There are no flip throughs of the summer collection to be found - rant
Okay, let me preface this by saying that this is just my opinion/speculation, and I’m not claiming to know what is happening behind the scenes.
I’ve always assumed that most planner YouTubers who receive Happy Planner PR boxes are not necessarily being paid directly to make flip-through videos, and that they mostly benefit through PR products and affiliate links if viewers decide to buy something.
However, with the summer release, I noticed that not a single creator I normally watch (at least six different people) has posted a flip-through, just a generic “new collection is live, here’s my link” community post. And honestly, I’m disappointed for two reasons.
First, I watch flip-throughs before deciding whether I want to buy anything. Happy Planner’s official product photos and videos are often not enough for me. I want to clearly see the dividers, weekly pages, discs, inside covers, notes pages, and hear someone’s thoughts before making a decision.
Second, the sudden silence has made me wonder how much of the usual launch excitement is truly organic. If creators normally post flip-throughs because they are genuinely excited and because they want people to use their affiliate links, then why is nobody posting about this release at all? Maybe it’s simply because it’s a smaller release. Maybe people are busy. Maybe HP didn’t send out PR boxes this time. I don’t know.
But it does make me question things a little. If creators receive any kind of compensation or benefit connected to promoting a release, I wish that relationship was disclosed more clearly and consistently. Because when everyone posts on the same day for some releases, but then there is total silence for another one, it feels sus.
I’m not saying anyone is lying, and I’m not trying to attack any specific creator. I actually enjoy watching these videos, which is why I noticed their absence in the first place. I just wish there were more clarity around what is PR, what is sponsored/paid, what is affiliate-linked, and what is truly just personal excitement.
TLDR: I’m not claiming to know what happens behind the scenes, but the lack of flip-throughs for the HP summer release has made me wonder how much of the usual launch excitement is organic vs. connected to PR, affiliate links, or paid promotion. I just wish things were disclosed more clearly.