Doing videos with manufacturer supplied equipment?

Agreed 100%!

Seen it more than a few times. Some people can be bought cheap. Then a couple weeks later they’re selling the same crap they were bragging about.

They know this, they know exactly what they'er doing been there done that got the T-shirt. I was a pro staff shooter for a archery manufacture for a while, worked a few shows no u tube at the time. I got to test and hunt with every new product they made for FREE and keep all the goodies. Believe me it's hard to turn down free $1000.00 bows with all the accessories. After a year of selling bows I thought were Okay but not what I really wanted to shoot I walked away. Even if you like what your pushing at some point they own your arse and your words. 

+1 for this Centercut!

I should note that this actually is one step further. There are FTC rules on this, specifically meant to govern disclosure of promotional material. While you're unlikely to be prosecuted, because airgunning is small time comparatively speaking, if you accepted payment in the form of cash, goods, or services for the promotion/publication of content you're not just ethically obligated to disclose it, you're legally obligated to as well. This is why reviewers of all stripes who are what I'll loosely term "the good guys" who really make great quality professional-level content always disclose whether they purchased the product for review or if it was provided. It just becomes part of the format. "I bought product X for X$$$" or "This one was provided to me by Y retailer/manufacturer." It is simple, and it builds trust with your viewer base. 



The FTC actually has a fairly lengthy explanation of all this including circumstances in which you would or would not need to disclose (short version, just disclose if you have a commercial association of any sort)
https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/native-advertising-guide-businesses



 

Yes, disclosure is the right thing to do, it gives the person more credibility. If they don’t, they are shilling their viewers.

Yeah I agree it's super important to make clear where said products come from and weather or not they are paid reviews. Most all the guns I review are picked by me, I basically reach out to manufacturers and distributors to acquire them. From time to time I get asked to review a gun that I simply have no interest in because it doesn't fit the criteria for quality and have to let that one go. Some of the reviews I do are sponsored or "paid" that basically covers my cost to travel to cool places along with covering the hours of time it takes to edit a video. Other reviews I do are freelance and have accepted terms to return the product to either the manufacturer or distributor, most of the time they let me keep it. I have a regular full time well paying job and have used reviews basically to support my hobby and to get me into the field more often. Some reviewers do this as a full time source of income and may not have as much freedom to be able to turn down work. When your counting on that reoccurring check every month those "crappy" guns suddenly become wonderful and the best thing ever. haha Just my two cents!

Stupid as this may sound to some guys I have turned down a few chances to do paid reviews . It's not like sponsors are beating down my door ,and dont want it to sound like that At All . But it's just my choice that makes sense for me . The stuff I review are.pretty well evenly split between scopes that are loaned to me by friends for honest reviews ( Have 2 on hand from Ranger1 and another friend ) ...Products I bought like the scope level I just reviewed and a 10X Tac Vector review coming up .. And scopes donated to my channel from vendors and manufacturers ( Free ) . Either way I keep it honest regardless of the source . But I always try and mention that a product was donated because it's YouTube policy and aids in transparency for the guys who follow my small channel . I have discovered by watching other guys channels grow and become obviously sponsored buy won't admit it , just leads to backlash . 

A Great example for guys looking as how to professionally handle sponsored reviews is Steve at AEAC . He makes no excuses for his great reviews and is transparent about doing his videos as a way to make money and shows his sponsors at the very first of every video and in description of his channel ..Well done Buddy .

But when the Jersey , hat , banner , sticker , belt buckle , jacket , tattoo , first child's name and so forth all have a company logo ..... I think guys see thru it pretty fast. 

A year or so ago a scope seller on Amazon emailed me to do a video about a ridiculous " scope" and I told them any review I did would be honest and I had seen this monstrosity at a local gun show . I turned it down and sure enough about 3 weeks later I see 5 videos of this Miracle Scope , a joke of a scope and ALL raved about how cool and great it was. Lol 

I unsubscribed to all those channels ...It was a $80 scope .....And for a piece of crap $80 scope guys do a " review " to promote it ??? Come on Man .

My channel ain't for everyone for sure .No channel is . I tell guys who loan me scopes or companies who give me a scope ...The product gets ya a review ...My opinion isn't for sale at any price ......Iv e burned a lotta bridges with vendors and manufacturers being hard headed about this. 

Like I say for me it's what makes sense for me . In the end I feel guys will see thru fake reviews when every single review is FABULOUS from a company that obviously has them on the payroll, unless it's from a rival company , then it's a piece of crap ..... Ring any bells ? Lol

Well said Centercut. +1!

Agreed 100% and it's sad to see how so many of the little guy's channels grow a bit, then suddenly the whole vibe changes, with sudden inept attempts at clandestine marketing, and their trustworthiness flies right out the window.

That’s too bad that it turns out like that. Deception isn’t cool. Just be up front and tell us to begin with.



I think most of us realize what has already been stated? I take any review with a grain of salt. I do my own research then if I jump in, I’ll make up my own mind. It’s YouTube, anyone can say whatever they want and try to pass it off as truth. Other than facts ie. shot count, velocity, accuracy, products specs... it’s just an opinion anyway (paid for or not). 

It didn't start with Youtube. The old Latin saying Caveat Emptor comes to mind. 

well said Centercut.

ccut is correct, no need to be a *****, and try to hide it. if your parading around in head to toe gear from say, datstate , FX, or Hatsan , ETC. and you are reviewing said product, how unbiased can you be?!? Just own that poop and man up. say you love it because your a fan! that's fine, but say it! I remember tyler from pyramid air reviewing the BSA R-10 SE and he stated that he was a HUGE BSA fan! so his review would be skewed in favor to the gun. That's fine, he owned it. had respect for that. Paul Cappello had real nice reviews back in the day, wish he still would crank them out. Sorry for the rambling, but, another excellent post by the centercut!

I agree with JoeWayneRhea about AEAC. Real honest reviews. There are others out there that just (to myself anyway) seem to sugar coat the airguns they are reviewing. Now when an airgunner works for a brand it is pretty clear whats going on.

Agreed. steve does it very well. And yes, we can only hope to have a sponsor approach us so we can decide lol. If it happens to me i hope its fx since i already fan boy their stuff lolol.