Give a blogger a product, and have him or her review it. Cool, or not cool?

An over-covered issue clearly, thanks in part to the Microsoft controversy when bloggers were given computers loaded with Vista to test-drive. But bloggers gain increasing prominence every week and actually every day, and this issue deserves revisiting as best-practices continue to evolve and become cemented in the social media realm.

As I blogged about this issue, I knew I needed an expert take. I called a former journalist and current blogger for a highly respected Cleveland business publication. He quickly brought up a key point:

He said: Yes, journalists have been taking products from PR pros for years, in order to review them. But these journalists have an editorial check and balance system. In other words, the editor makes sure the product is shipped back. "Great review Tim, now ship that back." Tim can't take home that Acer laptop; he returns it. It's not a gift - and thus clearly is not a bribe.

Not so with bloggers. No one's monitoring them like the newsroom hawks watching their reporters (trust me I know as a former reporter). Implied in editorial control is a more objective approach to the product, as it's not a gift but a test-run.

My take, and where the theory of bribes falls short: Ever meet an influential blogger?

They are all pretty damned opinionated and outspoken. They balk at bribes, and call out companies attempting to win their influence through gifts. Go ask Bl Ochman what she thinks about free gifts influencing her reporting on a product. Expect a mouth-full.

Robert Scoble compared sending computers to bloggers to pay-per-post. I'd ask, can a tech-savvy crowd, already connected to the web via high-tech machines, be influenced by a free freaking Acer loaded with shitty software? My answer is no. No way.

Still, opinions remain strong on both sides. My research shows some bloggers calling those accepting products to review as "whores" whose credibility takes a major hit for subsequent commentary/product review.

Conversely, many bloggers see "outdated" standards surrounding product reviews. If you ship them a Vista-loaded machine and they hate it - you'll know it and fast. That's a fast-ticket to very bad PR. Now we have a double-edged sword in the blogger free-gift equation.

Another variable to consider in the blogger bribe equation: The cost of the gift. Shipping me a new wine bottle opener is one thing; shipping a laptop I can keep if I wish is entirely different. I've never been shipped a free laptop, but can't think I'd try and find good things to say about the software loaded on it - if the product really sucked. I don't need your free laptop, and neither do the influential bloggers you are reaching out to, most likely.

Back to my point about bloggers: They may not have editorial checks and balances, but they do have strong opinions and values. They won't comprise pimping the horrid Vista just to hold onto an Acer laptop. Or if they like Vista, they'll say so in an honest fashion and boost your brand.

Bottom line: Shipping products to bloggers for their opinion is okay. Just be transparent, and make sure the blogger is transparent in his or her review. "Yes I got this for free, but it sucked," for example. Or, "Yes I got this for free, and loved it."

Send out your products to bloggers for test-drives. Expect and accept before-hand any diverse commentary contrary to your beloved mission statements, and know that getting influentials to talk about your brand is a good thing. Stimulating conversation about your brand or product will benefit you in the long-run. Like great marketers before me have said, "Give your brand to the consumer, and they will return it in better shape than you gave it to them."