If you ask me...Would I use Twitter to try and blag free stuff? Perish the thought!

Celebrities! Where is your pride? Have you no sense of shame?

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If you ask me, I think this business of celebrities being paid to plug items on Twitter, as in Elizabeth Hurley and “salivating over my new @EsteeLauder goodies!”, or celebrities plugging items they’ve apparently received cheap or for free in the hope they’ll receive them again, like Victoria Beckham and “obsessed with my new white @ManoloBlahniks!” is disgusting and outrageous.

I know, I know, plenty of journalists try it on – “I’d love to see @BookofMormon”; “Does anyone know if @VirginAtlantic do upgrades?” – and I consider that revolting too. Where is your pride, I would ask such people. Your dignity? Your honour? Have you no sense of shame?

I would never stoop so low. Never. Ever. For example, I think @PimmsGB is actually a very refreshing and pleasant drink, particularly on a hot day, but would never tweet as much in the hope I’d be sent a free case, just as I would never tweet, say, that @JoMaloneLondon make the loveliest candles and scents or that the best mascaras are by @Clarins_UK or possibly or @Clinique_UK or possibly @BobbiBrown or possibly, even, @EsteeLauder. It’s so hard to remember! However, I do know it isn’t @AnyaHindmarch, because she only makes the sort of gorgeous handbags that, I’ve heard, may be costly, but will last a lifetime and can prove a sound investment.

So, don’t look to me, for the best way to blag free stuff on Twitter. I just can’t do it. It is not in my nature. In fact, the other night I did, as it happens, enjoy a fantastic meal at @QualityChop but afterwards, did I tweet: “Great meal at @QualityChop” to give them the opportunity to reply with: “Hey, @deborahross, why not come back do it all over again on us!” I did not, and would not. And, further, were I to dine, for example, at @TheDelaunayRest, which I’ve yet to do, and which is said to be fab, I would not behave in that way either.

Too much pride, I suppose. And I like to think I’ve brought my son up to think similarly; that if you want something in life you work, you earn money, you pay for it. I have just questioned him about this, actually, and he says if he needed new trainers, which he does, it’s not like he’d alert @NikeUK to inform them he is size nine and doesn’t like the bright colours so much and that it would save his mother the expense and anything will do, so long as it’s Air Max 1. No way! So, I ask again: Who are these people? And how can they be so craven? How, how, how?

Twitter: @deborahross