The recent Maytag campaign through Mom Central recently created a lot of drama. I watched both sides and kept my comments to myself. However, as a woman of color I feel the need to speak up. Please feel free to skip this if you don’t like ranting or have time to read cause this is going to be a long post. OH AND YEAH I Didn’t even feel the need to use proper grammar or edit this before posting so please be warned! (ITS 4AM SORRY ) After i get some sleep I might edit if not oh well..
I heard few bloggers felt the need to pull the old race card. why oh why! Do we have to pull out the race card people!? I know and will be the first to say racism is still alive, but EVERYTHING that don’t go your way has to do with the color of your skin! So, before I go on let me say I TRULY SEE BOTH SIDES! However, after thinking about it more and more I have to call THIS ONE BS! The funny thing is a couple of the bloggers that got selected was actually women of color! (CONGRATS DEE I SEE YOU DOING YOUR THING) Please also keep in mind they only picked 25 bloggers for each campaign and had over 500 apply! Yet I have still not seen anyone state that or even acknowledge that it was not just white bloggers accepted! But that just shows me that people are quick to speak on things they don’t know. Guess what I applied, and my best friend Jammie also applied and she is white and we both got the rejection emails. Let’s be real, there was a lot of bloggers that got the rejection letter LMAOOO! THAT’S OK! That’s just how this type of stuff goes. What I don’t understand is you glance at a list and you just assume all of these bloggers are not woman of color? Last time I checked we shouldn’t feel the need to keep announcing that “WE ARE WOMEN OF COLOR” all over our blogs and social media networks. Plus let’s be honest here how many times are we asked when we apply for campaigns our race? NONE, WELL I TAKE THAT BACK. There has been a few time when the campaign was looking for ONLY WOMEN OF COLOR BLOGGERS or giving us first dibs! However, we didn’t see anyone calling the race card or saying that’s unfair and question the company on that. HMMM
I have worked with Mom Central for years and have been a part of some great campaigns. Heck my first big campaign came from them when I was just starting out. Guess what it was? The Frigidaire test Drive campaign! I was totally shocked to be picked. I mean let’s be honest do you know how many people apply for these big campaigns? Here I was picked for this awesome campaign when hundreds of other bloggers also applied. I will be the first to tell you my traffic sucks compared to many of these bloggers so I really didn’t think I stood a chance. However, that was also around the same time I was busting my butt and making sure I was being seen in other social media outlets and proving myself as a blogger.
I also know many other great bloggers of color that do tons of big campaigns. I still get many great opportunities and pitches daily and I am far from being active in blogging and social media like before. However with my schedule and for other personal reasons I decline more pitches then I accept. I know that sometimes outside looking in it looks like “white mommy bloggers” get the bigger better opportunities but let’s be honest here ladies, there is way more white mom bloggers then us! Yes we are out there, but are we doing all we can to be seen without screaming I AM A WOMAN OF COLOR PICK ME? Is our traffic and fan base comparable to these bloggers? Are we networking with each other? Are we active in social media? Some the answer is of course and guess what they are the ones you see with the bigger opportunities and trips! Let’s also not forget how many of our sisters have been in PAID TV and print ads thanks to their blogs (Some reason they are being overlooked by the ones that want to complain. PLEASE GET OUT OF YOUR CIRCLE. WE HAVE SOME WOMEN OF COLOR BLOGGERS DOING BIG THINGS! STOP OVERLOOKING THEM and give them some support and praise) Then we have those that can’t truly admit their traffic and blog is not comparable in companies eyes. Trust me most of these bloggers have numbers ALL ACROSS THE BOARD and anyone knows they are most likely going to be a better fit. I don’t care what anyone says, I still think most of these campaigns are a number game especially when you have such a limited number of spots open like this campaign.
Also let’s get back to the networking part. I have always said that we don’t support each other like we should! This is one of our downfalls. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to build friendships and network with other bloggers like me and it just didn’t happen. These same bloggers expect us to come to their blogs but do you think they come to ours? Do they share opportunities with each other or even recommend you when companies are looking for referrals? THE ANWSER IS VERY VERY FEW UNLESS YOU ARE ALREADY IN THEIR CIRCLE!
Luckily I found support and advice from other bloggers and message boards that are more than willing to help and network with new bloggers. One is Momdot. I have been a member of the Momdot forum ever since I started blogging. There is even a section just for sharing pitches with other bloggers! I think there are maybe 5 ACTIVE women of color on there! The ladies there was always giving me tips, sharing opportunities and even referring me to companies.
Over the years I have been able to make friends and network more on my own off the boards. However, sadly I can honestly say that I speak to like only 10-15 women of color bloggers regular on social media and consider them friends.(If you are on my personal FB I am talking about you guys!) THIS IS SAD! Why are we not working with each other and showing these companies we are out there willing and ready to work with them. Let’s face it we have competition but if we are not going to stick together and go after these opportunities why cry about it when we don’t get picked!? I learned really fast that you get as much as you put in.
So before you go blaming companies, questioning how they pick bloggers and pulling the race card make sure to ask yourself are you doing what you should as an Influential blogger to get these opportunities!? ARE you networking with other bloggers, active in social media, driving traffic to your blog and most important are you willing to refer others when you can’t take certain campaigns? Trust me I am always referring other bloggers when I decline but I refuse to refer someone who won’t even take the time to say hi every once in a while! Truth is if other bloggers don’t see you how do you expect companies too?
Also I want to say congrats to all the 50 bloggers that was picked! Please know most of your fellow bloggers know that you deserved it and your hard work don’t go unnoticed. I feel it’s wrong that you and the 2 companies have to defend yourself over this! We are adults we all should know by now life is NOT FAIR! Get over it people, let this motivate you to work harder and improve on things you need so you can get picked next time.
Shelly says
Great post!!!! I completely agree and so many people need to get over themselves. I think when you make things all about race you put yourself in a bad position for future brands to look at you. Why would they want to deal with someone complaining about that subject? I kept my mouth shut about the whole thing and focused my energy elsewhere. I got that rejection letter as well and figured that would be the case and NOT because I am brown 🙂
Jen Williams says
You know what! You got a point! Because if I was a company you best believe i would never work with these bloggers. It’s just bad business. Plus they should know by now that you have to still act in a professional matter even in the blogging world. So not only have they made other bloggers look at them in a different light i am sure companies will be doing the same. The sad thing it’s over something so childish as NOT GETTING PICKED! LOL
“Looks at her skin” Yup I am brown too just a lighter shade… We are all the same color just different shades. I think when people pull the race card, it is themselves that have race issues. Granted yes racism still goes on, but how the hell are we suppose to get over it, if every time we turn around people are saying “It was because of my color” And this goes for all races not just one… I think I am going to eat a lot of carrots and turn orange like lorax so I can say it was because I looked like a carrot! Great post!
LOL! Girl I am white let my kids tell it haha..But i agree people tend to play the race card way to much!
ALWAYS! You know me haha
P-R-E-A-C-H
*nodding clapping smiling*
Sometimes I think the complaint comes from a place of hurt, jealousy and/or self “hate.” (can’t think of a better word right now.) Some of us don’t do all that’s necessary to be chosen, but still we want to be chosen… we want a break. Sometimes we qualify, but – like you said – when it comes down to it the competition is HUGE! 500 applicants and 50 chosen? Wow!
I also notice that other than women of color are more helpful, give more referrals and specific information regarding growing your blog, etc. In fact, I started blogging around the same time as a well-known Black blogger did and I saw her doing GIGANTIC campaigns, getting chosen for AWESOME sponsorships and appearing in major commercials and print ads. I once asked for her advice and was directed to a post/page well I saw no tangible advice. I tried once again and gave up. I was so jealous of her, but realized (assumed!) she had more time to devote to that type of thing. I have four children – she doesn’t (not gonna get specific), she was married (I was divorcing), she had local support & resources (I didn’t).
I say all that to say there are other variables at play that keep some of us from getting the large opportunities. And when we don’t we can’t begin to blame people, we just need to do better next time, work harder or just get over it and say/think, “maybe next time.”
Petula,
I agree a lot of the times people do just want that “break” I get it. Trust me! The competition is so BIG!
That’s awful that a blogger did that to you! But don’t feel bad LOL you are not alone! The think that upsets me the most is these bloggers think we are trying to steal their shine..I don’t want anyone to just give me something but at least show me where to go and offer tips you know? But now I don’t have the time to just devote my time to blogging either. I think one of the things that hurts me personally is I can’t even go to events that i am invited to. I refuse to put my family on the side for my blog. I would love to devote more time to my blog and go to these events and network with other bloggers but I am a mom first!
PREACH!!!!!!!!Oh my I’m so glad I saw this. I agree with everything you said and your Jessie Jackson picture made me crack up because I was just talking to a client about him yesterday. Stop the whinning and do your thing! I remember trying to reach out to bloggers of color and I got NOTHING!!!! I can count on 1 hand how many bloggers of color who support me and I them. Another thing that pisses me off…Buy your own freakn refridgerator, stove, toys or whatever!!!! Stop waiting on a campaign to get one! I want to be able to get it myself and if the opportunity presents itself, Great! Great post!
LOL! I hate whining! We teach our kids not to whine but yet adults still do it! I am glad others are speaking out on this because Nicole I really thought it was JUST ME that these ladies IGNORED! I will be honest at first I took it very personal! Now I see I am not alone. This is just sad but you know it’s like that with any thing! I hate to say it but our race hardly ever sticks together unless its some kind of drama involved. AND LMAOO @ buy your own GIRL If I was waiting to get the stuff i want hoping i get into a blog campaign WE wouldn’t have shit! LOL I just don’t get it. True it’s nice to get these items but the truth of the matter is if these items wasn’t given to these bloggers and they had to buy them would it even be the same one or BRAND! That’s another reason I refuse to take many reviews. If I wouldn’t buy it myself I am not going to review it just because…