We have all read horror stories of diva bloggers misbehaving, demanding fees from restaurants for positive paid reviews, bringing along many friends to eat for free at food tasting, among many other complaints. Likewise, there are positive stories of bloggers who spend considerable efforts maintaining and crafting quality entries on their blogs out of interest rather than for commercial gains.
With the advent of social media and digital media, more and more brands are looking to working with and engaging bloggers for their campaigns and publicity.
Where do bloggers strike the balance? How should brands leverage on this trend? Why not hear it from the bloggers themselves?
Me moderating a panel of bloggers at SPH News Centre (picture via omy.sg)
As a prelude to the launch of the 6th Singapore Blog Awards this year in April, the team at omy.sg organised a causal sharing and networking session with a panel of prominent bloggers in Singapore. I was the moderator for the panel discussion.
Check out the full video recording below if you missed the event:
Personally, I think the panelist did a great job and were candid with their replies. If there were more time, we could have gone deeper into the topic and stir up more controversy.
The conclusion I draw is regardless of your motive for blogging, a common arduous task is how to grow your readers base or get yourself noticed by organisations and people that matters.
One shortcut is of course to join a blog awards (shamelessly plugging for the Singapore Blog Awards).
Over a period of merely five days, this charity auction raised S$2038.50 from the public’s bids, and in addition to the money raised from the auction, SOLD.sg also contributed $1 to match every $2 raised.
Angeline from SOLD.sg presenting a $3100 cheque to Erick from SCAS
I was at the restaurant too to witness the cheque presentation and to meet up with the SOLD.sg team, the ten bloggers, the ten winning bidders, as well as the representatives from SCAS and Limoncello respectively.
Seated and ready for dinner at Limoncello RestaurantTable 1Table 2Table 3A toast to a successful eventBlogger Ang Geck Geck and her dateBlogger Claire with her hunky dinner dateBlogger Moonberry and her dateBlogger Christine with her dinner dateVitello Tonnato: Roast Veal Served with Tuna and Capers SauceAntipasti Limoncello: Burrata Cheese Served with Grilled Vegetables, Rucola Salad, Cherry Tomatoes and Parma HamImpepata Di Cozze: Sauteed Mussels in a Delicate Wine and Tomato Broth, Amalfi StyleLimoncello’s Napolitana wood fired pizzaScialatielli Amalfitana: Homemade Amalfi Coast Udon like Pasta with Fresh SeafoodCannelloni Di Vitello: Homemade Cannelloni Filled with Ricotta and VealCostata Di Maiale: Pan Seared Kurobuta Pork Glazed with Apricot and BalsamicYummy dessertClose up of the dessert itemsBlogger Joanne and her date getting interviewed by omy.sgBlogger and actress, Kanny, being presented with a "certificate of bravery" from SOLD.sgBlogger and radio deejay Daniel getting his certificateBlogger William getting his certificateBlogger Calvin getting his certificateBlogger Eric getting presented with his certificateQiuyan and Angeline from SOLD.sg presenting a certificate of appreciation to the boss man at Limoncello
Sold.sg is an innovative auction website that that offers users the chance to win brand new luxury and lifestyle products and services at greatly discounted prices. Items up for daily auction include technological gadgets like the PS3, iPads, iPhones and digital cameras, and branded accessories like bags, jewellery and wallets. Sold.sg also offer lifestyle items like movie and restaurant vouchers and airline tickets to popular destinations.
Limoncello Restaurant is the brainchild of Restaurateur Mark Anthonisz and Fabio Iannone who have brought about a Team of talented individuals including Evecutive Chef’s Emiddio Cioffi and Mauro Crescendo from the Amalfi Coast.
Fabio Iannone is a Chef by Profession having founded La Braceria with Chef Emiddio who returned from Japan for Limoncello’s project. A Trained Sommelier from Accor Hotels and having worked with Gordon Ramsey’s, Daniel Boulud and Marina Bay Sands Singapore to name a few, Mark has been tasked with heading both the Front and Heart of Limoncello’s House.
Limoncello strives to exceed the expectations of it’s guests. Genuine Service and Traditional Fare from the coast of Amalfi is the focus of each new day. Napolitana wood fired pizzas and charcoal grilled meats and seafood is what distinguishes us from the rest.
Plugging this for sold.sg, omy.sg and of course, the ten brave bloggers whom have put themselves up for bid to raise money for charity.
GOING ONCE! GOING TWICE!
SOLD.SG AND OMY.SG TO AUCTION OFF VALENTINE’S DATES TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE SPASTIC CHILDRENS’ ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
Bid for any of these ten bloggers on sold.sg to donate to charity!
Sold.sg, Singapore’s leading online shopping destination for luxury and entertainment products, is helping their users find love this Valentine’s Day by partnering with omy.sg to auction off ten popular bloggers as Valentine’s dates!
The 10 Bloggers will promote themselves in the week leading up to the auctions (auctions to be held from now till 13 Feb), and will be “sold” as a Valentine’s “date” to their highest bidder. Users will place bids on their favourite Blogger based on the information provided on Sold.sg, with 100% of the proceeds from all auctions being donated to the Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore.
Who are these ten kind bloggers who put themselves up for auction? Click on their names below to find out more about each of them (and to start bidding):
An article in Lianhe Wanbao (10 Feb 2012) on the charity auction
Btw, a winning bid comes together with a Valentine’s Dinner meal at Limoncello restaurant(worth S$95.00++ per pax) as well as 50 bonus sold.sg tokens (worth S$37.50) which you can use to bid for other items.
A L V I N O L O G Y 