So I have this little blog. On it I detail my cycling life and other goofy stuff that I get myself into. I’ve had the Blog for almost 2 years, and within the 30+, guys who wear pink, or girls who like to guys in pink, ride single speeds, and dress like a 17Year old skateboarders, like clogs, cyclocross, and racing a bike for longer than 4 hours crowd, I have a pretty good following. So last night I got an email from a company called Accelorade. They make endurance racing nutrition products. So anyway, they want to send me a bunch of free product, new flavors and they want me to test them out. Here’s the stickler, they want me to talk about them on my blog, and comment honestly whether I think they work for me, and if I like the flavor. This is where it creates a crisis for me. I rarely talk about nutrition products that I use on the blog. More often it’s about something I ate that I puked up during a race. I don’t do product tests. I talk about riding, my wife and my dogs. So if I agree to try the Products and do a write up, am I selling out? Am I pimping out my blog? Will I be crumbling to the power of the man? Will I soil the pure nature of fatmarc.com ? On one hand I say, hell, it’s my blog, I built it. If someone wants to hook me up then why the hell not? On the other hand, I say, who the hell am I? I’m just some dude, I work a real job like everyone else, why would anyone care what I say about a product? If you want to suck like me try this ! Then I say, I should take the product and do the man’s dance. What’s the issue? I think I’m gonna do it. Maybe not. Dude why is this so hard ? So tell me, am I totally selling out or is this okay?
respect
fm
33 comments:
It's not selling out if you take the products, try them and comment honestly on whether you like them or not. And you disclose that you got free product for as payment for doing the review. Selling out is taking the product, hating it and then lying about it.
Brian Burgess
do it...you got sold out a long time ago......and if you dont want to,send it my way...
Not that my .02 counts for anything, I've known you for 5 years and my opinion is that if you do do it, you will find a way to do it that will be real, that will be devoid of a corporate 'agenda'. You'll do it FATMARC style. But the question to ask is this: is it morally incongruent????
I think that's called "jumping the shark." Plus, their products aren't really that good. Hold out until First Endurance gives you a ring.
Ddub
Try the stuff out...I've been given EAS products before cuz the rep was after all of corporate Bike Line...told the guy it would be a tough sell, but they offered...I think it's awesome you got the call and all you gotta do is put in a plug! AND you don't suck!
Amy
Hey,
If it works for just some guy, it will work for a bunch of "just some guys", right?
And let's be honest here, you told me a long time ago that Accelerade was the only product that kept your stomach settled during a race.
I say try it out and tell about it. As long as you are being honest, then who cares.
Or send Mr. Accelerade to that Fort James guy. He is just some dude too and actually uses their products.
Do it. It's not like you sought them out and promised a positive blog style press release. Reap the benefits of blog pseudo-fame when you can.
Hey FM,
If you already use the products i.e. you pay for them already, and like them, then cool, talk about them and get the hook up.
I have read some blogs, though, who pimp only those people that give them free shit, yet they talk about other stuff that they like and refuse to mention product names b/c they aren't a sponser. So, then I wonder--do they really like their sponser's stuff? or are they just playing the game? Not that playing the game is wrong--it just means I won't take any opinion they have at face value.
We, those that love clogs, dogs and cogs, also love you, and value your opinion. We know if we ask "Hey FatMarc, does this red stripe over my ass on my skinsuit make me look fat?" You'll be honest, so then we can slink off to the port-O-john and cover that shit up.
So, as you tred into these corporate infested waters. . .make sure they realize the true value of having their product pimped by FatMarc.com. Cause you rock it.
Luvins,
megA
I say hold out for a Nacho and Burrito sponsorship! I'm more interested in finding some good mexican than I am in nutritional supplements. 8-)
Whatever you do keep it real and speak from your heart.
Nah, you're not selling out. I think blogs can be an excellent vehicle for product promotion. If you're already using the product and it working for you, why not use this platform to share your experiences? Sounds like a win-win situation for both you and Accelerade.
Now, when is Iron City gonna call and make me a similar offer?
Spot Brand, White Ind. Henrys, lime trees, Bontrager carbon forks where does the whoreing "opinions" start or stop! You are so far across your line you think it's still behind you!
Doood, I would say totally get the product and then start doing all that pro stuff like EPO, Growth Hormones, Ephedrine, Enzyte, and all the other cyclecrack out there. Then when you start winning races by 20 minutes and get drug tested and fail. You can say it was the Accelorade b/c that's the only thing you've changed in your race diet!!!! Heck you could probably shake a little cycle-crack into the powder so there's powdery residue in the containers. And when WADA confiscates all your stuff, you can be like, it must have been the Accelorade!!! Oh yes, don't forget to get a lot of Accelorade stickers so you can put them on your liters of blood you are storing for that future "month of training, at altitude in the mountains" (as the pros say). So when they come to your house and see the blood bags in your beer fridge, you can say, Dude, that was just my Accelorade. It's not blood, I swear! The needles around the house are for draining the pimples on my ass b/c I'm riding just a LOT dude!
Ya, I say go for it. I've never met a cyclist who didn't like free swag.
Did Green Day sell out with their first major release (Dookie)? In my opinion NO. It was the same exact sound as Kerplunk. So Dookie got them rich and famous. What is wrong with that??? It isn't like they started to sound like the Nelsons or something. They still sounded like Green Day.
I say if you stay true, it isn't selling out. If you still read like fm, then it isn't selling out.
Who cares?
Have you listened to the soundtrack to comercials lately? Iggy Pop singing "Lust for Life"?WTF does that have to do with carnival cruise lines? Unless they institute a ride where you jump on broken glass.
The Buzzcocks singing " What do I get?" for Nissan or whoever.
Remember, the best Who album was "The Who Sell Out" not "Live at Leeds".
Oh yeah, ask for the Raspberry flavor and some chocolate Endurox while your at it. As long as you don't mind farting (A LOT).
Relax Marc. Your making way too big of a deal about this. What reporter would let a good story slip?
BTW- I bought both The Who Sell Out and Live at Leeds when they were new albums. They are not to be compared, just enjoyed.
"Sell out
With me tonight
The record company's gonna give a lot of money, and everything is gonna be alright!
Mighty, Mighty Bosstones
Make sure there isn't a hidden something that if you don't act "right" you get stuck owing the "Man"...it was unsolicited email after all, ie: Spam.
I got the same email twice, one from a female other from a guy.Read all fine print before saying Yea!
AND : good use of the comma in this excerpt from your story>>you said >I talk about riding, my wife and my dogs. don't want to miss placing that there comma buddy ;)
I'll have a more difficult time letting go of the fact you enjoyed Dave Matthews that commenting on a nutrition product. :)
Seriously, as long as you are honest with your opinion, there is no sellout.
Besides, you diffused the whole thing with this post. Which is a sneaky lawyer's trick used to great effect.
errr, so yeah, I guess you are a sellout. :)
DO IT.
Sell out with me tonight is actually a Real Big Fish song- but I digress.
Go for it, I'd like to hear your opionion of the stuff!
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_28/b3992034.htm
Your a Whore....
get cash ....
sheesh....
Tom
that is a lot of comments...
I had a product sent to me
a commuter product
I did not like it
so I did not give it a write up
mentioned the arrival
did not give it a review
but I did email some input in what I thought would make the product better
if you like the product then do it
if you do not like the product and its results
then say thanks and no thanks
if they pay you the big bucks
smile and say you love it
"selling out" is an overused expression. nothing's pure in this world. we all sell parts of our souls to something or someone somewhere along the line. getting free goods from some company is a no-brainer, especially when they encourage you to be honest in your review. and look at the free publicity they've already gotten... i had never heard of them before reading your blog entry about it.
signed,
the cynic
Best "selling out" song, IMHO, Tool's "Hooker with a Penis":
I met a boy wearing Vans, 501s, and a
Dope Beastie t, nipple rings, and
New tattoos that claimed that he
Was OGT,
From '92,
The first EP.
And in between
Sips of Coke
He told me that
He thought
We were sellin' out,
Layin' down,
Suckin' up
To the man.
Well now I've got some
A-dvice for you, little buddy.
Before you point the finger
You should know that
I'm the man,
And if I'm the man,
Then you're the man, and
He's the man as well so you can
Point that fuckin' finger up your ass.
All you know about me is what I've sold you,
Dumb fuck.
I sold out long before you ever heard my name.
I sold my soul to make a record,
Dip shit,
And you bought one.
Brian Burgess
I think it's ok if you are honest in your opinions. I didn't like Accerlade much, but maybe you can help them make it better. Just don't try into an Accelerade Whore !
KC
HA!!! love those lyrics!
If you start reviewing products because somebody is giving it up for free then I'll quit reading the blog. Of course whether I read the blog or not has about as much relevance to the world as your reviewing products. But if you want to become another advertising vehicle for the world of commericial enterprise then that's certainly a socially acceptable norm. Sure, you may already be the Spot Brand Whore and you may already toute Henry's or White or whatever but the significance is that you do that from the passion; not for the profit. Personally I'm sick and tired of having advertising (and don't kid yourself, what you'll be doing is advertising) shoved in my face, down my throat and up my ass in ever aspect of life. A sell out........well only you can decide if you're selling out because it's only YOUR sense of ethics that guides your behavior but like I said, I'll quit reading the blog and we know what that's worth.
Andrew McDermott
so many funny comments!!
andrew laid out some serious commentary...up until reading that i'da said hmmmmm....if you can be honest then drink up & spill it.
BUT....yeah what he said.
you gotta decide this one for yourself....good luck :)
lv
Ok, I've taken a bit to digest Andrew's comments. C'mon Andrew, you know Marc better than that. Marc isn't the comercial type guy. Someone wants feedback on their product. Hopefully Marc will like it and they'll sell more stuff, but if Marc doesn't like it, do you really think he'd lie? Think about the sponsorship that our sponsors graciously give us...What do you think that's all about? Do you think the good folks at Spot just like me?? I've never even met them. They just want to sell more stuff (and it is good stuff...I'm a whore too). So if you wnat to stop reading Marc's blog because he's "advertising," then you shouldn't really be wearing any sponsor's names on your kit. In the end, we're all just whores.
Spot Paul
that is an all time BICYCLE BLOGGER COMMENT COUNT RECORD!
Seriously, who knew that between Marc selling out and the infamous FFA Amy controversy of Spring 2006, Marc's blog would be blowing up from comments?!?! Way to stir the pot Marc. We'll all just keep it churning!
Paul, Marc and any of y'all that may be following this thread of comments-- a blog within a blog? --
Lest my earlier comments may have been misunderstood; I would never mean to suggest that fatmarc would provide anything but an honest and most likely entertaining product review.
I've been an active reader of fatmarc's blog for the entertainment value and for the sense of community it provides. To hear that he might begin doing product reviews simply because a vendor asked him to do so was a dissapointment. It immediately brought to mind Dirt Rag and the mag they USED to be. It reminded me of what the internet used to be when it was a great resource unencumbered by flashing advertising on every website. Remember email before spam? It brought home the frustration of trying to wade through the advertising to watch a DVD I just rented. Hell, even my favorite weather website is so full of advertising I've deleted their URL from my list of favorites.
So you get the point, I don't like unsolicited advertising and I'm easily dissapointed, but I get over it. *grin*
So despite my seemingly harsh conclusion that I would quit reading the blog if it became, as I see it, a vehicle for advertising, this was not a criticism of fatmarc. In a world full of doping scandals, Enron rip-offs, bad TV, and government spying on the citizens where too-much-secrecy-and-not-enough-privacy has become the norm it is refeshing to see the emergence of blogs where people write from the heart. Thanks Marc.
Andrew McDermott
dude, you already f*cking sold out by talking about it. You just earned yourself 48oz of product. Keep chatting it up sucka... maybe you'll get free condoms next -m
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