"Food is our common ground, a universal experience."
James Beard
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Past and present sponsors, clients, and partners include: Remy Cointreau, Lululemon, Shiseido Professional, Clé de Peau Beaute, Optimum Nutrition, SK-II, Tunglok Group, Yahoo, Lifestyle Fitness, NTUC Fairprice Finest, Diageo Reserve, UOB, Electrolux, Heineken, Ukon no Chikara, World Street Food Congress, Büro24/7, Tools of the Trade (ToTT), World Street Food Congress, Night Owl Cinematics, Sony Pictures, Cocoloco, Antidote SG, Food for Life TV, Brand New Media, and others.
The Question of Sponsorship
When I first began this site, the question wasn't even on my mind. I've taken a big step recently regarding whether or not this site should support sponsorships and advertisements. As of 2013, I've started accepting one or two very select sponsored posts which are not food related, but I have not and will not ever accept payment for a traditional review of a dining establishment (if you've noticed, I rarely post dining reviews here at Gastronommy.com anyway, and sponsored posts are clearly labeled at the top). Candor is sort of the point of a personal blog, after all. Giving a negative review always weighs heavily on me, since people's livelihoods are often involved. But ultimately, it's a responsibility to the increasing number of Gastronommy readers and a point of personal pride to offer an honest perspective.
Q: I see you have sponsored posts now. Does this mean you're officially taking sponsorships and advertorials now?
A: Yes, I am. Selectively and rarely, and only with brands or products I personally love. The mediums include Video, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Blogging.Q: What is next for you?
A: I just found a producer and we are partnering up to create a whole food-related video series at Gastronommy and for various editorial partners who want to incorporate video into their lineup. This will encompass much more than a simple restaurant review – we want to share real stories, real information in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way. As much as I love writing and will continue to do so on the side, we need to keep up with the times and move beyond print and television. The average person consumes information in a very different way today, so we are pushing more into the digital front.
Q: I represent Company X. Can I send you Product Y to try or giveaway?
A: Freebies are really the last thing I'm here for, but I thank you for considering Gastronommy.com. I’m happy to try out your new product, however I provide no guarantees that I’ll ever write about it. Here’s a couple things you should know before you send me anything (because you lovely people seem to send it to me regardless?!):
- I will only write about something I genuinely love, appreciate or find useful.
- If I do end up writing about it, I will disclose that I received it as a gift from you
- If I don’t write about it, feel free to ask me for feedback. You took the time to send it to me, so I will take the time to let you know what I really think about it. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
A: I'm a journalist who also has a blog. If by definition, owning a blog makes a blogger, then I suppose I am indeed a blogger. It's fascinating how the label 'blogger' didn't even exist 10 years ago. How times have changed. (related: Professional Background, Articles)
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