And All That Swag: What Happens When the Party Ends?
<-----------I bought this e.l.f. makeup for myself today. Tomorrow is my birthday, and I wanted a little treat. I remember lip gloss in a tin with a sliding top from when I was a kid. The flavors are chocolate cupcake, sugar cookie, and peppermint patty. The entire set was $3. Three. Need I say more?
But the main reason I bought this set today was because I was introduced to e.l.f. at BlogHer.
There was a lot said about “swag” after the BlogHer Conference this summer. For those of you new to the term, swag consists of free product, coupons, discount codes, and other goodies provided by companies to bloggers at events in the hopes of forming a relationship and spreading the word about the product. I sent mine home in a box so heavy that I’m embarrassed to share the cost of shipping. And that was after I donated quite a bit of it and packed the toys into my carry-on luggage.
It has now been three months since BlogHer, and I had quite frankly stopped thinking about the swag discussion until I stopped to buy this lip gloss today. What happens after the swag? Do bloggers really connect with the companies, use the products, share their satisfaction with others? I have to say yes. I love e.l.f. and have used their make-up consistently since BlogHer. Now that I can find it in Target, it will be even easier to buy. The same thing happened with the salon line of Suave products. I’ve been using Suave shampoo for several years, but at BlogHer I was given shampoo and conditioner from the Suave professionals line. I am so happy with the change in my hair since the switch that I will continue to use that line from now on.
The same questions can apply to review products. Do I still love and use the products after the review? Would I still give a favorable review after months have passed? I cannot think of a single instance when I wrote a positive review and later changed my mind about that product. The review product that I have used most and am most happy with is the Kidz-Med Thermofocus 5-in-1 thermometer.
Have you ever received an item of swag or to review that led to a continued use of that product?