The Telegraph launches ‘fast beauty’
One of the hot topics of discussion in my Q&A with Vogue’s Robin Derrick last week was that of old school journalism versus new school blogs. Robin observed that with the beauty industry especially, brands and consumers are talking directly to each other via blogs and Twitter, effectively making traditional beauty journalism redundant (you can read all the tweets here – read from the bottom up).
The great thing about Twitter of course is that it gives the maligned beauty journos a forum to answer back. Miffed beauty editor Kate Shapland tweeted Robin Derrick the following: ‘@robinderrick #fashiondigital yr generalisation=lazy! Read @TeleFashion @TelegraphMagazine: grt print & digital writing. 1 cross beauty ed!’ And indeed, The Telegraph is fighting the bloggers with its new Beauty Waitlist ‘insider preview’ where Shapland reviews products the moment they hit her desk.
Back to you Mr Derrick…
8 February, 2011 @ 5:04 pm
they can't fight the inevitable. it is what it is.
8 February, 2011 @ 6:17 pm
The reason I read blogs for beauty info is to get an unbiased opinion. Yes, there are bloggers who are paid to review products a certain way but it's generally obvious if they have been paid. The problem with print media is that I feel that often the journalist has been told to favorably review certain products in order to please advertisers so it's difficult to trust the reviews. I can't remember any beauty reviews in the main stream media saying, 'this product is awful, don't buy it.' If there were, I'd trust beauty journalism more.
9 February, 2011 @ 9:24 am
It's a step in the right direction for sure. I think the prolific rise of blogging knocked magazines and newspapers for six for a while and bloggers seemed to raise the bar and created the need for instant information.
I think it's great that print media is beginning to challenge bloggers right back but totally agree with Beautiful Things re: impartiality of reviews. That's why bloggers will have a bit of an edge…for now
9 February, 2011 @ 3:59 pm
As one has so rightly observed that brands and consumers are talking directly to each other via blogs and Twitter, I would like to take the opportunity to mention that I have recently switched my (male) grooming regime after a little visit to a Murdock London branch, the Mayfair branch to be precise as it is so very close to the office. Great staff and made my skin feel incredible. Highly recommended.