Pet Food is hiring pet bloggers to help promote their products. Another pet food has invented a ‘Cat Food Critic’ blogger to promote their brand. How will pet food consumers know if they are reading unbiased pet food information or paid for reporting?
It seems you can’t turn around without seeing some type of pet food advertisement. And now, the newest pet food advertising ground could be trusted pet bloggers. Here are two ads posted very recently …
“Nutrish is looking for 10 dog bloggers to help promote a Pinterest contest where one winner will win a year’s supply of dog food!”
“Diamond Naturals Grain Free is looking for 15 Dog Bloggers to work with and share information about Grain Free dog food. You do not need to feed Diamond Naturals Grain Free dog food, or any kind of Grain Free dog food to participate.”
Going into a similar direction, Merrick Pet Food has fabricated a Cat Food Critique blog featuring a cat as the blogger/food critique. Their new campaign began with ads in the NY Times dining section. Merrick will also provide samples of their pet food to “cat and food influencers” hopeful for reviews to be posted on the Merrick website.
So – be cautious of what you are reading and where. It could be a pet food review you are reading was ‘purchased’ by the pet food manufacturer.
Remember, it doesn’t matter how much they advertise quality ingredients, the truth is in the actual quality of ingredients (which the advertising doesn’t disclose). We (pet food consumers) have been provided with complete transparency to ingredient quality – The Pledge to Quality and Origin – from 16 manufacturers, signed by a CEO or President of each company. Advertising is only telling the consumer what they want to hear, The Pledge is full disclose to quality and origin with a signed statement to the accuracy of that information. Big difference.
Note: TruthaboutPetFood.com, PetsumerReport.com, and AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com is 100% consumer supported and receives no financial support or perks of any type from any pet food manufacturer or their representative.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
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Mollie Morrissette
September 3, 2013 at 4:02 pm
I have always had a real problem with this. If a pet food reporter wants to remain credible, unbiased and trustworthy they cannot ever align themselves with any segment of the commercial pet food industry. As tempting as it may be, to remain unassailable they cannot ever accept compensation from a pet food company. Which is not to say there are not good pet food companies worthy of endorsements, albeit only a small handful, but the risks would be too great and anyone who did so would be starting down a slippery slope:
Gitta
September 4, 2013 at 11:31 am
Certainly not a new law:
m/2009/10/06/business/media/06adco.html?_r=0
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm
If bloggers don’t say it openly, readers should request that information.
Ann
September 4, 2013 at 11:54 am
I have read a number of bloggers who claim to feed their pet the recalled China chicken jerky treats and to criticize those of us who blog against feeding it. I have always suspected that they are one of two things; either a paid promoter by the pet food industry OR
just plain stupid. I don’t know which of the two categories is worse.
Tammy Baugh
September 23, 2013 at 2:38 am
I outgrew Soap Opreas once I hit about 23 years old, I could see that only in Holly Wood would anyone say and do such things! What a complete waste of my time! I was wasting my time watching others pretend to live, only it was all fake, much like the bloggers you are mentioning! So now if it isn’t factual or actually educational I won’t waste my time with it. After all who wants to be fed a pack of lies?
Jay Smith
September 24, 2013 at 12:09 am
This interesting article appeared in the New York Times.
Now is the time for consumers to write to the State’s Attorney General in states where bogus reviews are being written.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/23/technology/give-yourself-4-stars-online-it-might-cost-you.html?hp&_r=1&#commentsContainer