Alright, so let me tell you about this whole “brand trip” business. It’s not always what it looks like on the fancy edited videos, you know? I got roped into one a while back. Or, well, “invited” is the polite term, I guess.
How It All Kicked Off
It started with an email, like these things usually do. Popped up in my inbox, and I almost junked it. Looked a bit too good to be true, if you catch my drift. But I gave it a second look, and yeah, it was legit. Some company, wanting to fly a bunch of us out to see their new… whatever it was. They were covering flights, hotel, the lot. Sounded like a sweet deal, right? Who says no to that? So, I said yes. Then came the packing. Man, I always overpack. Always think I need ten of everything. Ended up lugging a suitcase that felt like it was full of bricks.
The Actual “Trip” Part
So, off I went. The flight was, you know, a flight. Squished in a seat, trying to get some sleep, failing miserably. We got there, and the place they put us up in was pretty swanky, I’ll give them that. Nice views, fancy soap in the bathroom. But don’t let that fool you. It wasn’t a vacation.
The schedule was packed. And I mean, jam-packed. It was like:
- Early breakfast with “networking opportunities.” That just means awkward small talk while you’re trying to wake up.
- Then it was product presentations. Hours of them. Lots of buzzwords.
- Then “interactive experiences.” Which usually meant us fumbling with something new while a camera was probably pointed our way.
- And meals. All the meals were “events.” Couldn’t just chill and eat.
It was go, go, go. And smiling. Lots of smiling. You gotta look like you’re having the time of your life, even if your feet are killing you and you just want a nap.
Behind the Glossy Pics
The whole thing felt very… staged. Like a performance. Everyone’s got their phone out, snapping pics, recording videos. Gotta get that content, right? The brand folks were super nice, almost too nice sometimes. You could tell they were working hard to make sure everything looked perfect. Lots of pressure, I reckon, on their end too.
And the other people on the trip? A mixed bag. Some were cool, down-to-earth. Others, well, let’s just say they were really “on brand” the entire time. Felt like everyone was constantly trying to one-up each other with how amazing their experience was. It gets tiring, you know? Just people-watching was a whole activity in itself.
They’d give you stuff, freebies and all that. Which is nice, don’t get me wrong. But you know you’re kinda expected to talk about it, post about it. There’s no such thing as a truly free lunch, or a free fancy gadget, in these situations. You’re there to do a job, even if it looks like a party.
So, Was It Worth It?
Look, I’m not gonna say it was awful. I saw some new things, met some folks. Got some material to share, which is part of the gig. But it’s work. Serious work. It’s not just lounging by a pool, sipping cocktails, even if the pictures sometimes look like that. That’s just the highlight reel.
You come back exhausted. Like, deep-in-your-bones tired. And with a load of stuff you then have to sort through or talk about. It’s an experience, for sure. But if you ever get invited on one, just go in with your eyes open. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a hustle, just like everything else, really. Just a hustle with a fancier backdrop sometimes.
