Consumer-generated advertising is getting so big that even traditional marketing and advertising powerhouses are getting in the act, in an effort to reach a very connected online audience that has little patience for traditional ads.
From Post-Gazette.com: "Maybe the writers finally ran out of ideas for the MasterCard "Priceless" ads. That's what it looked like earlier this year when they sat an actor down in a chair and had him type out empty spaces, inviting viewers to try filling in the blanks themselves. Apparently, the ad copywriters were just up with the latest fashion.
This is the moment of in-your-hands consumer advertising -- the kind generated by the masses rather than for the masses. From Emerald Nuts' make-your-own contest to Mozilla FireFox's posting of consumer-produced spots at firefoxflicks.com, the creative directors seem to be handing over the work to us common folk.
There's marketing powerhouse Procter & Gamble, responsible for such memorable ad icons as Folger's Mrs. Olson and "99 and 44/100 % pure'' Ivory soap, offering a $1,000 prize to food-service professionals who can come up with the best pitch for the Dawn Grease Fighting Arsenal used in cafeterias and restaurant kitchens."
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Consumer-generated Advertising
- Opportunity for brands to tap into the creativity and authenticity of consumers to produce engaging and relatable advertising content.
- User-generated Content
- Opportunity for brands to leverage user-generated content as a powerful marketing tool to connect with online audiences.
- Crowdsourcing Marketing Campaigns
- Opportunity for brands to crowdsource advertising ideas and campaigns, allowing consumers to actively participate in the brand's marketing strategy.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Advertising and Marketing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Embrace consumer-generated advertising and integrate it into traditional ad campaigns to enhance consumer engagement and authenticity.
- Food Service
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Encourage food-service professionals to create and share content about products or services, leveraging their expertise and credibility in the industry.
- Technology
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop platforms or tools that enable easy creation and sharing of user-generated advertising, empowering individuals to become brand advocates.
