The Verge has independently confirmed leaked screenshots of the clause in this year’s Team Pixel agreement for the new Pixel phones, which began circulating on X and Threads last night. The agreement tells influencers they’re “expected to feature the Google Pixel device in place of any competitor mobile devices.” It also notes that “if it appears other brands are being preferred over the Pixel, we will need to cease the relationship between the brand and the creator.” The link to the form appears to have since been shut down.
When asked, Google communications manager Kayla Geier told The Verge that “#TeamPixel is a distinct program, separate from our press and creator reviews programs. The goal of #TeamPixel is to get Pixel devices into the hands of content creators, not press and tech reviewers. We missed the mark with this new language that appeared in the #TeamPixel form yesterday, and it has been removed.”
So then what is Team Pixel, exactly? Officially, it’s a program handled by PR agency 1000Heads that seeds early units to influencers and superfans to drum up interest as brand ambassadors. While Google partners with 1000Heads, it doesn’t directly run the program, and there are distinct differences with the traditional reviews program, For example, journalists and influencers in the official reviews program often get briefed and given products under embargo before or during an event. Team Pixel participants get the devices shortly after launch, but before the public — all in exchange for some coverage on social media. For smaller creators, this can be a big leg up in terms of access.
This is specifically for their “Team Pixel” people. Those people are specifically in an ambassador program, they’re not “free” reviewers like you’re more familiar with, as they’re employed/contracted directly by Google. This isn’t going to affect the reviewers you probably are actually following.
Exactly, same shit apple has done for years. This isn’t some strong arm bs it’s a contract deal they signed into
Do these people employed/contracted directly by Google tell their viewers they’re employed/contracted directly by Google? Then it doesn’t make a difference. does it?
And why do you think the reviewers people are familiar with aren’t part of the program. Do you have a list?
Do these people employed/contracted directly by Google tell their viewers they’re employed/contracted directly by Google?
Yes. They’re required to use #TeamPixel and #ad hashtags on their posts, because they’re considered sponsored content. I got invited to apply to the program several years back because I had a monetized YouTube channel at the time, and I remember their application form asked if I’d be okay with putting those hashtags on my social accounts.
For what it’s worth, I didn’t actually apply, because it’s meant for content creators, which I am not. My YouTube channel was monetized basically in error, because I never actually used it, so I’m sure they would’ve denied me, anyway.
And why do you think the reviewers people are familiar with aren’t part of the program.
Most of the bigger reviewers aren’t part of any sort of ambassador program, just because it basically limits them to only being able to provide coverage toward that company’s product (or at the very least, forces them into being biased toward their product), without the benefits of actually being employed by that company.
And to my understanding, Team Pixel members aren’t directly paid for it; they just get an early unit of every new device they make and are asked to “review” it within a certain timeframe of the product launch. At least, none of the forms that I saw mentioned any payment, beyond free devices.
Unsurprising. TBH, I wouldn’t trust the judgement of a #TeamPixel member either.
That camera bump is way too big. The previous models looked so much better.
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You’re such a rebel.
You’re probably right about the FTC though.
Thanks brother 💪I owned the first pixel and hated it so much ive been recreationally hating on them ever since
Did the Pixel fuck your wife or something? That came out like 7 years ago, man. Might be time to let go.
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In what way do you think it might violate that regulation? Ads are not forbidden as far as I know?
I’m not the most informed on the subject but this is how I understand it,
I know reviewers are supposed to disclose if they are getting paid by a particular company to promote their products. Though this one probably blurs the line because the reviewers probably said that they are sponsored by Google, so even if they were paid to lie and say they prefer pixel they would have been fine. If they did not disclose that they were sponsored by Google then the influencers could have been in problems, not sure about google.
Yes, the same contract that is criticized here also requires to mark each post as ad
As someone who has only used iPhone, can you share why you don’t like pixels?
If I ever switched to Android a pixel would be my first choice, but mainly because I don’t want a phone with bloat.
Personally, I found it to be extremely intrusive. It felt like it was optimized for Google to spy on me. I know I had some other issues, but the one that pissed me off the most was an update that completely bricked my phone and made it unusable. Funny that you mention it because I always thought the pixel was a wannabe iPhone.
I know people like the pixel for putting GrapheneOS on it.
That’s my main reason from staying away from Android.
Genuine question. Do you feel less speed on by another Android brand?
I need to get a second phone soon and want to avoid Apple since they are being jerks about the EU situation.
Which privacy ROM do you use and on which device?
