This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-news-blog/2013/mar/25/blogtournyc-design
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| International bloggers take on Architectural Digest Show | International bloggers take on Architectural Digest Show |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| It has become commonplace to see fashion bloggers on the front row in New York, London and Paris where they are now an established part of the media presence. It is also true that where the catwalks lead, the interior design world is not usually far behind. And so it has proved in New York this weekend. | It has become commonplace to see fashion bloggers on the front row in New York, London and Paris where they are now an established part of the media presence. It is also true that where the catwalks lead, the interior design world is not usually far behind. And so it has proved in New York this weekend. |
| As the 12th annual Architectural Digest Show opened its doors to the public, a group of international bloggers prepared to tweet, post and Facebook what it sees to its followers. By the end of the four-day show the blogtourNYC, as it is known, will have reached a Twitter audience of over a million, generated 40m impressions and written more than 200 blog posts. | As the 12th annual Architectural Digest Show opened its doors to the public, a group of international bloggers prepared to tweet, post and Facebook what it sees to its followers. By the end of the four-day show the blogtourNYC, as it is known, will have reached a Twitter audience of over a million, generated 40m impressions and written more than 200 blog posts. |
| In addition to the Architectural Digest show, they will also visit the showrooms of the tour's sponsors and various New York boutiques to see details of new and forthcoming collections. | In addition to the Architectural Digest show, they will also visit the showrooms of the tour's sponsors and various New York boutiques to see details of new and forthcoming collections. |
| Blog Tour NYC had sponsors queuing up to bring bloggers to their product launches and it's a formula that seems to be working. Run by the online interior resource Modenus.com, this is the second New York blogtour and the second of five such tours this year. In January, a group of design bloggers travelled to Cologne. In April, another group will visit New Orleans, a different set will go back to London for the Design Festival in September and yet more to Los Angeles in October. Each time they visit a city, bloggers from previous tours meet up with them and add their voices to the coverage. | Blog Tour NYC had sponsors queuing up to bring bloggers to their product launches and it's a formula that seems to be working. Run by the online interior resource Modenus.com, this is the second New York blogtour and the second of five such tours this year. In January, a group of design bloggers travelled to Cologne. In April, another group will visit New Orleans, a different set will go back to London for the Design Festival in September and yet more to Los Angeles in October. Each time they visit a city, bloggers from previous tours meet up with them and add their voices to the coverage. |
| Gina Lubin, founder and creative director of Du Verre hardware, is sponsoring all five tours, which represents a significant financial commitment for a small company (other sponsors include Miele, Poggenphol and Blanco). | Gina Lubin, founder and creative director of Du Verre hardware, is sponsoring all five tours, which represents a significant financial commitment for a small company (other sponsors include Miele, Poggenphol and Blanco). |
| "We all have to find new ways to connect with customers and with such a diverse group of bloggers this is a really interesting and direct way to do that," she says. "Time will tell which bloggers are really qualified to talk about design, but when we have the chance to engage with academics, colour consultants, interior designers and stylists all in one place it's a great opportunity that we cannot afford to miss." | "We all have to find new ways to connect with customers and with such a diverse group of bloggers this is a really interesting and direct way to do that," she says. "Time will tell which bloggers are really qualified to talk about design, but when we have the chance to engage with academics, colour consultants, interior designers and stylists all in one place it's a great opportunity that we cannot afford to miss." |
| Veronika Miller, the founder of Modenus, says she wanted to bring design enthusiasts and brands together and no-one seemed to be doing what to her was an obvious solution. In 2010, she persuaded the AD show organisers to let her hold a small cocktail party to which she would bring some of the design bloggers she knew. | Veronika Miller, the founder of Modenus, says she wanted to bring design enthusiasts and brands together and no-one seemed to be doing what to her was an obvious solution. In 2010, she persuaded the AD show organisers to let her hold a small cocktail party to which she would bring some of the design bloggers she knew. |
| Three years later there were more than 200 guests. "Blogtour has become an huge virtual magazine and we realised after the first one that people were following the hashtag and were really interested to know what the bloggers were seeing and what they thought about it," says Miller. | Three years later there were more than 200 guests. "Blogtour has become an huge virtual magazine and we realised after the first one that people were following the hashtag and were really interested to know what the bloggers were seeing and what they thought about it," says Miller. |
| "The bloggers can be really influential and the blogtourNYC helps increase their traffic and it helps the brands to launch their products so everyone wins. Everyone has a different take on what they see so it's really interesting all round." | "The bloggers can be really influential and the blogtourNYC helps increase their traffic and it helps the brands to launch their products so everyone wins. Everyone has a different take on what they see so it's really interesting all round." |
| And what of the bloggers? This year's group includes six from the UK, seven Americans, a Dane, a German and one from Amsterdam. | And what of the bloggers? This year's group includes six from the UK, seven Americans, a Dane, a German and one from Amsterdam. |
| Lori Gilder, an interior designer based in LA who blogs at Diaryofarenovation.com, says: "Companies have been taking bloggers to see their products for a few years now but Modenus have taken this idea and put it on a much bigger scale with international bloggers and multiple sponsors. Companies don't need to spend on advertising when they can get their products out there really quickly this way." | Lori Gilder, an interior designer based in LA who blogs at Diaryofarenovation.com, says: "Companies have been taking bloggers to see their products for a few years now but Modenus have taken this idea and put it on a much bigger scale with international bloggers and multiple sponsors. Companies don't need to spend on advertising when they can get their products out there really quickly this way." |
| Mike Welton, who writes on architecture for The Washington Post and Dwell Magazine and who blogs at Architects + Artisans, says: "This the right way to reach a larger audience of architecture and design aficionados. We are able to expose them instantly to a wide array of products, buildings and design concepts, particularly at the AD show." | Mike Welton, who writes on architecture for The Washington Post and Dwell Magazine and who blogs at Architects + Artisans, says: "This the right way to reach a larger audience of architecture and design aficionados. We are able to expose them instantly to a wide array of products, buildings and design concepts, particularly at the AD show." |
| Other bloggers include interior designer Irene Turner, who has 4.5m Pinterest followers, British stylist Emily Blunden, who has worked for The Guardian and Grazia, interior designer Zoe Brewer and Gem Barton, who lectures in interior architecture at Brighton University. | Other bloggers include interior designer Irene Turner, who has 4.5m Pinterest followers, British stylist Emily Blunden, who has worked for The Guardian and Grazia, interior designer Zoe Brewer and Gem Barton, who lectures in interior architecture at Brighton University. |
| Obviously a six-day, all-expenses trip to New York is not entirely without obligation. Bloggers are expected to write a least one blog post per sponsor. However, as they are being shown new products and given access to designers and CEOs for interview, they can usually find a story that fits with their own blogging style. Some choose to cover the social side of the event, others keep their posts very pictorial. The interior designers are usually very happy to see what's new and to examine at close quarters products they might want to suggest to their clients. | Obviously a six-day, all-expenses trip to New York is not entirely without obligation. Bloggers are expected to write a least one blog post per sponsor. However, as they are being shown new products and given access to designers and CEOs for interview, they can usually find a story that fits with their own blogging style. Some choose to cover the social side of the event, others keep their posts very pictorial. The interior designers are usually very happy to see what's new and to examine at close quarters products they might want to suggest to their clients. |
| Sponsors are thanked and credited in posts and on twitter so that the process is ultimately quite transparent. | Sponsors are thanked and credited in posts and on twitter so that the process is ultimately quite transparent. |
| Miller says it's time bloggers were taken seriously. "When the economy picks up, many of the bloggers will go back to their original jobs. Others will continue to post occasionally and there will remain a small core of really professional bloggers who have enormous expertise and the flexibility to bring their own vision to what they see. Some brands really get the importance of that already and they are getting in at the ground level of something that is growing really fast. | Miller says it's time bloggers were taken seriously. "When the economy picks up, many of the bloggers will go back to their original jobs. Others will continue to post occasionally and there will remain a small core of really professional bloggers who have enormous expertise and the flexibility to bring their own vision to what they see. Some brands really get the importance of that already and they are getting in at the ground level of something that is growing really fast. |
| "Bloggers can be really flexible and as long as they keep to their side of the deal and show up on time and stick to deadlines then, they should be considered as another arm of the mainstream media providing extra content." | "Bloggers can be really flexible and as long as they keep to their side of the deal and show up on time and stick to deadlines then, they should be considered as another arm of the mainstream media providing extra content." |
| Kate Watson-Smyth is freelance interiors and design writer who blogs at www.madaboutthehouse.com. She is on blogtourNYC. | Kate Watson-Smyth is freelance interiors and design writer who blogs at www.madaboutthehouse.com. She is on blogtourNYC. |
| You can find all the bloggers at http://www.modenus.com/blog/category/blogtour | You can find all the bloggers at http://www.modenus.com/blog/category/blogtour |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |