The Brands are Watching: An Urban Fieldnotes Status Update

So one of the things that I've been wondering about since starting this blog/research project is how long it would take for me to begin being contacted by parties in the fashion industry for invites, collaborations, features, etc. I'll tell you how long: just under 5 months. Or to put it in more meaningful blogging terms: 16,340 page views. My readership has been growing fairly steadily since my launch on March 26, 2012, even after factoring in the brief dip the site experienced in June (down to 3,203 after May's 3,470). I've heard that June, for whatever reason, is a terrible month for bloggers, perhaps because students are too busy experiencing summer break to latch themselves to a computer screen. In any case, July rose back up to 3,725. So far in August I've had 2,913 pageviews, around 150 pageviews per day, with nearly half the month still ahead. And, with that trajectory in place, three days ago was my first day of contact with the larger fashion industry. In two days span on Thursday ad Friday, I was invited to two events in Philly, not, perhaps the biggest events ever by industry standards, but nonetheless exciting and flattering to receive. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend either one. Alas, so it goes. But keep the invites coming. I will be available for future events. The research potential is simply too delicious.

Also, this last Thursday I was contacted by American Apparel. Yup, American Apparel. They posted one of my pics of Jared Michael Lowe in the "Seen and Submitted" section of their website, alongside some Lookbook.nu, Ring My Bell, and The Time is Grey pics. See the image they chose here in the bottom right corner. Sure it's flattering, but more than that, it's interesting. That post, as it turns out, was the first time I've mentioned American Apparel on my blog, a statement, I admit, that sounds improbable. Nonetheless, it's true. Jared was wearing AA sunglasses and pants in those images. Now, suddenly, I understand why so many street style bloggers list brand names beneath their images. The brands are watching. I suspected as much, but it's nice to have the suspicion confirmed. And now I'm wondering, for the sake of science, of course, whether I should start assiduously listing brands too. I've avoided it up until this point. I spent too many years as a disgruntled suburban punk not to. But now, I'm thinking it would be an interesting experiment. 

Which brings up another question: What, do you suppose, are the ethics of an anthropologist/researcher/blogger doing collaboration with or accepting paid links, advertisements, and content from fashion-related brands, granted, of course, that such content is identified as such? I don't know actually. This is an utterly ordinary thing for a blogger to do, especially a big name blogger, but "brand partnerships," frankly, are not an option for most anthropologists. And they are not, in fact, an issue I am yet facing. Still, the possibilities are intriguing, and the question may come up sooner or later, especially since on Friday I was also contacted by a "market researcher" for a company that hooks up blogs with brands. I have, apparently, been added to a list, and I imagine that may lead to future offers. Not that there is any great profit to make off of doing so. I've talked to enough bloggers to know that paid content doesn't pay that much. But that's not the point. It would be interesting to pursue simply in terms of what it might reveal about the messy, ambiguous relationship bloggers maintain with the larger fashion industry. 

Readers, what do you think? I could use some guidance on the subject. And of course, I'll keep you posted on what unfolds.