Blogging for Dollars

I'm still Mr. Coughy.  (Hey clever!)  At least Sabrina seems pretty much better.  Gregg's still congested.  Thank you day care, with your room full of runny nosed sickies!

I was thinking I should have some juice to get my vitamin C and it made me realize how corporations are playing us bloggers to get the word out on their products.  I've been offered free products via this blog by marketers (one of which was a juice, which made me think about this post) who not so subtly ask that those products get a mention.  I've declined them; this blog is not meant to be used in that vein.  Some of them have graciously sent free product anyway, even after I've made clear I wouldn't give them a write up.  Then I started noticing those products showing up in other blogs.  I can appreciate a good marketing strategy, and I think it's a pretty clever way to get a viral campaign going, so I do give them credit for that. 

What do you guys think?  Would you use your blog to promote a product?  I know some of you have, and so I don't want you to take this post the wrong way.  There were a few times I've read a review of something and found it pretty helpful. 

Because I'm a nostalgic liberal child of the 70's, I'll put my product promotion below.  Be warned:  it's not my fault when you start humming it all day.