When RUclipsrs give bad reviews to pr products but the brand is understanding and still supportive of them, that makes me trust a brand a thousand times more than if people are just shilling out the product
Agreed! If I notice a product wasn't liked but they sent more PR, it shows me that the company is focused on improving their product over "buying" good reviews.
10000000%! I stopped watching quite a few influencers when I realized they were just "loving everything" bc they were getting paid for it and not only because they were just simply loved the product.
This is why I trust Theresa is Dead in her reviews. She always says what she feels and even the brands whose products she's said bad things about keep reaching out to her.
It always really bothered me that brands would send entire lines of foundations or concealers, knowing full well that no one could use every single shade. It’s such a waste! I remember feeling so bleh about these extravagant packages sent to rich people. I’m glad the roller coaster has come to a halt.
I get sending a few shades, obviously they don't know your exact shade match, but I noticed they started sending their whole shade range when Fenty dropped their foundation line. It was like "look we have shades for dark skin too now" so white influencers like Jeffree Star would talk about their inclusive shade range to seem woke. It was kind of gross. Especially from brands like ELF whose darkest shade used to be tan.
Samantha ravndahl also said she stopped getting pr because not paying for the makeup herself skewed her reviews in a subconscious way. When you actually spend your own dollars on something, you critique it differently and I appreciate that she did that
Yes! The Dis Unplugged is a Disney news channel I watch and they won't review anything they don't pay for. Totally makes sense and it's why I am loyal to them.
How do you stop receiving PR? Do they just send it back when they get it because I don’t think companies are going to stop. They’re going to keep sending hoping that the influencer will change their mind, if the influencer is big enough.
@@Catglittercrafts From what I remember, she asked to be taken off the PR lists she was in so brands would stop sending her stuff. It's been months since I watched that video of hers, but I think she still got some after and it took some tries before they completely stopped sending her stuff (Although, again, it's been months since I watched it so I don't remember everything)
@@Catglittercrafts you usually have a line of communication with the PR department of a brand and can just let them know. I know Jessica mentioned she emailed all the brands to ask them to get her out of PR list.
Yes! It’s such a strange and insightful observation, that the people who have the funds and wealth to not only attend to their basic needs but also buy extravagant items, get that stuff for free. It’s so backwards!
@@laylab.2048 I don't know too much about her upbringing, but having rich parents doesn't automatically mean that you as their child get everything you want. Depends on the parents.
I think another good point is how excessive PR has led to more decluttering and minimal collections, and how most influencers don’t even keep half of the things they receive anymore
Its so annoying to watch declutter videos where people are decluttering gifted foundations that were way too dark for them. You shouldn’t have put it in your collection to begin with. It should be gifted to someone else or added to a makeup artist kit or something
and then in turn it all gets added to landfills and more trash piles up :( edit: i know lots of influencers donate unused makeup to womens shelters and other donation outlets and thats great but the overwhelming amount they get just lends itself to more waste being produced
People act like minimalism is more sustainable but it’s not if you’re just throwing out a bunch of makeup to “curate” your collection. And women’s shelters only need so much makeup. Pretty sure that’s not the women’s first priority.
@Deanna W So true. I had quite a pile of products used just once and realized they were not for me. I even kept the boxes and wiped off the top of what I used in the pallettes. I brought them to a local shelter and they couldn't accept them. But a woman who worked there asked me for them if I was going to throw out because she had friends who loved makeup but couldn't afford it. I can't stand the idea of such expensive items wasted and just causing more pollution.
I think one of the other things that deterred me from watching and trusting influencers who received a lot of PR was that they often seemed a little disconnected from the actual price of the product. Especially when it comes to influencers who receive massive amounts of clothing for clothing hauls. Like cool all those pieces are nice, but while you are able to get 15 items for free a month, most people can only afford 1 or 2 … if that …. Its just completely unrealistic. I’ll never forget liking a couple pieces an influencer was wearing, going to the website, and the total being over 250+ dollars. Sometimes I feel as though Influencers just haven’t grasped that items can actually cost a significant amount of money.
This! With this amount of product (some of it with a questionable price tag) they will not realize what is too much money for the average consumer. How am I supposed to believe that a product is worth it's price, when the person who's reviewing it doesn't know the money's worth we have to pay for it?
@@annaabonyi8914 Exactly! And I think it is one thing to say an item, such as a 20 dollar lipstick, is worth the price when the person hasn’t seen that 20 dollars deduct from their bank account, and another thing to actually purchase the lipstick yourself if you get what I mean!
first that comes to mind is tarte shape tape. do some people truly like it? yes, but a lot of influencers have since come out and said that they never actually like it
i agree like do you know how pissed i get when i spend $60 on an eyeshadow pallet that’s shitty? versus if sephora had just given it to me through VIB points or something
Totally! Even if the reviewer looks up the price a potential customer would have to pay and actively keeps that in mind you just can't replicate the feeling of 'I have paid X amount of money for this' which will automatically cause a different outcome.
True, but getting reviews from millionaires can be that way too. They don’t even think twice when buying a $60 makeup item, but for the working class we would expect super high quality
Also the PR lists you would get them before the were released. It’s hard criticizing something when you know it could jeopardize not getting future launches beforehand to make content for
I remember that whenTati received the Urban Decay Born to Run palette, she wasn't interested and put it in a giveaway. Then during the next unboxing Urban Decay sent another one because they really really wanted her to use it. It always struck me as odd that Urban Decay just didn't want to let that PR opportunity go.
If you write some good reviews on amazon, the business will probably give you other free things to review 🙃. It’s not being an influencer, but it gets the job done
A part of the timeline to also note is the time when most big makeup influencers on youtube were starting either their own brands or a collab with another brand. They would then be brutally honest about other brands and often almost overly critical in order to promote their own stuff. This was also during the time when people were sceptical of reviews sent in PrR.
I'm a communications student in college specializing in public relations (PR). PR products were used by primarily journalists for years, and it wasn't just limited to beauty. While it's bigger now, it has existed for years as part of press relations. Another thing to note, PR is not just gifting either! PR also covers things like press releases and written communication, apologies/scandals, advertising, social media management, and so much more. A lot of influencers need better PR and the next generation of PR employees are being taught how to deal with influencers and the social media landscape. At my university, it's a requirement to take at least one social media-centric course and electives are offered too. There is so much innovation in the industry.
yep, i have a good friend who is a television critic and entertainment journalist and she gets tons of PR that is from networks trying to get critics interested in new shows. they most send branded swag of some kind or goodie bags of food that relates to the show in some way or another. since all the critics get advanced screeners of new shows as well, the PR is more to make them intrigued enough to want to watch and write about the promoted show over competing shows from other networks. it is more similar to tarte sending roombas than getting free products to endorse since a lot of the PR is kinda random like sending a mini bluetooth speaker to promote a show that is about a music group.
At my University there is a professor trying to get an entire social media management section put into the Communication dept. just bc it’s so big. It’s insane to see how there is such a ENORMOUS shift to social media and influencers. It’s exhausting honestly to study analytics and to break down influencer PR teams.
What always sticks in my mind about the wastefulness of PR is when big influencers used to get the boxes with 40 shades of foundation when they would use at most two shades. I always thought it was the dumbest thing. I get that everyone was trying to show how inclusive their shade line was, but it always felt weird
Right. I don’t understand why they didn’t send maybe those two shades they thought fit that person (probably time consuming and they’d actually have to try to match the person) and then send a card with all the color options.
Such a great glowmas. PR is such a slippery slope and it's disheartening to see these 'clean' companies sending out hordes of wasteful PR, most of which will be thrown out... I wish PR was curated for the person and would be less wasteful. I would also love to see a video from you on the danger of having a person as the face of a brand, Kat Von D, Anastacia, Jeffree Star then even non-makeup brands like Jared from Subway, Livestrong and Tesla, I feel like that would be an interesting deep dive!
Yes! Like, I'm medium-toned, I'm not going to be wearing a pastel peach lipstick or carnatian baby pink blush, and only need to swatch 5 foundation shades, *max* Its wild to me when an influencer will get a huge array of foundation shades (this seems to have died down luckily) or every blush that a brand makes when they even admit that half the shades look terrible on their skin tone and the shades werent made for them. Though I give credit to the medium and deep complected vloggers out there who are swatching whole collections, pastel baby colors and all (or the pale bloggers who will even try the deep berry and terra cotta blushes), for the sake of being thorough!
It would be best if they would send it based on their skin and overall type. Like greasy pale skin x amount and those with drier darker skin another but still give a shopper/ book to show the different types.
Hannah I’m not joking you should do lectures at colleges about influencer marketing. You’re so good at explaining it in a simple way while not getting sucked in by capitalism. So so amazing
I have a small issue with TikTok reviews because it feels like a lot of them overhype certain products because it’s such short form content. It’s like their initial reaction, rather than wear tests and what not. The KVD apple balm foundation is the first thing that comes to mind. So I guess I can see the same thing happening on TT.
I think it was Jackie Aina who said at this point formulas have been so perfected that brands aren't really good or bad anymore, which I think is super interesting and might have played a role in the drop we saw with over consumption of makeup products.
So true! I started using makeup and nail polish in the mid-80s but gave up on it quickly because the formulas and color selection were terrible. NOW makeup and nail polish meets my performance needs and makes my artsy heart sing, I can't get enough!
I remember being so sick and tired of pr unboxing vids that there were influencers I actually unsubbed from because every other video was an unboxing. I'm glad it died down into something reasonable bc that feeling of people I liked being "bought out" was so icky
Same, I never liked those videos. Watching a bunch of rich people brag about all the stuff they got for free was just never appealing to me, which is what the videos felt like instead of actual product reviews. Nowadays, I'm pretty fine with a lot of influencers and their PR, as long as they're just as critical of their PR/gifted products as they are of the purchased ones. But in 2016, PR was wayyyyy shadier and the videos featuring PR were pure cringe.
Yes. I noticed that sometimes when I watched 'haul' videos of any nature, clothes, makeup, furniture, etc I actually felt really depressed afterwards. Like I didn't have enough, then I felt guilty for being ungrateful for what I already have and in the end I just stopped watching that content. Same with house tours and interior decor, it was too depressing 😂 now I focus on youtube videos I can learn from and I ignore the rest. ❤️ I'm happier.
@@jacquelinealbin7712 I don’t care for the PR unboxing because they always seem to love everything. Instead of that I love to watch the favorites of the month. These reviews are more honest.
I’m a licensed cosmetologist and I do waxing for a living. I tell allll my beauty loving clients about you. I legit bonded over your channel a few days ago with a client. Love you much! 🖤
I very much wonder how brands PR strategies changed when Decluttering videos became popular. It had to sting to spend millions sending products to influencers, and then six months later see a hundred videos from people saying they just never found themselves reaching for your product and they're getting rid of it.
Further on from your point, by the time influencers come to declutter, brands have already made their money from those products' sales months prior (when the PR was sent) and have launched new ones, beginning the cycle once again. The company gets free press, the influencer gets something from which to create content, and it's the consumer who parts with their money for products that may not be all that great after all.
I have to say, I'm really impressed seeing so many brands that aren't just sending entire collections out to every single big name and their brother. I think it's neat to see more stuff along the lines of what r.e.m. beauty did with sending smaller packages with like, a couple standout products and a couple staples in a fancier box to some and a, like, 5-product set to some of the smaller creators and then they went and bought for themselves the other stuff they wanted. I think it's much less wasteful that way. Also lol shoutout to ari for completely ignoring j*mes ch*rles and j*ffree. anyway, hannah, I need to know what blush you're wearing, i'm obsessed
@@jacquelinealbin7712 yeah lol I guess J⭐️ posted on his story ordering every single product after he didn’t get anything in PR, which I find kind of hilarious but also ridiculously on brand for him to do
thank you for mentioning that we're still in a pandemic...a lot of people are pretending that covid isn't still a thing, and there are people still dying every day. but anyway, i do think that ever since the pandemic happened, "influencers" have realized how wasteful all of this is, and that it also sends a bad message to the everyday person who could be struggling with issues from covid, or something else. and i'm glad that more and more people are calling out brands for being wasteful! hopefully this continues on, because it's hard to trust a review anymore at this point.
As a small business who has nothing to do with make-up, I can say sending PR to a couple of unboxing channels took my biz to the next level. I currently cannot make enough product to actually fill the demand! It really worked for my company. I would have sent you some Hannah, but I don't think witchcraft & occult items are quite your cup of tea 🤣 Great video!!
I have a little Etsy shop and I’m starting to do the same thing 🙏🏻 I’ve heard so many good things about it. Also I happen to sell occult related things too lol
You’re coming in clutch with a video for me to watch while I down all these oatmeal raisin cookies I just made! Super excited for this video, this is such an interesting discussion to have.
I can say that at least for me, years ago youtube was where I went to find reviews on products. That is no longer the case. I try to find reviews by regular people rather than influencers and other than unboxings to see a product on video, the way PR has been done has made me sceptical and untrusting towards many RUclipsrs showing off products.
honestly, as a member of gen z, i feel like a lot of us grew up watching the chaos of brands and overconsumption, so now the products have to speak for themselves. my friends and i don't just buy stuff because it looks cool anymore. also, i think because we've been burned so many times before, i tend to skew drugstore/affordable with pretty much everything i buy now. the most expensive thing i've bought in like the last two years was a sugarpill pro palette, only because i had heard so many good things and had wanted it for so long. i was just so tired of buying things and being disappointed or lukewarm about it in the long run ://
I love that I live in a world where I can finally see someone analyze and unpack all of the wild sh*t that was the beauty industry in 2016. lmao looking back I remember seeing the PR boxes with screens in them and wondering when things got that out of hand. Point being, I live for all of your videos.
Seeing those piled up boxes don't make me feel jealous anymore. It actually makes me lose respect for those people hoarding them for clicks just to make you (average people) want to shop or get into the idea that you "need" to own everything to the point that every release and every purchase is so trivial because you are already looking at what else others are buying/being gifted.
I just want to tell you that I found your channel when I was 6 months pregnant and I spent weeks (maybe months) watching every video you’ve ever made, and I’m convinced that my baby knows your voice because she’s only a month old and every time I’m watching you she’s just as interested and when I put on baby sensory videos. I think she might be your youngest fan 🥰 thank you for being amazing
I love smaller beauty content creators! In the last year or so, I’ve switched to mostly small creators and love them all. Hannah and manny are the largest I still watch. There’s so much small psychological issues going on with PR. The idea of reciprocity is very real. That’s why even charities send something like address stickers to people when they are trying to get donations. They want people to feel like they need to give something in return. This was a great, well thought out video, Hannah!
I think one thing that I never knew when I started watching RUclips was how much your body chemistry can make a difference, like for example UD primer potion seems to either work amazing or terrible depending on who uses it (I personally love it), and seeing a bunch of influencers not talk about this made it seem like if they liked it everyone else would, once I figured that out it made it much easier for me to decide what I wanted for myself instead of just being sucked in
I think brands would have a better image if they sent product(s) for the influencer to offer as a giveaway during the video talking about the PR products. For example, Melt just came out with that Mariposa collection. It would have cost them comparatively little to include an additional eye shadow palette for the influencer to give to a subscriber in a giveaway. The brand looks generous, the influencer isn't the only one getting "something for free", and a subscriber gets a much sought-after palette.
I think the problem with that is that giveaways nowadays are really discouraged on social media platforms. I know for a fact that Instagram can even ban an account for doing a giveaway because people have been using them so much to gain gigantic numbers of inactive followers who are just there for a giveaway
I used to hate seeing all those unboxing videos full of waste - piles of boxes, gaudy PR displays with lights and other bells and whistles made specifically for unboxing videos that you knew were just going into the trash
I really like when brands give an influencer a “credit” to purchase what they would like off their website. That way they are trying something they were already interested in…in their shade and color choice. Much less waste, and a better experience for the influencer who only gets select product they’d actually use!
Whenever I see these boxes and boxes of PR, my anxiety literally skyrockets. And I never trust those reviews in general even when they insist it is an HONEST review...
I love the concept of this video... I have so many questions.... do you think it’s petty when big influencers openly complain when they receive their or too late to make a review?
If you’re receiving products for free, it will cloud your judgement. Most influencers state they weren’t influenced but surprise, just like those who watch, you become influenced. Enjoyed this video Smokey. I also love your eye look, very pretty, is it the new Lisa Eldridge Liquid Lurex Eyeshadow. This would be an interesting study pr and influencers.
I am in love with her eye look and this is coming from someone who rarely wears eyeshadow, but that is one I would definitely wear. Very very beautiful!
I still remember when tarte came out with their shape tape in like 2016 and all the influencers were like "it's amazing" and were receiving so much PR from tarte. My poor self decided to buy it because I trusted these make up influencers and it was one of the worst products I've ever used. It creased pretty bad and came off easily during the day. I lost so much money, especially having to pay shipping in Canada :( Same thing happened with the urban decay primer potion. I will never be able to trust most influencers again.
Thank you for posting this! When I first started in food media the food sample PR was similarly intense. And while groups like the Association of Food Journalists have tried to build guidelines on PR ethics and transparency for social media, very few people ever knew these codes existed. I am so curious to see where it goes next too!
I'm not a makeup reviewer, but I am a professional film critic, so I do attend press screenings which are kind of a form of PR. For me, as someone making a modest income and for most critics I know who are part-timers at best, the benefit of being on a press list is not having to pay for a movie ticket. So for a mid-tier reviewer, the benefit of being on a PR list is not having to pay for a product. A regular consumer might see one movie every few months in the theater. I saw five in four days last week. Can you imagine how much that would be if I paid for my tickets? So I think the not paying for products and how that impacts smaller creators and hobbyists was a part of the conversation I think you missed when you were talking about the timing aspect of reviews.
yeah I wish she had mentioned this point! she kind of did but in passing but talking more about how it effects people who can already afford the products.
@@wlk3607 Yup. which is a fine angle to cover, but she did cover smaller influencers and them getting PR. Being able to turn down PR and still get timely reviews up because you can buy the product is a massive privilege that a hobbyist or a part-timer doesn't have. Do I understand the angle of millionaires getting PR and how that annoys people? Absolutely, but you can't cover the smaller side without covering the fact that PR helps people at best break even or maybe even turn a small profit when they are still a small creator.
Speaking of where we're going post-pandemic: I work in marketing, and there is a study and legitimate marketing tip that encourages brands to be political. Not in a sense of who to vote and popular politics, but more about making statements. Inclusivity, sustainability, and empowerment sells.
I’m in business school rn and we’re also being told that more consumers want to know where a company stands on those political issues and I think the pandemic increased that
Very true. They're pandering, in my opinion. Just recently, H&M decided not to partake in the Black Friday sales due to "sustainability", even though their business and production practices are highly sus in general.
@@Indijana lol i remember this water bottle company reduced the size of their plastic caps and made it into an eco-friendly marketing campaign. Which is true, smaller caps means less plastic. It also meant less manufacturing expense plus that sweet sustainability points.
That's interesting because I personally hate when brands make political statements, it comes off as preaching and pandering and I tend to stay away from those companies.
The funny thing is all of it worked. I knew more about makeup than the makeup store I worked at. The influencer watcher in me knew what the people wanted when they came in. It still worked today because we all got exposed to the brand and how to use it, get ideas and still really look for tube to see the real deal. I don't think they lost money at all. My favorite person to watch was Mel Thompson I still go to her reviews. I hope people still watch her RIP MEL!! Thank you for the history you do. Love it!
Hannah your blush in this video is SO good - I love the color and the way you’ve applied it, it looks so beautifully ‘70s, especially with that cute headband
I’ll never forget the HUGE pr beauty blender egg, or the elf skin care fridge, I can’t remember if it was tart or benefit but one of them sent a surf board and boxing gloves which was wild. Love her or hate her I think Tati was the best for pr she always seemed to hate the crazy packages she said it was a waste, she didn’t like how they sent her every shade they could possibly have
I work a major PR agency and I am just nodding and laughing because it’s 10000% true and on point lol. Influencers are included in our media planning now. This goes beyond the beauty and lifestyle verticals - you even have snack food Influencers who’s posting of an item, causes it to sell out
This can be applied to any and all sponsorships and products given to influencers. For instance, Hello Fresh is just as much wasted packaging and really expensive if you’re paying out of pocket. But influencers Rave about it.
Oh hello fresh drives me crazy. They always say everything is affordable and environmentally friendly, I'm like no it isn't, getting food wrapped in plastic sent to your house on the daily is wasteful and stupid. I don't know how they fool people. 😂
I remember for a short time a bunch of influencers making videos “PR versus the real thing” trying to desperately prove that either they’re not lying about a PR review or that brands aren’t being shady and sending better product in PR. I think that is when a major shift happened.
Oh my god. The little bit about sending PR to celebs is so true. Someone I know owns a popular brand in LA and sent Rico Nasty clothes & she ended up wearing it on her TikTok. Even though she didn't mention the brand, he took screenshots of her TikTok and posted it on the brand page & then upped his prices after because celebrities were wearing his stuff. They do it so they can make it seem like their brand is more valuable than it is. It gives them a reason to raise their pricing when bigger names have their stuff on.
Omg I can't express how much I fucking LOVE this series going behind the scenes about this influencer stuff works... How much sponcon pays, how sponcon works, scammy stuff with luxury brands (your advent calendar one), how RUclipsrs chase relevancy, apology videos,..... Love it love it love it!!!
Very thoughtful analysis! You're right that as a consumer, it turned me off to see wealthy influencers get so much for free. It made me start looking to smaller cosmetic companies. Thanks for a great video!
This is a big reason I got burned out on the makeup scene. Not only could I not keep up with the never-ending flood of new products, but the amount of waste PR generates started stressing me out.
i dont know if you have done something like this but this video made me think of all the new celeb makeup brands we are seeing now and how that ties in with influencers
i know this video is old af but your channel is a comfort channel for me so i rewatch these old videos and hannah if you're reading this (first of all, congrats on your sobriety, super happy for you), i wonder if you've noticed how PR seems to have gotten worse. there's still tons of extravagant packaging and brand trips are back too. if you ever wanted to revisit your old videos i think this would be a good one!
Samantha also stopped receiving PR because she lives in Canada and had to pay duty taxes on it. Whither she used the products or not. It’s why a lot of influencer from Canada have PR sent to their LA homes if they go back and forth between countries. I have heard the taxes can be high too.
For years the “swag bags” from events such as the Grammy’s or the Academy Awards have grown and grown in luxury for these same reasons. These companies hoped that these movie starts and singers would be seen wearing their newest “blah blah blah” or talk about their brand or products in magazine, tv etc. I mean…the Holy Grail was Oprah’s “My Favourite Things”. If your product made this list…your stocks went through the roof 😊❄️🎄❤️~Kim
I know we often hear people saying that they miss the old beauty YT days but I actually disagree. Hearing you talk about all of this reminded me how exhausting it was to watch influencers talk about PR, show PR, hate PR, go on trips, blah blah blah. I so much prefer the way it is now....I so rarely hear the letters PR and its great. I love my version of beauty YT with my curated feed. Its lovely!
Thank you for saying we are still in a pandemic. I feel like so many are talking about Covid as if it’s over but honestly 2021 has been harder for me than 2020 because I no longer have the option to stay home and stay safe because I have to make money now and where I live is the epicenter of Covid cases in Michigan. And I work in a hotel so people come from all over to stay here. We are still in the thick of it!
Hannah this came in perfect timing! It's 10:45pm CST, its 15° and I am all cozied up with a cup of hot chocolate, candles lit and ready to enjoy my "me time". Ugh...you're such a winner in my eyes and I enjoy your content so much that I could listen n watch you for hours. Thanx Hannah! 😊💞 Sam not only had to pay extra for continuous garbage removal but also had to pay just to receive alot of the PR packages because she lives in Canada, which is NUTS!
I love that you pull back the curtain for us to see a influencer POV... I loved when Sam made her video not accepting PR and then Jessica Braun followed suit! Jessica also said that she ended up with things cluttering her collection that she didn't use and then she couldn't even find the things she liked anymore... like this is crazy! Plus where the heck do these top influences store everything? And then it all goes bad eventually... its so wasteful!
There I was, catching up on Hannah Glow Chanel blogs, and I get the notification for this video!! So glad you’ve worked on this topic, can’t wait to hear your inside scoop and the hot takes! I think you have a really interesting perspective and good insight when it comes to marketing/consumption/generally just living life. 🤓💗
Hannah, I signed up for XpressVPN through your sponsorship (I’m happy as a clam so thank you) AND NOW after hearing about your all time FAVOURITE CANDLE SCENT for many, many months, I have finally ordered my first CHAMPAGNE TOAST 3 wick candle. I’m looking forward to it…Thank you for all your honest, quality content! Many of us APPRECIATE your transparency and candor ❤️❤️
As a PR major graduating next year i talk about this all the time to my profs!! Like there has to be a better way to build relationships and get your brands product seen without being ignorant to your actual consumer base and making them feel less than by only putting the effort into influencers who are already rich. Also, loved your point about products needing to actually just speak for themselves! Glowmas is incredible this year! Love you Hannah!
I just love your channel. I am not even sure why. You just seem like a decent person and you're obviously very smart and highly verbal. I like that. And all of your recent rants, too.
Loved this take on PR! I totally get brands sending bigger RUclipsrs products because they want their products to be seen by a bigger audience. But as a small RUclipsr myself I wish PR was sent more to us too because we can’t afford to keep up with every launch from them
First of all, I love your channel and videos. But especially this one. Since I have a degree in PR and have worked in the field for many years, this video quickly got my attention. I think you are absolutely right with your pov. PR is a quick changing world where brands need to adapt themselves quickly. I remember my boss sending PR packaging every time we did something. And I remember influencer bashing us on social media because we sent them things they didn't want. That's when I realize that the game had change. PR used to be a big thing that every influencer wanted. Now, they are so much solicited that receiving PR is a task. And that's why it's important to ask them before sending it. I think the micro influencer branch is gold. So many brands tend to only send out things to big influencer only because of their following. The thing they forget and is the most important is the engagement. That is something smaller creators have and that's the important metric since their followers will more likely trust their advertising. But also remember that PR is so much more than giving away free stuff to influencers. That is only a small part of what PR is. We tend to forget the press releases, the conference, the social media management, maintaining relations with journalists, website management and so much more.... I also agree that PR needs to reinvent in a way that will give the brand something more to offer than free products to influencers. Anyway, love you content and sorry if my English is not that good, it's not my first language!
I've seen influencers rave about a product, that they've worn it multiple times but then accidentally show the tags still on it. Or they have a new product they absolutely love yet have never mentioned it previously or after that video.
Literally JUST watched an influencer post about how she's been waiting to go on a tarte trip and finally got it. Thanks for putting these things into perspective!
Ugh your professionalism is so admirable. You make me wanna go back to school! Your videos are so relaxing to listen to but never boring, such a perfect balance
Dear Hannah! I have been watching you since you had around 40tish thousand subscribers I’m so glad to see how your channel has grown! (However, I have a small jealousy towards the days when it was a small circle of us that knew of your channel 😀 - but I’m sure you will stay grounded, so I know I’ll be watching as many Glowmas you produce in years to follow). Greetings from Croatia!
PR packages plague the doll community now. Any big doll reviewer channel gets these excessive pr packages and it's so annoying. They get expensive limited dolls for free. And let me tell you, they are always rich who could have afforded to buy their own, are just given it for free. Its especially annoying when it's limited by number. Like Jett Dawson.
The shift to TikTok makes sense on a surface level, but I feel like when I do come upon makeup TikTok it confuses me because I see a lot of cycling of old products/techniques that people have talked about on RUclips for ages. Like a lipstick will go viral that was the thing when I was in high school 10 years ago. Probably because many of the creators are genZ and haven’t experienced as big of a share of the makeup market? I love TikTok, but when it comes to makeup it feels like my options are the same creators as other platforms, in which case I’ll just watch them on the platforms I’m used to, or newbies that I don’t trust, not because I think they’re dishonest but because they don’t feel as experienced. Also so many gimmicky products go viral on TikTok lol. I know this is a pretty shallow take though! I’m sure there are talented and experienced creators who know more than I ever will. But I’d rather just stick to RUclips for makeup content personally.
When RUclipsrs give bad reviews to pr products but the brand is understanding and still supportive of them, that makes me trust a brand a thousand times more than if people are just shilling out the product
Agreed! If I notice a product wasn't liked but they sent more PR, it shows me that the company is focused on improving their product over "buying" good reviews.
10000000%! I stopped watching quite a few influencers when I realized they were just "loving everything" bc they were getting paid for it and not only because they were just simply loved the product.
Hands down ☝🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
@figure Kate = FACTS
This is why I trust Theresa is Dead in her reviews. She always says what she feels and even the brands whose products she's said bad things about keep reaching out to her.
It always really bothered me that brands would send entire lines of foundations or concealers, knowing full well that no one could use every single shade. It’s such a waste! I remember feeling so bleh about these extravagant packages sent to rich people. I’m glad the roller coaster has come to a halt.
I get sending a few shades, obviously they don't know your exact shade match, but I noticed they started sending their whole shade range when Fenty dropped their foundation line. It was like "look we have shades for dark skin too now" so white influencers like Jeffree Star would talk about their inclusive shade range to seem woke. It was kind of gross. Especially from brands like ELF whose darkest shade used to be tan.
Some beauty influencers are makeup artists who need a lot of shades in their makeup kits
@@annaGrauh of course! But I would say that’s a small percentage of them.
I wish they instead sent like one drop size foundations of their shade range to show off instead of the full thing.
@@Alexacake19 very very small at this point
Samantha ravndahl also said she stopped getting pr because not paying for the makeup herself skewed her reviews in a subconscious way. When you actually spend your own dollars on something, you critique it differently and I appreciate that she did that
Yes! The Dis Unplugged is a Disney news channel I watch and they won't review anything they don't pay for. Totally makes sense and it's why I am loyal to them.
Jessica Braun did the same thing! So proud of them for that!
How do you stop receiving PR? Do they just send it back when they get it because I don’t think companies are going to stop. They’re going to keep sending hoping that the influencer will change their mind, if the influencer is big enough.
@@Catglittercrafts From what I remember, she asked to be taken off the PR lists she was in so brands would stop sending her stuff. It's been months since I watched that video of hers, but I think she still got some after and it took some tries before they completely stopped sending her stuff (Although, again, it's been months since I watched it so I don't remember everything)
@@Catglittercrafts you usually have a line of communication with the PR department of a brand and can just let them know. I know Jessica mentioned she emailed all the brands to ask them to get her out of PR list.
I always think of Victoria Beckham saying that as soon as she had money to buy things, she started getting them for free. 🤔
Yes! It’s such a strange and insightful observation, that the people who have the funds and wealth to not only attend to their basic needs but also buy extravagant items, get that stuff for free. It’s so backwards!
The whole concept of being poor being expensive is bizarre to me. I'm OK with not being wealthy, but being actively penalised for it is so weird
Lmao, she was born in a rich family
@@laylab.2048 I don't know too much about her upbringing, but having rich parents doesn't automatically mean that you as their child get everything you want. Depends on the parents.
@@katerrinah5442 I feel like that's a way to keep the poor, poor.
I think another good point is how excessive PR has led to more decluttering and minimal collections, and how most influencers don’t even keep half of the things they receive anymore
Its so annoying to watch declutter videos where people are decluttering gifted foundations that were way too dark for them. You shouldn’t have put it in your collection to begin with. It should be gifted to someone else or added to a makeup artist kit or something
and then in turn it all gets added to landfills and more trash piles up :(
edit: i know lots of influencers donate unused makeup to womens shelters and other donation outlets and thats great but the overwhelming amount they get just lends itself to more waste being produced
People act like minimalism is more sustainable but it’s not if you’re just throwing out a bunch of makeup to “curate” your collection. And women’s shelters only need so much makeup. Pretty sure that’s not the women’s first priority.
@Deanna W So true. I had quite a pile of products used just once and realized they were not for me. I even kept the boxes and wiped off the top of what I used in the pallettes. I brought them to a local shelter and they couldn't accept them. But a woman who worked there asked me for them if I was going to throw out because she had friends who loved makeup but couldn't afford it. I can't stand the idea of such expensive items wasted and just causing more pollution.
@@zorulka3663 especially when they delayed the declutter hall vid and now it's on the edge of expiring...
I think one of the other things that deterred me from watching and trusting influencers who received a lot of PR was that they often seemed a little disconnected from the actual price of the product. Especially when it comes to influencers who receive massive amounts of clothing for clothing hauls. Like cool all those pieces are nice, but while you are able to get 15 items for free a month, most people can only afford 1 or 2 … if that …. Its just completely unrealistic. I’ll never forget liking a couple pieces an influencer was wearing, going to the website, and the total being over 250+ dollars. Sometimes I feel as though Influencers just haven’t grasped that items can actually cost a significant amount of money.
THIS!!! Such a good point omgg!
This! With this amount of product (some of it with a questionable price tag) they will not realize what is too much money for the average consumer. How am I supposed to believe that a product is worth it's price, when the person who's reviewing it doesn't know the money's worth we have to pay for it?
@@annaabonyi8914 Exactly! And I think it is one thing to say an item, such as a 20 dollar lipstick, is worth the price when the person hasn’t seen that 20 dollars deduct from their bank account, and another thing to actually purchase the lipstick yourself if you get what I mean!
@@allyv6391 Absolutely!
They’ll say something like it’s a little pricey but it’s an investment and it’s like ok Ashley but it’s actually just $200 jeans is what it is.
Oooh you should do a “products PR influencers raved about that ended poorly” video with your reviews for a follow up to this video!
This!!!
Including that awful Morphe foundation 😄
Yes!!
Yes!!! Totally second this
first that comes to mind is tarte shape tape. do some people truly like it? yes, but a lot of influencers have since come out and said that they never actually like it
Every time I see influencer videos with literal mountains of PR boxes, I'm always waiting for the boxes to fall like an avalanche.
Hehe😆🤓❤️🎄
I also feel like logically, it's hard to be as harsh to a product that's free vs one you paid for even if you're trying to.
i agree like do you know how pissed i get when i spend $60 on an eyeshadow pallet that’s shitty? versus if sephora had just given it to me through VIB points or something
Totally! Even if the reviewer looks up the price a potential customer would have to pay and actively keeps that in mind you just can't replicate the feeling of 'I have paid X amount of money for this' which will automatically cause a different outcome.
True, but getting reviews from millionaires can be that way too. They don’t even think twice when buying a $60 makeup item, but for the working class we would expect super high quality
100% agree!
Also the PR lists you would get them before the were released. It’s hard criticizing something when you know it could jeopardize not getting future launches beforehand to make content for
I remember that whenTati received the Urban Decay Born to Run palette, she wasn't interested and put it in a giveaway. Then during the next unboxing Urban Decay sent another one because they really really wanted her to use it. It always struck me as odd that Urban Decay just didn't want to let that PR opportunity go.
I feel like Urban Decay has really gone downhill in the recent years and I think that shows some desperation on their part
I remember when she gave a poor review of the pizza rolling eyeliner from Mac and they immediately removed her from their PR list.
@@katiemower5612 i remember watching that review years ago! so weird of Mac
And then she obsessed over that palette for a while 🤨
That palette was so boring. They always make the packaging so fun and then stick the same boring shit on the inside.
Free vacuums 🤣🤣 is reason enough to be an influencer. Imagine gaming the system just for appliances and home goods love it ❤️
I watch home decor channels and this lady recieved a 5K couch from CB2. 😭 I wanted to cry because she didn't even want it.
Haha I feel you girl 😊
If you write some good reviews on amazon, the business will probably give you other free things to review 🙃. It’s not being an influencer, but it gets the job done
A part of the timeline to also note is the time when most big makeup influencers on youtube were starting either their own brands or a collab with another brand. They would then be brutally honest about other brands and often almost overly critical in order to promote their own stuff. This was also during the time when people were sceptical of reviews sent in PrR.
PR lol 😂
Patrick Star👀
I'm a communications student in college specializing in public relations (PR). PR products were used by primarily journalists for years, and it wasn't just limited to beauty. While it's bigger now, it has existed for years as part of press relations. Another thing to note, PR is not just gifting either! PR also covers things like press releases and written communication, apologies/scandals, advertising, social media management, and so much more. A lot of influencers need better PR and the next generation of PR employees are being taught how to deal with influencers and the social media landscape. At my university, it's a requirement to take at least one social media-centric course and electives are offered too. There is so much innovation in the industry.
That's so cool, I didn't know that ;)
I’m also a PR student lol and I’m already so burnt out on social media management
yep, i have a good friend who is a television critic and entertainment journalist and she gets tons of PR that is from networks trying to get critics interested in new shows. they most send branded swag of some kind or goodie bags of food that relates to the show in some way or another. since all the critics get advanced screeners of new shows as well, the PR is more to make them intrigued enough to want to watch and write about the promoted show over competing shows from other networks. it is more similar to tarte sending roombas than getting free products to endorse since a lot of the PR is kinda random like sending a mini bluetooth speaker to promote a show that is about a music group.
At my University there is a professor trying to get an entire social media management section put into the Communication dept. just bc it’s so big. It’s insane to see how there is such a ENORMOUS shift to social media and influencers. It’s exhausting honestly to study analytics and to break down influencer PR teams.
@@lexingtxn I work in social media management and I’m burnt out too lol
The way Glowmas CARRIES me through December!
This is literally the thing getting me through my last week and a half of the semester lmao
@@jasminelambert3753 same omfg I do all my silly little assignments and then come home and watch Glowmas in bed before I sleep
What always sticks in my mind about the wastefulness of PR is when big influencers used to get the boxes with 40 shades of foundation when they would use at most two shades. I always thought it was the dumbest thing. I get that everyone was trying to show how inclusive their shade line was, but it always felt weird
Right. I don’t understand why they didn’t send maybe those two shades they thought fit that person (probably time consuming and they’d actually have to try to match the person) and then send a card with all the color options.
I guess the only good thing from that is a lot of girls donated the shades that weren’t for them to womens shelters
Such a great glowmas. PR is such a slippery slope and it's disheartening to see these 'clean' companies sending out hordes of wasteful PR, most of which will be thrown out... I wish PR was curated for the person and would be less wasteful. I would also love to see a video from you on the danger of having a person as the face of a brand, Kat Von D, Anastacia, Jeffree Star then even non-makeup brands like Jared from Subway, Livestrong and Tesla, I feel like that would be an interesting deep dive!
Totally agree! I know it’s more work for the PR teams but for complexion products, they should ask the influencer to pick 3 shades.
Yes! Like, I'm medium-toned, I'm not going to be wearing a pastel peach lipstick or carnatian baby pink blush, and only need to swatch 5 foundation shades, *max*
Its wild to me when an influencer will get a huge array of foundation shades (this seems to have died down luckily) or every blush that a brand makes when they even admit that half the shades look terrible on their skin tone and the shades werent made for them. Though I give credit to the medium and deep complected vloggers out there who are swatching whole collections, pastel baby colors and all (or the pale bloggers who will even try the deep berry and terra cotta blushes), for the sake of being thorough!
Clean?
It would be best if they would send it based on their skin and overall type. Like greasy pale skin x amount and those with drier darker skin another but still give a shopper/ book to show the different types.
Yes!
Hannah I’m not joking you should do lectures at colleges about influencer marketing. You’re so good at explaining it in a simple way while not getting sucked in by capitalism. So so amazing
Or write a book on this kind of topic. That would be awesome.
I have a small issue with TikTok reviews because it feels like a lot of them overhype certain products because it’s such short form content. It’s like their initial reaction, rather than wear tests and what not. The KVD apple balm foundation is the first thing that comes to mind. So I guess I can see the same thing happening on TT.
True. It's more like a trend that everyone thinks they have to keep up with rather than focusing on actual benefits that the product can give!
I think it was Jackie Aina who said at this point formulas have been so perfected that brands aren't really good or bad anymore, which I think is super interesting and might have played a role in the drop we saw with over consumption of makeup products.
So true! I started using makeup and nail polish in the mid-80s but gave up on it quickly because the formulas and color selection were terrible. NOW makeup and nail polish meets my performance needs and makes my artsy heart sing, I can't get enough!
I remember being so sick and tired of pr unboxing vids that there were influencers I actually unsubbed from because every other video was an unboxing. I'm glad it died down into something reasonable bc that feeling of people I liked being "bought out" was so icky
Same, I never liked those videos. Watching a bunch of rich people brag about all the stuff they got for free was just never appealing to me, which is what the videos felt like instead of actual product reviews. Nowadays, I'm pretty fine with a lot of influencers and their PR, as long as they're just as critical of their PR/gifted products as they are of the purchased ones. But in 2016, PR was wayyyyy shadier and the videos featuring PR were pure cringe.
Also for my taste Unboxing is pretty boring. Luckily most influencers do them now on Instagram stories.
I don't mind them if they treat them like a regular unboxing.
Yes. I noticed that sometimes when I watched 'haul' videos of any nature, clothes, makeup, furniture, etc I actually felt really depressed afterwards. Like I didn't have enough, then I felt guilty for being ungrateful for what I already have and in the end I just stopped watching that content. Same with house tours and interior decor, it was too depressing 😂 now I focus on youtube videos I can learn from and I ignore the rest. ❤️ I'm happier.
@@jacquelinealbin7712 I don’t care for the PR unboxing because they always seem to love everything. Instead of that I love to watch the favorites of the month. These reviews are more honest.
I’m a licensed cosmetologist and I do waxing for a living. I tell allll my beauty loving clients about you. I legit bonded over your channel a few days ago with a client. Love you much! 🖤
I very much wonder how brands PR strategies changed when Decluttering videos became popular. It had to sting to spend millions sending products to influencers, and then six months later see a hundred videos from people saying they just never found themselves reaching for your product and they're getting rid of it.
That’s a good point! Agree!
Further on from your point, by the time influencers come to declutter, brands have already made their money from those products' sales months prior (when the PR was sent) and have launched new ones, beginning the cycle once again.
The company gets free press, the influencer gets something from which to create content, and it's the consumer who parts with their money for products that may not be all that great after all.
Decluttering is the real review. If they really keep it then it’s good.
I have to say, I'm really impressed seeing so many brands that aren't just sending entire collections out to every single big name and their brother. I think it's neat to see more stuff along the lines of what r.e.m. beauty did with sending smaller packages with like, a couple standout products and a couple staples in a fancier box to some and a, like, 5-product set to some of the smaller creators and then they went and bought for themselves the other stuff they wanted. I think it's much less wasteful that way. Also lol shoutout to ari for completely ignoring j*mes ch*rles and j*ffree.
anyway, hannah, I need to know what blush you're wearing, i'm obsessed
I had no clue that REM/Ari skipped JC and J* lmao. But seeing that REM is owned by Forma, Morphe's parent company, that kinda makes sense tbh
@@jacquelinealbin7712 yeah lol I guess J⭐️ posted on his story ordering every single product after he didn’t get anything in PR, which I find kind of hilarious but also ridiculously on brand for him to do
can we not praise rems overpriced drugstore quality tiny ass pans tho that shit is pure greed
I stopped buying from brands that sent influencers on trips. I felt like my money was helping to give perks to people who didn’t need it.
Let’s not forget about the brands that started to sell PR package in the name of giving the consumers the influencer experience 🤨
You're so articulate and intelligent, but totally funny and beaut too. Full package, your husband is a lucky man ☺️
100% fax.
And now they're divorced 😢
thank you for mentioning that we're still in a pandemic...a lot of people are pretending that covid isn't still a thing, and there are people still dying every day. but anyway, i do think that ever since the pandemic happened, "influencers" have realized how wasteful all of this is, and that it also sends a bad message to the everyday person who could be struggling with issues from covid, or something else. and i'm glad that more and more people are calling out brands for being wasteful! hopefully this continues on, because it's hard to trust a review anymore at this point.
As a small business who has nothing to do with make-up, I can say sending PR to a couple of unboxing channels took my biz to the next level. I currently cannot make enough product to actually fill the demand! It really worked for my company. I would have sent you some Hannah, but I don't think witchcraft & occult items are quite your cup of tea 🤣 Great video!!
Have you watched porcelain cosmetics videos? You're products sounds right up her alley!
I have a little Etsy shop and I’m starting to do the same thing 🙏🏻 I’ve heard so many good things about it. Also I happen to sell occult related things too lol
I just ordered from one of the lil indie clothing companies that gifted the Welsh Twins a set of hoodies. It definitely put their shop on my radar!
@anthail 😀 it’s a total win!
@@Severalorangepeels are you on IG? Would love to follow 😀
The Norvina list was literally just "I want my senpai to notice me" on a mass scale lmaooooo
I personally stopped buying from brands that were doing the extravagant trips. I didn’t want to spend my money to send rich people on vacation.
You’re coming in clutch with a video for me to watch while I down all these oatmeal raisin cookies I just made! Super excited for this video, this is such an interesting discussion to have.
OMG IM MAKING COOKIE TOO
I can say that at least for me, years ago youtube was where I went to find reviews on products. That is no longer the case. I try to find reviews by regular people rather than influencers and other than unboxings to see a product on video, the way PR has been done has made me sceptical and untrusting towards many RUclipsrs showing off products.
honestly, as a member of gen z, i feel like a lot of us grew up watching the chaos of brands and overconsumption, so now the products have to speak for themselves. my friends and i don't just buy stuff because it looks cool anymore. also, i think because we've been burned so many times before, i tend to skew drugstore/affordable with pretty much everything i buy now. the most expensive thing i've bought in like the last two years was a sugarpill pro palette, only because i had heard so many good things and had wanted it for so long. i was just so tired of buying things and being disappointed or lukewarm about it in the long run ://
I love that I live in a world where I can finally see someone analyze and unpack all of the wild sh*t that was the beauty industry in 2016. lmao looking back I remember seeing the PR boxes with screens in them and wondering when things got that out of hand. Point being, I live for all of your videos.
Seeing those piled up boxes don't make me feel jealous anymore. It actually makes me lose respect for those people hoarding them for clicks just to make you (average people) want to shop or get into the idea that you "need" to own everything to the point that every release and every purchase is so trivial because you are already looking at what else others are buying/being gifted.
Right? Seeing so much stuff makes me overwhelmed, I have like 3 eyeshadow palettes and even that makes me sometimes anxious
I just want to tell you that I found your channel when I was 6 months pregnant and I spent weeks (maybe months) watching every video you’ve ever made, and I’m convinced that my baby knows your voice because she’s only a month old and every time I’m watching you she’s just as interested and when I put on baby sensory videos. I think she might be your youngest fan 🥰 thank you for being amazing
Also, I don’t even own make-up but I like listening to you talk about it lol
I love smaller beauty content creators! In the last year or so, I’ve switched to mostly small creators and love them all. Hannah and manny are the largest I still watch. There’s so much small psychological issues going on with PR. The idea of reciprocity is very real. That’s why even charities send something like address stickers to people when they are trying to get donations. They want people to feel like they need to give something in return. This was a great, well thought out video, Hannah!
I think one thing that I never knew when I started watching RUclips was how much your body chemistry can make a difference, like for example UD primer potion seems to either work amazing or terrible depending on who uses it (I personally love it), and seeing a bunch of influencers not talk about this made it seem like if they liked it everyone else would, once I figured that out it made it much easier for me to decide what I wanted for myself instead of just being sucked in
I think brands would have a better image if they sent product(s) for the influencer to offer as a giveaway during the video talking about the PR products. For example, Melt just came out with that Mariposa collection. It would have cost them comparatively little to include an additional eye shadow palette for the influencer to give to a subscriber in a giveaway. The brand looks generous, the influencer isn't the only one getting "something for free", and a subscriber gets a much sought-after palette.
I think the problem with that is that giveaways nowadays are really discouraged on social media platforms. I know for a fact that Instagram can even ban an account for doing a giveaway because people have been using them so much to gain gigantic numbers of inactive followers who are just there for a giveaway
I like this idea!
I used to hate seeing all those unboxing videos full of waste - piles of boxes, gaudy PR displays with lights and other bells and whistles made specifically for unboxing videos that you knew were just going into the trash
I really like when brands give an influencer a “credit” to purchase what they would like off their website. That way they are trying something they were already interested in…in their shade and color choice. Much less waste, and a better experience for the influencer who only gets select product they’d actually use!
This video immediately made me think of Nicole Concillio and how she would hype up Kylie’s makeup and say that everything was “so cute”
Whenever I see these boxes and boxes of PR, my anxiety literally skyrockets. And I never trust those reviews in general even when they insist it is an HONEST review...
I love the concept of this video... I have so many questions.... do you think it’s petty when big influencers openly complain when they receive their or too late to make a review?
Absolutely lol
If you’re receiving products for free, it will cloud your judgement. Most influencers state they weren’t influenced but surprise, just like those who watch, you become influenced. Enjoyed this video Smokey. I also love your eye look, very pretty, is it the new Lisa Eldridge Liquid Lurex Eyeshadow. This would be an interesting study pr and influencers.
I am in love with her eye look and this is coming from someone who rarely wears eyeshadow, but that is one I would definitely wear. Very very beautiful!
I still remember when tarte came out with their shape tape in like 2016 and all the influencers were like "it's amazing" and were receiving so much PR from tarte.
My poor self decided to buy it because I trusted these make up influencers and it was one of the worst products I've ever used. It creased pretty bad and came off easily during the day. I lost so much money, especially having to pay shipping in Canada :(
Same thing happened with the urban decay primer potion.
I will never be able to trust most influencers again.
Omg me! I bought the shape tape thinking it would be amazing and it was awful. 😭
Me still using shape tape 😭😭😭 lol
Anyone have a better recommendation? I need a bit higher coverage
When you said "who furnishes your home" I imagined a couch made of PR Boxes.
😂😂😂😂
thank you for making a video about this! i feel like so many youtubers just breeze past the pr part of the job and don't talk about it much
Thank you for posting this! When I first started in food media the food sample PR was similarly intense. And while groups like the Association of Food Journalists have tried to build guidelines on PR ethics and transparency for social media, very few people ever knew these codes existed. I am so curious to see where it goes next too!
I'm not a makeup reviewer, but I am a professional film critic, so I do attend press screenings which are kind of a form of PR. For me, as someone making a modest income and for most critics I know who are part-timers at best, the benefit of being on a press list is not having to pay for a movie ticket. So for a mid-tier reviewer, the benefit of being on a PR list is not having to pay for a product. A regular consumer might see one movie every few months in the theater. I saw five in four days last week. Can you imagine how much that would be if I paid for my tickets? So I think the not paying for products and how that impacts smaller creators and hobbyists was a part of the conversation I think you missed when you were talking about the timing aspect of reviews.
yeah I wish she had mentioned this point! she kind of did but in passing but talking more about how it effects people who can already afford the products.
@@wlk3607 Yup. which is a fine angle to cover, but she did cover smaller influencers and them getting PR. Being able to turn down PR and still get timely reviews up because you can buy the product is a massive privilege that a hobbyist or a part-timer doesn't have. Do I understand the angle of millionaires getting PR and how that annoys people? Absolutely, but you can't cover the smaller side without covering the fact that PR helps people at best break even or maybe even turn a small profit when they are still a small creator.
Speaking of where we're going post-pandemic: I work in marketing, and there is a study and legitimate marketing tip that encourages brands to be political. Not in a sense of who to vote and popular politics, but more about making statements. Inclusivity, sustainability, and empowerment sells.
I’m in business school rn and we’re also being told that more consumers want to know where a company stands on those political issues and I think the pandemic increased that
Very true. They're pandering, in my opinion. Just recently, H&M decided not to partake in the Black Friday sales due to "sustainability", even though their business and production practices are highly sus in general.
@@Indijana lol i remember this water bottle company reduced the size of their plastic caps and made it into an eco-friendly marketing campaign.
Which is true, smaller caps means less plastic. It also meant less manufacturing expense plus that sweet sustainability points.
@@Trixy98 Exactly. It's still plastic, and they're making a bigger profit, but you know... "sustainability". 😅
That's interesting because I personally hate when brands make political statements, it comes off as preaching and pandering and I tend to stay away from those companies.
Love glowmas because you usually post them right as I’m winding down for bed 😌 it’s my current night routine lol
SAME!
The funny thing is all of it worked. I knew more about makeup than the makeup store I worked at. The influencer watcher in me knew what the people wanted when they came in. It still worked today because we all got exposed to the brand and how to use it, get ideas and still really look for tube to see the real deal. I don't think they lost money at all. My favorite person to watch was Mel Thompson I still go to her reviews. I hope people still watch her RIP MEL!! Thank you for the history you do. Love it!
just got out of a bath and was so freaking happy to see a deep dive upload of yours, these are my favorites. this Chrismas is truly GLOWING!
Bathe me
Hannah your blush in this video is SO good - I love the color and the way you’ve applied it, it looks so beautifully ‘70s, especially with that cute headband
I do enjoy massive PR hauls like Laura Lee’s, they feel so wildly out my realm of normal that I find them interesting to watch 🤷🏼♀️
Saaaame
I’ll never forget the HUGE pr beauty blender egg, or the elf skin care fridge, I can’t remember if it was tart or benefit but one of them sent a surf board and boxing gloves which was wild. Love her or hate her I think Tati was the best for pr she always seemed to hate the crazy packages she said it was a waste, she didn’t like how they sent her every shade they could possibly have
I work a major PR agency and I am just nodding and laughing because it’s 10000% true and on point lol. Influencers are included in our media planning now. This goes beyond the beauty and lifestyle verticals - you even have snack food
Influencers who’s posting of an item, causes it to sell out
This can be applied to any and all sponsorships and products given to influencers. For instance, Hello Fresh is just as much wasted packaging and really expensive if you’re paying out of pocket. But influencers Rave about it.
Oh hello fresh drives me crazy. They always say everything is affordable and environmentally friendly, I'm like no it isn't, getting food wrapped in plastic sent to your house on the daily is wasteful and stupid. I don't know how they fool people. 😂
I remember for a short time a bunch of influencers making videos “PR versus the real thing” trying to desperately prove that either they’re not lying about a PR review or that brands aren’t being shady and sending better product in PR. I think that is when a major shift happened.
Glowmas has really been poppin off im so here for it ty smokey
Oh my god. The little bit about sending PR to celebs is so true. Someone I know owns a popular brand in LA and sent Rico Nasty clothes & she ended up wearing it on her TikTok. Even though she didn't mention the brand, he took screenshots of her TikTok and posted it on the brand page & then upped his prices after because celebrities were wearing his stuff. They do it so they can make it seem like their brand is more valuable than it is. It gives them a reason to raise their pricing when bigger names have their stuff on.
Omg I can't express how much I fucking LOVE this series going behind the scenes about this influencer stuff works... How much sponcon pays, how sponcon works, scammy stuff with luxury brands (your advent calendar one), how RUclipsrs chase relevancy, apology videos,..... Love it love it love it!!!
Very thoughtful analysis! You're right that as a consumer, it turned me off to see wealthy influencers get so much for free. It made me start looking to smaller cosmetic companies. Thanks for a great video!
This is a big reason I got burned out on the makeup scene. Not only could I not keep up with the never-ending flood of new products, but the amount of waste PR generates started stressing me out.
Video idea... an in depth look into Subscription boxes. How they are beneficial for the brands & the craziness of unboxing videos on YT x
i dont know if you have done something like this but this video made me think of all the new celeb makeup brands we are seeing now and how that ties in with influencers
i love that you upload these in the middle of the night as someone who doesn't sleep its like a little christmas gift for me personally every day
i know this video is old af but your channel is a comfort channel for me so i rewatch these old videos and hannah if you're reading this (first of all, congrats on your sobriety, super happy for you), i wonder if you've noticed how PR seems to have gotten worse. there's still tons of extravagant packaging and brand trips are back too. if you ever wanted to revisit your old videos i think this would be a good one!
Samantha also stopped receiving PR because she lives in Canada and had to pay duty taxes on it. Whither she used the products or not. It’s why a lot of influencer from Canada have PR sent to their LA homes if they go back and forth between countries. I have heard the taxes can be high too.
That hairstyle is so cuuuute and cozy!
For years the “swag bags” from events such as the Grammy’s or the Academy Awards have grown and grown in luxury for these same reasons. These companies hoped that these movie starts and singers would be seen wearing their newest “blah blah blah” or talk about their brand or products in magazine, tv etc. I mean…the Holy Grail was Oprah’s “My Favourite Things”. If your product made this list…your stocks went through the roof 😊❄️🎄❤️~Kim
She probably received so many things to try out
This is my first glowmas and I didn't know I was missing out on such great content all this time! Thankyou for doing this🌻
I know we often hear people saying that they miss the old beauty YT days but I actually disagree. Hearing you talk about all of this reminded me how exhausting it was to watch influencers talk about PR, show PR, hate PR, go on trips, blah blah blah. I so much prefer the way it is now....I so rarely hear the letters PR and its great. I love my version of beauty YT with my curated feed. Its lovely!
Thank you for saying we are still in a pandemic. I feel like so many are talking about Covid as if it’s over but honestly 2021 has been harder for me than 2020 because I no longer have the option to stay home and stay safe because I have to make money now and where I live is the epicenter of Covid cases in Michigan. And I work in a hotel so people come from all over to stay here. We are still in the thick of it!
Praying over your health and safety 🤍
😂
Hannah this came in perfect timing! It's 10:45pm CST, its 15° and I am all cozied up with a cup of hot chocolate, candles lit and ready to enjoy my "me time". Ugh...you're such a winner in my eyes and I enjoy your content so much that I could listen n watch you for hours. Thanx Hannah! 😊💞
Sam not only had to pay extra for continuous garbage removal but also had to pay just to receive alot of the PR packages because she lives in Canada, which is NUTS!
binge watching all of your videos is what is getting me through my surgical recovery 💕😂 LOVE YOU!
Here in Greece it's early in the morning right now and your videos the past few days is the best thing for my anxiety before i leave for work
ok ms hannah i MUST know what blush you’re wearing in this video because it is so KYOOOOT
Your titles and thumbnails are always interesting! I love your insight in the behind the scenes of influencers
I love that you pull back the curtain for us to see a influencer POV... I loved when Sam made her video not accepting PR and then Jessica Braun followed suit! Jessica also said that she ended up with things cluttering her collection that she didn't use and then she couldn't even find the things she liked anymore... like this is crazy! Plus where the heck do these top influences store everything? And then it all goes bad eventually... its so wasteful!
I think the next step is giveaways-
The influencer looks humble and eco friendly and the brand benefits from people trying their products
There I was, catching up on Hannah Glow Chanel blogs, and I get the notification for this video!! So glad you’ve worked on this topic, can’t wait to hear your inside scoop and the hot takes! I think you have a really interesting perspective and good insight when it comes to marketing/consumption/generally just living life. 🤓💗
Hannah, I signed up for XpressVPN through your sponsorship (I’m happy as a clam so thank you) AND NOW after hearing about your all time FAVOURITE CANDLE SCENT for many, many months, I have finally ordered my first CHAMPAGNE TOAST 3 wick candle. I’m looking forward to it…Thank you for all your honest, quality content! Many of us APPRECIATE your transparency and candor ❤️❤️
As a PR major graduating next year i talk about this all the time to my profs!! Like there has to be a better way to build relationships and get your brands product seen without being ignorant to your actual consumer base and making them feel less than by only putting the effort into influencers who are already rich. Also, loved your point about products needing to actually just speak for themselves! Glowmas is incredible this year! Love you Hannah!
I just love your channel. I am not even sure why. You just seem like a decent person and you're obviously very smart and highly verbal. I like that. And all of your recent rants, too.
i’ve been recently going through a really rough time so glowmas is something to look forward to every day, thank you Hannah💖
Idk how you do it but every topic for your videos is interesting. Love the content 😄
Loved this take on PR! I totally get brands sending bigger RUclipsrs products because they want their products to be seen by a bigger audience. But as a small RUclipsr myself I wish PR was sent more to us too because we can’t afford to keep up with every launch from them
First of all, I love your channel and videos. But especially this one. Since I have a degree in PR and have worked in the field for many years, this video quickly got my attention. I think you are absolutely right with your pov. PR is a quick changing world where brands need to adapt themselves quickly. I remember my boss sending PR packaging every time we did something. And I remember influencer bashing us on social media because we sent them things they didn't want. That's when I realize that the game had change. PR used to be a big thing that every influencer wanted. Now, they are so much solicited that receiving PR is a task. And that's why it's important to ask them before sending it. I think the micro influencer branch is gold. So many brands tend to only send out things to big influencer only because of their following. The thing they forget and is the most important is the engagement. That is something smaller creators have and that's the important metric since their followers will more likely trust their advertising.
But also remember that PR is so much more than giving away free stuff to influencers. That is only a small part of what PR is. We tend to forget the press releases, the conference, the social media management, maintaining relations with journalists, website management and so much more....
I also agree that PR needs to reinvent in a way that will give the brand something more to offer than free products to influencers. Anyway, love you content and sorry if my English is not that good, it's not my first language!
The headband and braids is soooo cute!
I've seen influencers rave about a product, that they've worn it multiple times but then accidentally show the tags still on it.
Or they have a new product they absolutely love yet have never mentioned it previously or after that video.
Literally JUST watched an influencer post about how she's been waiting to go on a tarte trip and finally got it. Thanks for putting these things into perspective!
Ugh your professionalism is so admirable. You make me wanna go back to school! Your videos are so relaxing to listen to but never boring, such a perfect balance
Dear Hannah! I have been watching you since you had around 40tish thousand subscribers I’m so glad to see how your channel has grown! (However, I have a small jealousy towards the days when it was a small circle of us that knew of your channel 😀 - but I’m sure you will stay grounded, so I know I’ll be watching as many Glowmas you produce in years to follow). Greetings from Croatia!
PR packages plague the doll community now. Any big doll reviewer channel gets these excessive pr packages and it's so annoying. They get expensive limited dolls for free. And let me tell you, they are always rich who could have afforded to buy their own, are just given it for free. Its especially annoying when it's limited by number. Like Jett Dawson.
I love this type of content from you! You're like the bridge between us consumers and the influencers
The shift to TikTok makes sense on a surface level, but I feel like when I do come upon makeup TikTok it confuses me because I see a lot of cycling of old products/techniques that people have talked about on RUclips for ages. Like a lipstick will go viral that was the thing when I was in high school 10 years ago. Probably because many of the creators are genZ and haven’t experienced as big of a share of the makeup market? I love TikTok, but when it comes to makeup it feels like my options are the same creators as other platforms, in which case I’ll just watch them on the platforms I’m used to, or newbies that I don’t trust, not because I think they’re dishonest but because they don’t feel as experienced. Also so many gimmicky products go viral on TikTok lol.
I know this is a pretty shallow take though! I’m sure there are talented and experienced creators who know more than I ever will. But I’d rather just stick to RUclips for makeup content personally.
i love glowmas so much thank you for doing it year after year
Binge watching your videos since the weather has gotten bad. Love chilling all cozy up watching these!!