Paid promotions?

[TheBossman]

So, an indie company the other day reached out to me asking me to review their game. It seems like a good game and one that I would love to review (if it wasn't on phone but I can sort that easily). The problem is in the email they have sent me a code as a gift voucher as a thanks for doing it and I am really uncomfortable doing that.

Is it just me or does that feel like a bit of a bribe. I am happy to receive a free game to review as that is part of parcel, but to get a gift kind of gets my guard up. It doesn't make sense too as I am tiny, but could use the game in a way that does give me and the game a lot of publicity easily. I am not going to delve into these but the game is taking the p**s out of a huge trending subject at the moment I do not like.

Am I weird to find it so uncomfortable that a company has offered me something in return for a review? I mean the gift was on the email as an optional extra that I can redeem without even doing the review (I would never do this). Also the game is something that I do find interesting.

Where do you stand on this?

 

[Styxie]

That's pretty standard. As long as you state in your description and in the video that the company provided you the key free of charge and you don't let it impact your judgement then it's all fine.

 

[Video Game Knight]

I would personally just state that the company was kind enough to give me a gift and then review the game as normal. That way, the company gets its ego stroked because you made them seem kind and generous and your fans actually get a proper review

 

[TheBossman]

That's pretty standard. As long as you state in your description and in the video that the company provided you the key free of charge and you don't let it impact your judgement then it's all fine.

They didn't offer me the key. They gave me a present that has monetary value to review the game on top of the game

 

[Styxie]

They didn't offer me the key. They gave me a present that has monetary value to review the game on top of the game

Ah that's a little bit more shady. State that at the beginning of the video. Something along the lines of "For the sake of transparency, Company did provide me with a key of the game as well as a gift."

 

[Loki Doki]

just be open. say in your description its a paid ad. and say it in the video. i would even go so far as to say its for a review and not a paid positive promotion. either way your fans will get mad. because well. its the internet. how dare you try to make money!

for me personally. i would say no thanks to the gift voucher and just review the game as normal. you don't have to announce it as a ad then. as like you said. its industry standard to get given the games to review

 

[TheBossman]

just be open. say in your description its a paid ad. and say it in the video. i would even go so far as to say its for a review and not a paid positive promotion. either way your fans will get mad. because well. its the internet. how dare you try to make money!

for me personally. i would say no thanks to the gift voucher and just review the game as normal. you don't have to announce it as a ad then. as like you said. its industry standard to get given the games to review

I've taken the decision to just stay away to be fair. Game looks fun but if they're offering sneaky gifts then who knows how they'll behave if I give a bad review. Wouldn't be difficult for them to copyright strike or claim that I took the gift and unfortunately YouTube has a guilty until proven innocent way of dealing with things and I don't have the time to fight it. Wouldn't be worth it for the amount I post.

Thanks for the advice though.

 

[NuSpirit]

Depends - some Youtubers get paid for review (their time spent on it)/first impressions and it doesnt have to be shady But if they sneaked voucher and expected positive review ...

 

[xingcat]

I've gotten a couple of gifts from companies whose products I reviewed, after the fact. As long as it's not a condition of review, then I think it's pretty kosher. They didn't offer to pay you for a review, and especially a positive review.

If you think that there's a conflict, then definitely give your viewers notification that you've been given something because you gave a review.

 

[TheBossman]

I've gotten a couple of gifts from companies whose products I reviewed, after the fact. As long as it's not a condition of review, then I think it's pretty kosher. They didn't offer to pay you for a review, and especially a positive review.

If you think that there's a conflict, then definitely give your viewers notification that you've been given something because you gave a review.

I would accept the game as a gift, I have done a few times now. I just didn't like the fact they were giving me something on top of the game. That is what really put me about. It is a pity too because I think I could do well with it. The game is a parody of Pokemon which is quite obviously massive at the moment.