[theorique]

There's a very big difference between:

on the one hand, being subtly 'encouraged' to write favorable blog posts or reviews via enjoyable junkets, and

on the other hand, being expected to act as a real part of the PR team, wear company-branded clothing, and film promotional videos.

One is normal practice in tech journalism. The other is something quite different, and more aggressive. It seems like the bloggers expected the former - not especially naively - and got the latter via pressure and bait-and-switch.

[akldfgj]

Well, the latter is far more honest.

[theorique]

It's more blunt and heavy handed, anyway.

[chris_wot]

How, exactly, is it more honest?

[pessimizer]

Because it makes it obvious that you're being paid to claim to like things, likely in proportion to how convincing you are.