Westfield hunts a $100,000 shopping blogger

Nice idea, well linked in to the brand and it has longevity vs. a one-off social campaign. And very interesting that it came from the internal team.

I’ll be watching it closely, while the ROI on $100k+ will be a challenge, it sure beats the Facebook spam that Westfield entered the social space with.

As a fashion blogger, this competition is really exciting to see. While there seems to be (at least in the media) an awareness of the popularity and influence of bloggers overseas, Westfield are actually putting money on the future of bloggers and their influence, locally. Exciting stuff. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one too.

When did a salary become a prize!! Isn’t this just a job dressed up in a nice coat!

10.2 The Prize is:
A 12 month fixed-term contract as an employee of the Westfield Group in the position of “Westfield Insider” with an annual salary of $100,000 (exclusive of superannuation and additional benefits, as determined by Westfield) commencing 15 November 2010 (if required, commencement date can negotiated between the Winner and Westfield), including:

* Full calendar of retail and community events to attend over the course of 12 months, at the direction of Westfield;
* Blogging on westfield.com.au website (two (2) blog entries per week);
* Maintaining a Facebook profile and interact / converse with the Facebook community; and
* Conducting personal styling sessions for the five (5) winners of the Westfield “Win a $10,000 gift card and personal styling session from the Westfield Insider” promotion, subject to the terms and conditions of the employment contract with Westfield.

Best job in the world?

Considering they would normally spend many times that amount of advertising in traditional media like newspapers and TV which is seeing constant decline, I say well done Westfield.

Sounds a bit like the movie “The Joneses” – about a fake family provided with goods and their only goal is to promote the gear.

I think any blogger that becomes paid by a company loses some of their ‘independence’ appeal. My own personal feeling is that if the blogger is sponsored, their values can be swayed and we’ll see less non-favourable reviews.

Just my .02

K

I think is a great idea. Fashion blogs really resonate with the target audience, and I think its a dream job for so many people. Well done Westfield!

I like how they left a window open in the exclusions.

3.6 Westfield may, in its complete discretion, select up to 50 individuals who have not entered the Competition prior to the date on which the in-centre interviews are held who may also participate in an in-centre interview event in each participating Westfield centre. A Westfield representative will assist these individual with filling out an application form, and, should the individual wish, they will have the opportunity to use a video camera to film the video element of their Entry.

So at the end of the campaign you will have a battle of 50 influencers who will be creating video content and additional reach.

Great way to drum up some publicity, so am sure the ROI is already starting to kick in, but i wonder how honest this blogger will be allowed to be? Can the freely criticise aspects of the Westfield centres they visit? Trust me not all of them are the gleaming alters of shopping that we see at Bondi and the soon to be revamped Pitt Street Mall area

The Westfield campaign is a great example of how blogging is changing the brand-ad agency-journalist-media dynamic in Australia, and highlights three trends:

1. Some brands (and I use the term “some” with care) see ad campaigns using traditional paid media as overpriced; $100k is a relatively small amount for a big brand, and given that $100k buys “2 seconds” of prime time TV, brands are (rightly) starting to experiemnet with diversifying their campaign expenditure. The key here is that in the digital world a brand can create a “long tail” of content that audiences/readers can access long after the TV or print ad has been “consumed”. This links to the next point…

2. The ROI for a campaign is not determined by the start and finish dates of the “media buy” but by how effective the engagement is over a longer period of time, where factors such as influence as well as sales can be the driver, and viewed as complimentary to the brand owner. The tip here is to think of the $100k as an investment in a start-up company.

3. Digital media offers brands an engagement model with conversation at the core – and has the potential to disintermediate both ad agencies and tradional media publishers and broadcasters. But it probably won’t. Blogger engagement is now a core part of all agency service offerings (that’s ad and PR agencies). However, both ad agencies and PR agencies want to “own” this space. Both want to be the people who advise brands on how to navigate the challenges and opportunities in digital media. Both can lay claim to be the preferred supplier; PR because of their relationship with journalists, who at this time are like bloggers, versus the ad agencies, who whilst they come from an interuption model of communication, have secured the bigger share of the branding budgets and could use these budgets to establish close relationaships with the blogging community.

A final comment: Westfield founder Frank Lowy also recently founded “The Lowy Institute for International Policy” – this is a news blog on foreign affairs: it’s at the pointy end of quality media; it’s an area that has not been covered well by the ABC or journalists from commercial media (News, Channels 7, 9 and 10). But more importantly, this blog has given the Lowy family a great deal more influence in the political world. Maybe the Westfield Marketing department has noticed the success of The Lowy Institute blog and has decided that blogging could work for them too?

Best copy in the world.
Wonder if they will have the blogger on a horse, then on a motorbike – then producing video responses to celebrity twitter questions…

Damn, if only I was more fashionable!

This a lame arse idea!

Sounds like a good idea but I always think that Its a pity when things are heralded as a success before they even launch

Good to see brands embracing blogging as a more legitimate medium of promotion, but i can’t see anyone reading this fashion blog.

But i’ll be interested to see just what “on style on budget” means for a blog. It sounds like Westfield is looking for a person to create a blog-style catalogue. Which would not be interesting for the blogger or the readers. People read fashion blogs to live vicariously and see what other stylish people are wearing and buying, not to see x and y items that are for sale at a Westfield.

I came across this on Seek and it sure looked like spam to me!

After their Facebook faliure it will be interesting to see if they can make this work for them.

Barbarella for MUMBRELLA! Wat an opportunity. Dream job for all mums who love to shop and find a bargain!

This idea could work – but only if they allow honesty, honesty, honesty.
People are wising up to fake advertising and promises, you need to find a totally believable, well liked, normal but classy person who most people could relate to and perhaps slightly admire! Too many fashionistas out there make people feel inadequate – as if normal working people can afford half the items they promote. Fashion layouts have models wearing over $1,000 worth of clothing! As if a normal wage earner can afford this sort of look!
The person who is allocated this position should have a good mind, sharp wit and clever ideas which your average person can still relate to. They will need to do a lot of homework and be able to address needs for all ages to make them believable. Please find a well groomed, mature age adult whose job it is normally to shop for everyone else – i.e most likely a mother/wife with family.