Why I Refuse Manufacturer Sponsorships

Three different RV manufacturers offered me sponsorship deals this year. Free rig. Five-figure stipend. One was six figures. Here's why I turned them all down.

The pitch is always similar. 'Honest reviews. Just feature our brand. No editorial control. You can say what you want.' Then you read the contract. The 'no editorial control' has a non-disparagement clause hidden in section twelve.

Non-disparagement means — I can't say anything negative about the brand publicly during or after the partnership. Even after I stop taking their money. Sometimes for years.

I started this channel because nobody was telling the truth about RVs. Taking manufacturer money — even on 'honest' terms — neuters the watchdog work. It's the whole reason this exists.

I'm not judging creators who take it. They have to feed their families. But you, the viewer, deserve to know — when a creator takes manufacturer money, the math of what they can say changes. Always.