It’s ONE HOUR until embargo!

rush… rush exporting!

45 MINUTES!

upload… upload…

15 MINUTES!!!

Description! Description! Time codes! Time Codes!

5 MINUTES!

Social media! Social media!

0 MINUTES!!!!!!

PUBLISH! (and hope YouTube doesn’t break as you do!)

That’s a pretty fair timeline of my last hour or 30 minutes of a new phone or tech release. Behind the scenes of a world that most viewers never see, and never experience. For them, it’s non-stop notifications of the latest new piece of tech in their YouTube subscription box. But for creators, you are entering a world, both exciting and depressing. Both inspiring and confidence destroying. But there’s no doubt that the launch of phones and new tech products is the true “rat race” of covering tech these days… and guess what… I used to love it. But now I’m starting to hate it.

Now just a quick lesson what I’m referring to by “embargo”. An embargo is a set time that companies share with creators and ask them to adhere to when reviewing new products, to be able to test before launch and share all their findings at the appropriate time. Embargos have a set time. Breaking embargo, or posting your video before the agreed time is a big no no!

When I was invited to my first embargo of a new device there was excitement, there was hope, there was promise. Being alongside creators I never imagined to even be included in the same sentence for a release was a striking and amazing experience. And there is no doubt embargo releases can be great. I had some amazing moments watching my videos blow up and feeling joy for all my days of effort being worth it.

But sadly over time, I have started to see the entire concept of embargoes a sad cruel joke. In the end that feeling that I was in control of my destiny under this system was actually the opposite: an embargo release is nothing more than a glorified “hoop” that companies use to make the creators promoting their products jump through, in a new 21st century gladiatorial battle to see who will have the most success. And if a giant million subscriber channel shows up? Rest In Peace. Sure you get a device early, but you also get placed in a crazy and extremely mentally unhealthy hustle that you thought was in your control…

it’s not in your control…

I appreciate my access to devices. I appreciate being able to cover tech in this amazing way from many companies that I have loved and admired. But it’s amazing to see how just one tweak can make or break the successes of any release for every creator fully invested (some for years) in the promotion of a company that they held dear for so long.

Embargos as a concept seemed good at first, but they need a revision. One that truly brings the magic, excitement and EFFORT in creators with something to show for it in the end. Companies owe creators who present their products to the world at least that.