Sponsored 'Honest Reviews' Are Pre-Approved

Want to know how 'honest sponsored reviews' get made? I'll show you. Without naming names.

Step one — manufacturer offers a free rig or stipend. Step two — creator signs an agreement. Read the clause. There's almost always a 'review approval' clause.

'Review approval' — the manufacturer reviews the video before it goes live. They suggest edits. Sometimes they require edits. The creator can say no, but then they don't get the next rig. So they almost never say no.

The result — every sponsored review hits the same beats. Three minor 'cons' for credibility, twenty-seven 'pros.' Always one shot of the bedroom with soft music. Always a kid laughing in the dinette.

I'm not against sponsored reviews. I'm against the format pretending to be journalism. If you see a 'review' with a brand logo on the channel — it's an ad. Treat it like one.