Gear Testers Wanted
Posted on 13. Feb, 2010 by Dirtbag in The Gear
Ever wonder how people score free products as a gear tester for a magazine or retail company? Gear testers need to be knowledgeable of different products, active in the outdoors, and be well versed at blogging and social media platforms. Here are two recent calls for companies looking for gear testers:
Gear Testers Wanted for Cocona Fabrics
Cocona Fabrics is currently taking applications for the Cocona Xcelerator Test Team. Cocona Fabrics, found in such brands as Marmot, Mammut, and GoLite, is looking for 1000 outdoor types to test out their new fabric called Xcelerator.
Apply to become a gear tester at Cocona’s site where you will be asked to describe your experience with the outdoors, list any notable outdoor gear you currently own, describe your favorite piece of outdoor gear, and answer several questions about your familiarity with blogs, twitter, and other Internet platforms.
Gear Testers Wanted for Outside Magazine
Outside Magazine is currently looking for volunteers for their Gear Army to review hiking and running shoes, equipment, and apparel. Applicants must submit a sample review of a product that they currently own as well as a list of qualifications. In order to be selected, testers must not be affiliated with any outdoor company. Visit Outside’s Gear Army for more details.
One Response to “Gear Testers Wanted”
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Bryon Powell: I think that only one of these opportunities is tr...
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Nick: Great piece - I really want to go there now!...
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Abbie: That looks awesome - I will definitely have to mak...
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Nancy: Congrats again Amiee. What a great article!!...
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Ryan: You got it absolutely right on this one. I have ex...
Bryon Powell
13. Feb, 2010
I think that only one of these opportunities is truly a “gear testing” opportunity.
Outside does, in fact, have members of its Gear Army test products and offer more or less candid feedback on those products.
On the other hand, the Cocona Fabrics offer appears to be little more than a thinly veiled buzz marketing campaign (buzz marketing = http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/buzz-marketing ) How else can one explain the need for a gear tester to be familiar with blogs, twitter and other internet platforms? Heck, Cocona is brilliant on this one, not only will they get many reviews out of it, undoubtedly many of those selected with tweet/facebook/blog about being named to the “Cocona Xcelerator Test Team”. Brilliant! I wonder if Cocona is going to include the FTC’s blogger disclosure guidelines.
For the record, I’ve loved every piece of Cocona containing product I’ve ever owned.*
* Disclosure, I haven’t paid for any of them save for one associated with a charitable donation. All products were provided by the companies making the garments rather than Cocona itself.