I truly value the global community that I’ve built on my YouTube channel over the past 3 years, with hundreds of videos, tens of thousands of subscribers, and over 4 million views under my belt.

 

Sponsored content is something that I engage with, on occasion.

If I choose to work with a brand, it will always be because I have used the product or service myself and genuinely trust the brand to provide excellent customer service and support. When I partner with a brand, you can safely assume they've reviewed this page and that I’ve been able to build a relationship with them over an extended period of time, based on mutual trust and understanding.

Ideally it’s a win-win-win situation for the viewer, the brand, and myself. My channel has never been - and never will be - an extension of any brand’s marketing department. 

Most of the equipment and products I use and review are purchased directly using my own money, but sometimes I will rent or borrow equipment. Occasionally companies will send a product to me free of charge, and I will always clearly state in the video and/or description that it was provided to me at no cost. Usually the reason I accept these offers is simply due to practicality– I don’t have an unlimited budget and sometimes there are things that I’m curious to test or that I’ve been asked for my opinion on  (after the video, these products are either used regularly, returned or offered as prize draw giveaways to my community members).

Accepting free products never guarantees a positive review (or even that I will make a review/video at all). I’m extremely selective about accepting anything for free and will only do so after discussing this Statement with a brand.

There are a few additional non-negotiable points I’d like to share for the sake of clarity. I’ve made all of this information publicly available to viewers and brands alike so that we’re all on the same page:

• My work is my own. I create and produce each video based on what I think will add value to my audience over time.

• My reviews are always as objective as possible and any opinions shared are always my own. 

• I will always make it transparent when my content is sponsored. This includes when products are sent as gifts and no money is exchanged. If I don’t explicitly say that a video is sponsored, then it is not sponsored.

• I have full control over my calendar. While I’m happy to work collaboratively when possible, when it comes to scheduling, no outside party can pay or otherwise influence me in return for scheduling priority. 

• If a product is provided to me at no cost, it does not mean I will review it or feature it in a video. I do not make dedicated review videos in exchange for free products or services.

• I generally avoid reviewing “preproduction” versions of products/software and prefer to use the final version that will be delivered to other customers.

• It is appreciated when companies offer press kits about their products/services, but I will only include what I think is relevant and necessary in any videos.

• On that same note, I will work to seek answers for anything about a product/service that I don’t fully understand, in order to make my videos as accurate, relevant and helpful as possible.

• While it usually makes sense to include certain links in video descriptions or social media posts, I retain full control over what is shared on my accounts across all platforms.

• YouTube’s “includes paid promotion” option will be checked any time a video features a product or service that was provided at no cost, even if it’s not a paid sponsorship.

• I’m more than happy to let others share my videos, as long as the post links directly to the original video uploaded to the respective channel. Brands who wish to access exclusive use of content that features their products will be subject to a content license agreement and fee.

• My video content may not be re-uploaded elsewhere, edited or amended in any way, without a specific (paid) content licensing agreement in place.

• If I find myself considering a sponsored campaign that includes other creators, I will work to confirm that there is a representative and diverse mix.

• I do not participate in activities related to 'buying' views or subscribers. Ever. Any suspicious activity related to boosting views/likes/comments on a promotional collaboration will result in the video being immediately removed with no refunds provided to the brand.

• I cannot guarantee any number of views or any amount of audience engagement on any videos. As much as I want everything I create to “perform” well, there are too many variables beyond my control for me to make any claims regarding potential viewership. My latest Media Kit will give you a picture of how my views perform on average using up-to-date information. n.b. I do watch all of my videos after publishing, so I can guarantee at least one view. :-)

Any contracts relating to sponsored content will reference this Ethics Statement heavily and may clarify some of the above points to remove any doubt.

Thank you for taking the time to read and understand my Ethics Statement. It doesn’t cover every scenario under the sun, but it should provide a fair idea of how I work, how highly I value the integrity behind what I do, and above all - my relationship with anyone who takes the time to engage with something I’ve made.

If you have any questions, just get in touch.