Hershey's Night At The Museum 2: Blogger Event

Hershey's invited the kids and I to come to Washington DC to take part in a promotion for the upcoming movie Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian. They flew us, and nine other bloggers into the city to have dinner, take an after hours tour of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and then go back to the hotel where the kids could stuff their gobs with s'mores and all the candy you could ever dream of shoving in your mouth.

I'm not sure which part the kids loved the most: the car picking us up and driving us to the airport, the plane ride, seeing the icons of Washington DC (even in a whirlwind way), the way the people held the doors for us at the hotel, the bathtub in the hotel, the Abe Lincoln look-alike, the tour of the Smithsonian, the candy, the late night slumber party movie viewing, or just finally seeing how what I do all day can actually benefit them.

This was the first PR thing the kids were invited to go on and I have to tell you, it was pretty refreshing to wake up at a blog related event without facing an action packed day with a mild to severe hangover. Thank you Hershey's!

The tour was amazing, my kids love museums to begin with but having a personally guided tour by museum curators was beyond great for them. They're at an age where they really get this stuff, and Max in particular is enthralled with air and space. Additionally, they're excellent travel companions at 8 and 10 with almost no bickering at all.

Except for that 45 minutes before dinner on Saturday when I nearly fed them the other's arm because they were crabby and hungry and I wasn't paying $10 for mini bar cashews.

The best part of all this is you can win a similar trip from Hershey's. Read more about it here. There are two really nice things about visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum after it closes. No lines for the bathroom and no arguing over the gift shop at the end of the trip.

You will love this, I hope you win.

Comments

[Mary]

I hope I win, too.

[Catherine]

We live in DC and love all the museums (never had to line up for the restroom, though). We stayed at the Hotel Hershey for a company retreat once and the maids leave full size Hershey bars on the pillows at night. My son (six at the time) begged to eat it right before bedtime. In a less than stellar parenting moment, I let him eat it. I knew it wasn't too bright giving him sugar and caffeine from the chocolate right at bedtime, but he got super hyper for about 10 minutes and fell right asleep. That happened every night for the next four nights. I don't know whether they add sedatives or what -- but, man oh man, who knew?? I am glad you and the kids had a great time. Good for Hershey's for sponsoring the trip. I am so happy that companies are now seeing the value of this type of marketing. And, I am glad that you are willing to take advantage of it when it suits you (hurray for Pampers and Hershey's and anyone else willing to keep Melissa blogging for us).

[Kate]

I loved that first movie and I can't wait to take my kids to the second one! Thanks for sharing your experience in DC. I love how much you've been writing lately, by the way...

[Sarah L]

cool.

[Calee]

While I love my 2 year old and really don't want her to grow up too fast (except out of the diapers and the night wakings and all of that funness) I can't wait until she can "get" all of that cool stuff.

Glad you had a great time!

[Sky]

I assume the companies host bloggers so they will promote their products on their blogs? Do you feel obligated to promote them in a positive way in order to repay them for their generosity?
Very clever on the companies' part... What is there not to like about being wined/?chocolated? and dined and given free access to museums and movies? I'm sure not many bloggers would want to bite the hand that offers the trips and freebies, but I think you are one that has the integrity to be honest with your appraisal. I'm glad the kids had a great time.

[MelissaS]

Well I should probably make a page with my personal policies about this type of thing.

I don't accept anything if I am required to write about it or write about it in any specific way.

Hersheys wanted people to know about this contest so gave the kids and I a chance to experience it. I was 99% sure that would be a fun experience for us so I said yes.

Generally my policy is to not write negative things. If I accept a product for review and hate it, I just don't write about it.

I've always been clear about sponsored posts, gifts I recieve, trips I go on.

If I thought, for example Pampers as a company was evil and their diapers would give you cancer, I wouldn't have mentioned the trip at all, rather than lie about my experience.

I'll have a disclosure statement up soon.

I wish I understood where all this mommyblog weirdness got started.

[Bridget]

Making memories is what it's all about!
Yeah for the kids and you for making it happen!

[sevedra]

That sounds so fun! My kids would love it. One day, I'll be a big famous blogger and get offered stuff like this too! Well, probably not, but a girl can dream :)

[Allison Worthington]

{laughing about your comment up there}

***snort***

[MelissaS]

???

[Alias Mother]

I'm not being hostile, as you are welcome to do whatever you'd like to do with your blog, but I think I can answer the question: "I wish I understood where all this mommyblog weirdness got started" (which technically isn't a question, but whatever).

I think it got started when some of us thought we were being invited over for a glass of wine, only to find out we'd been tricked into attending a Tupperware party. Sometimes we just like to visit without being sold something, you know?

[MelissaS]

well I am running a business, I help support my family with my writing.

I happen to think this is a fun and harmless contest my readers may want to know about. If you don't think it would be fun then I don't think you should enter.

I'm very confused by all the "ethics" discussions surrounding blogs these days.

[Jess]

I just re-read my post. I realized if someone asked me why I rub people the wrog way, I would think ti's a stupid question. What I was getting at is I think a lot of people are jealous of you and your success.

[MelissaS]

I'm even more confused now.

[Alias Mother]

You are more than welcome to run your blog like a business. But some of us still cling to the outdated and naive belief that blogs are places to connect with other people and thus don't always like the bait-and-switch feel when suddenly products start being pushed. I'm not saying that's your problem or that this is what you are doing. I'm just explaining my comment.

I think this is different than the ethics discussion, though. The ethics discussion is about whether it is wrong to blog about a product without disclosing that you are being paid to do so. You know how magazines run sponsored articles with "Advertisement" printed at the top or bottom? That's what the pro-ethics people would like to see. Just an acknowledgment that the review is not just a friend talking, but a friend talking about something she's being paid to discuss. I don't have a dog in this fight, as I tend to avoid review-type blogging in general, but that's my take.

I guess I don't see why it's so confusing.

[Sky]

I love the way Alias Mother tried to explain the mommyblog ‘weirdness’. I think when mommyblogging started it was like reading about the daily life and insight of the mommy next door…even if she was across the country or on the other side of the globe. The honesty and openness was refreshing. Once advertisements and the wooing of the corporate world crept into blogs, readers began to question the sincerity and genuineness of the writing. Are we still reading about the mommy next door or has it evolved into yet another form of corporate sponsored media? It has nothing to do with hostility or jealousy; it just became a different animal. And I’m sure you understand that once your blog became a business you became the ‘customer service’ department head. Perhaps you shouldn’t be so offended by questions from the customers that support your livelihood. Customer service and ethics are (or should be) a part of every business, so try not to take it so personally.

[MelissaS]

I'm not offended.

Surprised and a little confused.

But not offended.

If it offends people that I openly and honestly accept offers and gifts of things I like, then I can't really help that.

[Juli Ryan]

What a tempest in a teapot. All I care about is good writing, and Melissa's blog has it in spades. And FWIW, as a long-time reader, I've always admired her ethics.

[MelissaS]

But Alias Mom, I did clearly label it as paid for.

That's what's confusing me. It seems that people want me to be upfront and transparent but at the same time don't want me to be too upfront and transparent?

Confused. But again! Not mad!

[delia]

We're heading to DC this weekend to take a much needed break from NC. I will never show my 7 and 11 year old your post because they will forever compare their overcrowded, chocolate-less trip to yours!

By the way, don't click the link for the Unleash the Loot sweepstakes on Hershey's site if you haven't used the bathroom in a few hours.

[Alias Mother]

Oy, va-vey. I'm not normally in the habit of haunting blog comments to keep the teapot-tempests going, but I'll circle back once more. I've now reread the comments on this post three times and I'm not seeing a single person who is offended. Or who complained that you were being too upfront and transparent or vice versa. In terms of comments relating to the corporate junket issue, I see four "good for you" comments, one friendly "can you explain how it works" comment, three responses to your question (two from me), and two comments that I can't explain but that could be negative? Maybe?

I don't know. I'd agree to disagree on this one, except I'm not sure we are disagreeing.

I guess now I'm confused, too.

[MelissaS]

Woooooo! We're all confused.

[jenB]

Why not include the negative and the positive reviews of gifts or reviews? I do the same, although not offered nearly the same amount of freebies. If I am honest, I do not post negative reviews in case PR people no longer contact me. Which is, pretty lame. I am not saying that is your, Melissa's reasons, but those have been mine. I don't think there is any denying that a lot of blogs, "mommy" or otherwise are being paid in goods/freebies/trips to write influence posts. The face of blogging has changed for a lot of us. Some people need or have to or want to make it a business or a way to get free items. I guess we all have the choice to do or do not, read or participate. I admire the purists who write with no ads, no compensation of any kind. I am also a little thrilled when I get a couple of free boxes of cereal. Also, also, Hersheys is not going to send any Canadians on such a trip, so a lot of the PR wooing is for Americans.

Pardon the hijack of comments. I do not feel confused about what is happening with blogging for compensation. It is happening.

[MelissaS]

I dont write negative reviews out of politeness. If I was writing a review site that policy may be different.

It's the same policy I followed at mighty junior.

[jgand]

The Smithsonian is great, with fantastic exhibits and interesting facts to be learned.

[MelissaS]

I'm closing comments but will add this.

I see trips, like this one, as a different form of payment for the site I write. Just like the advertising you see in banners on this page.

I would not turn down an opportunity to give my kids a unique and fun experience because of some very fuzzy sense of ethics I do not understand or find merit in.

I also won't turn down trips where I get to see my friends and meet other bloggers. I simply don't understand why I would do that.

You don't have to agree and it can be a turn off. I accept that. I have a different view.