitching mom bloggers is a no brainer and well, somewhat brilliant.
From a mom blogger and reader of mom blog’s standpoint, I have a few issues. And frankly, I am one of the more jaded people out there, given my line of work.
I blog about being a mom, just as I read others’ blogs about mommyhood because, well, we all have something in common. We share the same job – and it’s the toughest one out there. When someone tips me off to something that really worked with a baby’s nasty cold or a great piece of super soft and well fitting clothing – I’m going to believe them because I inherently am going to trust a mom blogging about motherhood.
I would hate for this final frontier to fall to the enticements that come with being approached by large corporations with lots of money. I would hate to suddenly feel skeptical of other mom bloggers when discussing specific products.
(TVs, Movies – who cares – that doesn’t impact me. And hell, I’d go visit a set too) – but products, clothes, Triaminic, these types of tips – let’s keep them pure and fresh as the new fallen snow, shall we?
