Despite what my postman (shout out to Nicholas) might think, I’m technically not an influencer. However, I do receive a lot of PR kits and boxes because of what I do for a living. From Sephora’s advent calendar and Aura Bora twelve packs to AriZona Hard Green Tea and General Mills’ mini cereal, I’ve had my fair share of kits end up on my doorstep.
While I’m extremely grateful that I have the opportunity to try new products, taste new snacks, and drink new beverages (as is my fiance), there comes a point where you wonder why some brands aren’t doing things differently. And as someone who isn’t an actual influencer, I can’t even imagine what people who get PR boxes for a living think.
Sure, there’s chatter about how wasteful these PR boxes can be, but I have yet to find anything about how brands can improve them; I’ve only seen critical articles about them. A piece on AdAge ran last year talked about how wasteful influencer gifting can be, but it doesn’t offer any advice on improving or doing better. If you’re going to critique, at least add some element of constructive criticism.
