Our Sponsorship

& Ethics Statement

Astro Atomica is an independent creative project developed by Justin and Alli Kruger, alongside a small, global network of collaborators.

While we haven’t published hundreds of videos, every piece of content is crafted with care and intention. Transparency, integrity, and respect for our viewers and partners are central to our work. This statement outlines how we approach sponsorships, reviews, and brand collaborations.

Our Sponsorship & Review Philosophy

Sponsorships and product features on Astro Atomica are rare and always intentional. When we collaborate with a brand, it’s because we’ve personally used or evaluated the product or service and believe the company aligns with our standards — including customer support, communication, and long-term integrity.

If a video is sponsored, a product review, a first look, or part of a product collaboration, we will clearly and explicitly state that in the video and description.
If we don’t say something is sponsored — it isn’t.

Long-Term Relationships First

We don’t do one-off transactional campaigns. Every brand we work with sees this ethics statement up front. Partnerships develop over time, based on mutual trust and shared values. Any collaboration should be a win–win–win for our team, our audience, and the brand — not a shortcut to promotion.

Astro Atomica is not — and will never be — a mouthpiece for any brand’s marketing department.

Product Handling & Loaner Policy

• Most products are purchased independently. In some cases, we borrow, rent, or accept items at no cost. In all cases, we will clearly disclose when something was provided to us.
• Free products do not guarantee coverage — and never guarantee a positive review.
• Products shipped without prior approval may be kept for regular use, donated, raffled, auctioned, sold, given to subscribers, or handled at our discretion. Alternatively, they may be returned — at the sender’s expense.
• Loaner products must be discussed and agreed upon in advance. Terms must be clearly established and accepted before shipping. Items shipped without a prior loan agreement are considered unsolicited, and we are under no obligation to return them. If they are returned, it will be at the shipper's or brand’s expense.
• Products provided for free without the exchange of money cannot be canceled or killed. Once a product is sent and accepted, we reserve the right to engage with it however we choose, with no obligation to follow up.

Embargoes, Launch Dates & Scheduling

We’re happy to consider embargoes and product launch timelines, and we frequently hold videos until an agreed embargo lifts — provided that embargo has been discussed and agreed to in advance.

That said:

• We do not automatically agree to embargoes, NDAs, or launch timelines without prior discussion and mutual consent.
• We cannot guarantee publishing a video on an embargo or launch day.
• We are open to holding a video until a specific date, if that date is part of an agreed-upon embargo.

If a brand needs to cancel or kill a project for a sponsored product video, a kill fee may apply to cover time, resources, and expenses already invested. This must be discussed and agreed upon before any work begins.

Brand Assets & Creative Process

To support our production workflow — especially when working with external editors — brands must provide all assets before we receive a product for review. This includes:

• Logos
• Product or manufacturing b-roll
• Interview footage
• Documents or spec sheets
• Talking points or brand language

Assets must be finalized before we begin evaluating or producing content. We do not accept updates or changes after a product is received, and we are under no obligation to use any of the assets provided.

We reserve the right to contextualize brand assets and messaging in a way that suits our tone, format, and viewer expectations.

Non-Negotiable Guidelines

To preserve our creative independence and audience trust, these policies are firm:

• Creative Control: All content is created and published by Astro Atomica. We choose the format, tone, timing, and coverage.
• No Pre-Approval: We do not submit drafts or content previews to any brand for edits, revisions, or approval. No exceptions.
• No Paid Scheduling: No amount of compensation will influence our editorial calendar.
• No Guaranteed Coverage: Sending a product does not guarantee a review or appearance in a video.
• No Performance Promises: We don’t (and can’t) promise views, engagement, conversions, or “reach.”
• No Category Exclusivity: We do not agree to brand or category exclusivity, as it may compromise our integrity and authenticity.
• Bias Transparency: We approach our content as curious, thoughtful enthusiasts — not journalists. Our reviews are honest, but framed through our personal lens.
• Talking Points Are Optional: We’re happy to review brand-provided talking points, but are not required to include them.
• Platform Autonomy: We maintain complete discretion over what is shared across our YouTube channel and social platforms. Social media is never included unless separately agreed to.

We only work with brands that align with our values and are a clear fit for our audience’s interests and expectations.

Values & Representation

Astro Atomica actively advocates for values including — but not limited to — open culture, diversity, sustainability, repairability, thoughtful design, and privacy.
We seek partnerships with brands that uphold similar principles, both in their products and their people.

When participating in collaborative campaigns, we work to confirm representation across gender, ethnicity, and orientation among featured creators.

Sharing & Analytics

We encourage sharing — just please link directly to the original upload on our YouTube channel.
Videos may not be downloaded, re-hosted, or re-uploaded without our written permission.

We do not share private platform analytics or aggregate audience data unless separately and explicitly agreed to. We do not share personal data.

Final Thought

Whether we’re publishing a review, testing a product, or exploring something unexpected, our focus is on making content that feels honest, useful, and creatively fulfilling.
We take the trust of our audience — and the integrity of our process — seriously. This statement is our commitment to upholding both.

If you're a viewer: thank you.
If you're a brand: let's start from here.

We reserve the right to update this policy at any time.
Last updated: July 29, 2025