User Generated

Sheraton Launches User Generated Content

2006-07-10T14:47:00.000-04:00

The hotel brand Sheraton, which is part of my beloved Starwood program, is launching UGC on their new site. This is what the news item said about it:

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts has launched a new company Web site, the first in the hotel industry to feature user-generated content. Sheraton.com will allow visitors to share stories, tips and photos about their travels for other users to view, in addition to more traditional features such as booking rooms and searching for the best rates.

Everyone's getting into the game, aren't they!

Magnify Networks

2006-07-08T00:58:00.000-04:00

These guys enable you to create a site or set of pages that syndicates and filters user generated videos based on the topics you are looking for and the keywords you enter. Its great and you should definitely check it out...

www.magnifynetworks.com

Check out the one i just created last night!

http://allthingselvis.magnifynetworks.com

UGC Real World Mapping Technologies

2006-07-07T20:46:00.000-04:00

These are two sites/products that enable you to create real world maps via the web and mobile technology. Users mapping the world is very cool as well and has some excellent applications:

Flagr at www.flagr.com
Wayfaring at www.wayfaring.com

Both work off of Google Maps technology (double true).

Rabble.com - more UGC Mobile Broadcasting

2006-07-07T20:44:00.000-04:00

This is a hot category right now. Allowing people to broadcast content from their phone to the web. Saw it a few months back with the Juicecaster (www.juicecaster.com) and now its here with Rabble (www.rabble.com).

All very cool technologies, all very interesting, but no proven business model as of yet. Its only a matter of time before someone figures out what to do with these things.

Guba Does Deal with Warner Bros.

2006-06-27T16:25:00.000-04:00

These guys are new, but the site is very clean and cool and will probbaly succeed...

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6088265.html

The Gold Rush is on, so they say below...

2006-06-27T16:24:00.000-04:00

Just in case you didn't notice, this business is certainly taking off...

http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=30078

Talk Shoe... user generated talk shows

2006-06-27T16:23:00.000-04:00

http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/ArticleReader.aspx?ArticleID=16828

TalkShoe connects people of common interests using simultaneous live voice conferencing and chat. Example uses of TalkShoe include sports discussion groups, political debates, small business meetings, friends and family chats, book clubs, hobbyists' meetings, and education, and training. In addition, up to 1,000 people can talk and/or listen to a live Talkcast, and unlimited people can download the recorded podcasts. By producing Talkcasts, hosts can make money. Hosts are paid for each person that joins, listens to, downloads, or podcasts their Talkcast. Money is earned from text and banner advertising (i.e. Google AdSense), audio ad insertion, and video ads. In addition, hosts can choose to charge a fee for their Talkcasts.

I've Been Quiet, but User Generated Hasn't

2006-06-21T10:27:00.000-04:00

First off IPG launches a new unit...
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=44783&Nid=21156&p=308442

Oh, and they also invested in Facebook for $10million.

The DaVinci Code has some competition...

2006-06-04T15:00:00.000-04:00

This is certainly lower budget, but i think the movie could rival DaVinci for depth of character development. Check it out...

http://www.thenormanrockwellcode.com/the_movie.htm

The Death of YouTube? Or Not.

2006-05-23T16:14:00.000-04:00

http://mashable.com/2006/05/18/yahoo-developing-a-youtube-rival/

Yahoo developing a rival to YouTube.

User-generated content starts to take hold in advertising

2006-05-23T16:09:00.000-04:00

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/11/business/ads.php

User-generated content starts to take hold in advertising

By Julie Bosman The New York TimesTHURSDAY, MAY 11, 2006

It all happens in 24 seconds. A silver Sony stereo rapidly deconstructs, then reassembles into the shape of a flat- screen television. The television then converts into a DVD player. The DVD player to digital camera. The camera to portable PlayStation.

The animated spot is the latest television commercial for Sony Electronics, but its creator is not a technology wizard at either of Sony's two advertising agencies.

The commercial is the work of Tyson Ibele, a 19-year-old from Minneapolis who won a contest on a cable network, Current TV, for its first viewer-created ad message.

User-generated content, best known for fueling the popularity of Web sites like YouTube and MySpace, is rapidly taking hold in advertising.

Dozens of entries were submitted for the Current TV contest, and Ibele's commercial will run for the next one to two months on the network. In the coming weeks, more user-generated ads for companies like L'Oréal and Toyota Motor will follow the Sony commercial.

"User-generated content is sort of the word of the day," said Anne Zehren, president of sales and marketing for Current, which was started in August. "And I think smart marketers will start harnessing that."

Current relies on user-generated content for roughly one-third of its programming, from fashion features to foreign documentaries. The network operates under the theory that its programming will be more relevant if its audience, primarily 18 to 34 years old, has a voice in creating it. If people are interested, there is less of a risk that they will tune out in favor of other entertainment like the Internet and video games.

Comedy Central Test Pilots

2006-05-23T16:04:00.000-04:00

Comedy Central Plans Contest Centered on User-Generated Video

Comedy Central has announced plans for a contest revolving around user-generated video. Dubbed "Comedy Central's Test Pilots" and scheduled to run between May 22nd and August 24th, the contest will seek to find "the next big broadband show," by inviting viewers to submit one- to five-minute pilots to comedycentral.com. The winner will receive a development deal to produce a series, based on his or her pilot, on Comedy Central's recently launched. broadband TV channel, MotherLoad. Comedy Central says that any format is eligible for the contest, including live action, animation, sketch-comedy or hidden-camera shows. The broadcaster is partnering with IFILM on the contest, taking advantage of the latter's user-generated content submission platform, which will be made accessible on Comedy Central's Web site.

Screenvision Offers Directors a Shot

2006-05-21T11:49:00.000-04:00

Get your short film played in Screenvision theatres nationwide this summer wit this UGC opp...

http://www.screenvision.com/

Nike Soccer Does it Right

2006-05-21T11:47:00.000-04:00

http://nikefootball.nike.com/nikefootball/siteshell/index.jsp#,us,0;jogatv,,0,0,0

This is a very cool idea from Nike for UGC... getting the world's largest soccer chain created and showing unification among soccer fans. I really like this one.

LOST in the world of UGC

2006-05-10T14:42:00.000-04:00

http://theedge.bostonherald.com/tvNews/view.bg?articleid=138654

LOST is all over the news as they start to create a cross-media marketing campaign to promote themselves during Sweeps. They are taking out print ads and tv commercials for fake companies featured in the show. They are getting people talking and the fans are mobilizing a community unseen since the X Files.

These are elements of making the show a brand which users can discuss, hence they are starting the ball rolling for users to create content. Users already blog and discuss the show, but we can expect more to come as users continue to become part of the show.

I know I'm an addict already.

The Wikipedia covers UGC... ironic?

2006-05-10T13:43:00.000-04:00

This is interesting. The Wikipedia has a section on UGC, and since the Wikipedia is truly UGC, i think its rather ironic that the users are writing about user generated content.

I don't know. It might be one of the plot lines from LOST.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_generated_content

Check it...

A little more about Pearl Jam and UGC...

2006-05-10T13:39:00.000-04:00

Pearl Jam and User-Generated ContentPosted May 9th, 2006 by Cory Treffiletti

Friday night rocked!

Friday night I was one of the very few people in New York afforded the unique opportunity to see Pearl Jam play a little club called Irving Plaza. There were no more than 500 people in attendance (if that many) and the setting provided for a wild, yet intimate experience with my favorite band.

“Why is he writing about Pearl Jam in a column dedicated to digital advertising?” you might ask. Because, besides the fact that I’ve seen them more than 30 times in concert (and I want every one of you to go see them if you’re given the chance), they also provide an interesting insight into one of my favorite topics of the moment–user-generated content.

User-generated content is based on the fundamental concept of brand democratization, the idea that your brand is truly owned by your consumers, who are the ones in control. If you give them control, they’ll typically run with it and generate all sorts of interesting content around your brand. Entertainment has certainly come to understand this concept and embraced it in full. From the upcoming movie “Snakes on a Plane” to industry veterans like Pearl Jam, brand have empowered and encouraged consumers to spread the word.

Pearl Jam has recognized this concept better than any other band. Now that they’ve partnered with a label called J Records, the home of Clive Davis and one of the most well-respected names in music, they are reaping the benefits.

Over the years Pearl Jam has run an Internet fan club that routinely asks for input and artwork from its members, many of which have been used in T-shirt designs or published for others to see. They’ve run a Web site chock full of reviews and set lists written by fans. They post images and pictures in a gallery full of fan art. When they tour, they sometimes take requests from the fans, and in many cases they tease them with songs they haven’t played in years (this tour it’s “Leash,” for those of you truly playing attention). They offer fans an incentive to be this engaged by giving them first stab at tickets and special opportunities, like the show at Irving Plaza. Over the years they’ve discovered a way to make their band a brand and make that brand representative of a lifestyle. As a result, they continue to sell records and now that they’ve re-emerged into the mainstream consciousness with a little corporate backing, they’ve mobilized an army of fans who will guarantee success!

The way we see user-generated content being used by brands outside of entertainment is actually a bit of a cop-out. They are asking consumers to create ads or fill in the blanks for a MasterCard commercial, all of which represent the first, and easiest, wave of how this model can be applied. These are the simple ways to apply the model to advertising and though I love to see it taking hold, it represents only the tip of the iceberg. Once you’ve asked the consumer for input or content, then what? Great job; now you’ve got some new ads… what are you going to do to really motivate them and get them engaged? How do you make your brand into a lifestyle, and how do you mesh that lifestyle into the lives of your target audience?

The problem with what we are seeing now is these are only one step in a choreographed dance. They are the first step, and it’s an important one, but we need to see the steps that follow. We need to provide consumers with input and ways to shape the brand outside of the advertising. P&G has done this in the past with their Connect and Develop program, where consumers actually helped develop new products like Crest Whitestrips and the Swiffer Wet Jet, but even these are only single steps. No-one has yet packaged these various steps together and created the full choreography of user-generated marketing.

It will likely take a few years for our industry to understand the choreography necessary for a true user-generated marketing effort, but take a look around you and identify how your favorite lifestyle brands manage to get you involved. A little of what you see in each place can be repackaged and reworked, and you might come up with the right model.

For me, I’m going to go see a few more Pearl Jam concerts this month and continue my “research” into this topic.

Rock on!

http://blogs.mediapost.com/spin/?p=780

UGC - The Advertising Opportunity

2006-05-05T10:11:00.000-04:00

Here are some interesting stats on the future of advertising in UGC...

- Advertising on user-generated content (e.g. blogs, podcasts, RSS) grew 198.4 percent to $20.4 million in 2005 This trend did not even start until 2002

- Projected 2006 growth of 144.9 percent to $49.8 million

- Growth drivers = fragmented audience, apparent ineffectiveness of traditional advertising, 18 to 34 year-old demographic

- Largest categories: technology ($4.0 million in 2005), autos ($3.9 million), and media ($3.2 million)

source: PQ Media’s Alternative Media Research Series, http://tinyurl.com/fq3kz

Pepsi and MySpace - Ads go to UGC

2006-05-05T10:10:00.000-04:00

The flood gates are starting to open...

MySpace Opens Door to Sierra Mist, Advertising Floodgates

Pepsi-Cola has recently joined a handful of advertisers looking to cash in on the runaway popularity of MySpace. According to MediaPost, the company’s Sierra Mist brand will be the exclusive sponsor of MySpace Comedy, a page of original content for the site’s users.
With this deal, only the second full sponsorship agreement they have made, MySpace looks to be finding innovative ways to generate profit from their hugely untapped network of users. Though it ranks right up with the major search engines in traffic, boasting 70 million registered members and counting, the site makes less than many of those with older, more traditional revenue models.

Sierra Mist follows just Aquafina in becoming an exclusive MySpace advertiser, but meanwhile a number of other major brands have used clever means to extol their wares on the site by their own accord. Hamburger-flipper Wendy’s has used a cute mascot and grassroots tactics to garner 100,000 hungry young users on its friends list. Walt Disney Pictures got a little more elaborate in promoting “The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” on MySpace, disseminating an early peek at the movie’s trailer and launching a whole contest through random picks from its friends list.

The move to accept more advertisers also suggests that MySpace is reacting to a year’s worth of terrible publicity in which the site was in numerous cases implicated with the behavior of online sexual predators. Creating more sponsored, edited pages—like MySpace Comedy—could promote a greater sense of safety and more positive activities for MySpace users.

Consumer Generated Media Article from iMedia

2006-04-26T12:38:00.000-04:00

Check out this article and the examples of CGM they refer to...

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/9265.asp

Its a good read.

Pearl Jam

2006-04-22T13:03:00.001-04:00

I know its not really user generated, but i had to show it off today anyways!

http://www.theskyiscrape.com/

Check out the link to the "Life Wasted" video.

Dennis Hopper's Best Role

2006-04-22T13:03:00.000-04:00

This is really it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf-Gn0bXPCc&search=something%20blue

Disney Creates New Comedy?

2006-04-22T13:00:00.000-04:00

http://www.moondogedit.com/pages/pl_theapparenttrap.html

These things are getting good!

Sleepless in Seattle - The Directors Cut

2006-04-22T12:58:00.000-04:00

'nUFF SAID...

http://www.tomatopatch.com/films/sleepless.htm

Machinima Is Catching On!

2006-04-18T15:36:00.000-04:00

Check out this site...

http://www.machinima.com/

There are a hundred (exaggeration) episodes of movies created using video game footage. Its very interesting and offers another way that users are creating content. Some better than others, and i am curious as to the rights issues, but its certainly worth paying attention to.

Some Ramblings from the Southwest...

2006-04-18T15:31:00.000-04:00

Just as a heads up, we tend to forget about the rest of the world. We tend to forget about the rest of America who is not involved on a day-to-day basis with the Internet and who don't live within arms reach of their Blackberries.

I spent the last week in Arizona; Tucson specifically. This was much like the heartland of America, and there were people who are not as web-savvy as the daily people we run into, but they know about user-generated content. They are watching these videos and they are creating these videos. They are people that we should be thinking about when we develop our ideas. Never overlook the average American. if they "get it", then its big.

OK... Slurpee?

2006-04-06T14:34:00.000-04:00

http://www.frawgchallenge.com/?or=myspc.556

If you ever hung out at a 7-11, this is for you. If you haven't, check it out anyways.

Chevy Ads Smack Tahoe, but Stay Up

2006-04-05T13:31:00.000-04:00

This article from the NYTimes talks about how Chevy took out a campaign for UGC advertising and many of the people created ads critical of the gas guzzling SUV's like the Chevy Tahoe. Its certainly something we all expected but i have two things to say about the article.

First of all, i love that Chevy is allowing these ads to stay on the site. They are recognizing that the brand needs to be fair to all points of view and I commend them for it.

I also think they are being very smart in identifying that the audience is in control and they are trusting them. Now, if they react the correct way, we'll start to see them championing a new line of eco-friendly SUV's.

Check out the article here...
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/business/media/04adco.html?ex=1301803200&en=280e20c8ba110565&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

UGC, UGC, UGC...

2006-03-30T11:19:00.000-05:00

I just got back from the iMedia Breakthrough Summit in Las Vegas and I am almost (not yet) tired of hearing about user-generated content. And yes - its partially my own fault.

But for real, this is catching a head of steam and is the talk of the town these days. Everyone wants to know what to do about it, but no-one wants to try it.

I predict the second half of the year will see some great new ways rather than the "write my ad for me", and i disagree with Adam Gerber in that i don't think we'll see a big story of controversy surrounding an advertiser in the UGC space.

Lets se what happens.

George Clooney asks you to film your issues

2006-03-20T15:44:00.000-05:00

http://www.filmyourissue.com/

I saw this and thought it would be a great effort to highlight. Check it out and let me know what you think about it. It is UGC being used for the pwers of good rather than evil.

Gawker Stalker - UGC Stalking!

2006-03-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

If you didn't see the piece on CNN, there apparently are a number of celebs up in arms about this site. It allows you to track the movements and star sightings around Manhattan and its completely addictive. Check it out at http://www.gawker.com/stalker.

GM - Their Effort at UGC...

2006-03-15T16:36:00.000-05:00

Even GM, with all their financial and development issues, is launching into UGC. If they get it, it must be going mainstream. I love the idea of a car company doing this because its simple - we all have a very visceral tie to our cars and we should be able to express them. Don't you think?

http://adage.com/news.cms?newsId=48265

Will YouTube Get Sued Like Napster?

2006-03-14T19:48:00.000-05:00

This was an interesting article that raises copyright questions which are valid, but are also directly in conflict with much of the concept behind UGC. The UGC idea is not about taking video from other sources and repurposing it. Its about the cnsumer actually creating content. What the copyright rules apply to is slightly different...

http://news.com.com/Does+video+have+a+Napster+problem/2100-1026_3-6048650.html

That being said, i heard that NBC went after YouTube and a number of sites for playing and hosting the Lazy Sunday clip. Here is what I would like to say to the folks at NBC...

YOU ARE MORONS!!!!!!!

You really don't get it. You had free publicity for a show that has officially jumped the shark about 4 years ago, and the only funny material on the show is what is getting passed around the web. If i were you, I'd try to harness that rather than squash it.

Once again - you are complete morons.

Sincerely, me.

Lenovo Film Noir?

2006-03-14T19:46:00.000-05:00

Looks like an interesting program. Lenovo wants you to create "Laptop Confidential" in a film noir style andpost it on YouTube... not a bad contest...

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/announcements/laptop-confidential-contest-150650.php

Brokeback to the Future

2006-03-13T16:24:00.000-05:00

This may not be really newsworthy, but its really damn funny when you watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uwuLxrv8jY&search=brokeback%20to%20the%20future

Somehow i dont think this is what Ang Lee had in mind.

Mapping Out UGC

2006-03-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

This site was sent to me and i was VERY impressed right off the bat. Its a living map that shows where people have posted up pictures from various locations throughout the world. Its a useful mash-up of a maping function and a photo sharing application. Check it out...

http://woophy.com/map/index.php

AdAge See's That Lots Of Brands Are Jumping Into UGC

2006-03-05T11:32:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- What if ordinary TV viewers went from watching commercials to creating them? We’re about to find out.

Sony Electronics, Toyota Motor Sales USA and L’Oreal Paris have cut deals with Al Gore’s Current TV that will usher the beleaguered 30-second spot into the age of consumer-generated content and send shivers down the spines of agency creatives. The marketers will enlist the network’s viewers to produce commercials and will pay to air the best of those spots.

An online phenomenon User-generated content is all the rage on the Internet -- YouTube.com attracted 4.9 million unique visitors in January and reports 20,000 video uploads a day -- and Current is exporting the phenomenon to TV...

http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=48091

Mastercard Launches Its Own Promotion for UGC

2006-03-05T11:26:00.000-05:00

Finally - create your own Mastercard commercial and they will air the best submissions. People have been doing this for sometime online, but know they get endorsed by the brand.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JX5pYve_zpg

MySpace: The Movie?

2006-03-05T11:21:00.000-05:00

http://www.lostremote.com/archives/007619.html

A hilarious MySpace parody on YouTube has become so popular, the 21-year-old producer has been offered a development deal by MTVU. Called "MySpace: The Movie,"the clip has been viewed a total of 3.4 million times.

What is the world coming to?

Did Coke Pay For This?

2006-03-02T19:39:00.000-05:00

I doubt it, but you gotta love the initiative these guys have...

http://www.sharkle.com/video/56290

Sprite Makes a Dunk Face

2006-03-01T19:08:00.000-05:00

I love this idea... create your "dunk face" of what you would look like if you were jamming on Shaq. Check it out... and make a face!

http://www.sprite.com/dunkface/index.jsp

Innocent Smoothies - Reggae lives

2006-03-01T19:03:00.000-05:00

This is a funny commercial that was made for Innocent Smoothies and sent over to me... check it out...

http://digital-examples.blogspot.com/2006/03/user-generated-film-extolling-innocent.html

Beastie Boys - Ridin' the UGC Train

2006-02-26T21:08:00.000-05:00

Even the Beastie Boys are getting into UGC. They launched their UGC movie, entitled "I Fuckin' Shot That" at Sundance. Check out this review below:

http://www.cinematical.com/2006/01/21/sundance-review-awesome-i-fuckin-shot-that/

How Big is MySpace?

2006-02-20T13:06:00.000-05:00

I heard an interesting tidbit on CNN the other night. According to them, in December 2005 MySpace represented 10% of the total ad inventory available online.

Umm, i don't know about you guys but that is awfully big. Isn't it?

Its funny how in the last 2 months we've seen both Google and MySpace, both darlings of the internet community, start to get lambasted in the media. It just proves that once you're on top, faults and all, people want to knock you down.

UGC works, if not everyone is involved

2006-02-20T13:02:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting post about why UGC can work only if the few, the vocal minority, are involved. Take a look and process this how you see fit. Its a smart idea though...

http://www.unmediated.org/archives/2006/02/elatable_bradle_1.php

Its Delicious!

2006-02-07T20:36:00.000-05:00

Social bookmarking; another way to say "check this out"...

http://del.icio.us/

Oh, whoa is ... Wayfaring

2006-02-07T20:33:00.000-05:00

There was a bunch of buzz around the Google Map Mash-Ups last year, and now a company has popped up that enables any joe-on-the-street to create their own maps. Its very cool, and something that i can see being addictive. Its users taking control of the maps...

http://www.wayfaring.com/explore/live

More Mash-Up Fun

2006-02-07T20:27:00.000-05:00

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles take on Young Jeezy and Hova. Once again, very ingenius and certainly not what the original gang had in mind.

http://videobomb.com/posts/show/11

Burger King... Go F$#@ Yourself

2006-02-07T20:20:00.000-05:00

Ok, its not exactly what i had in mind when i said that fans would create ads that reflected their love of brands, but i also couldn't stop laughing when i saw this...

http://videobomb.com/posts/show/65

Matador Records and You Tube

2006-02-07T16:53:00.000-05:00

This is a great promotion - one to get fans to create the videos for their favorite artists. This has lots of legs and is definitely going to be done for every artist by this time next year...

http://www.youtube.com/prettygirlsgraves

Matador Records has this act, Pretty Girls Graves. Not a bad band to start with, but the fans will tell us for sure.

Nike ad, created by fans

2006-02-05T13:11:00.000-05:00

Its a little silly, but its an ad created from fans...

http://www.sharkle.com/?a=video&id=41735

Fast Twitch Media Launched at SF BIG Event

2006-02-03T15:26:00.000-05:00

Fast Twitch Media Network launched this week at the SF BIG event (www.sfbig.com). This is a network that enables people to work with users to create messaging in the form of user generated content, and it will receive rotation through various sites on the web.

http://www.fasttwitchmedia.com/

Its a great concept and one that I am going to be keeping an eye on, so you should too.

Fans are creating content

2006-01-31T17:48:00.000-05:00

Check out fanlib - its a pretty cool company doing some pretty cool things...

http://www.fanlib.com/cms/index2.html

Video Mash-Ups - Tron vs. Depeche Mode

2006-01-26T11:37:00.000-05:00

I predicted this one, and i was right. Danger Mouse made a living from a mash up of the beatles vs. jay z last year, but that was all audio. Here is an example of some great video mash-up content developed by a user. They took the movie Tron and created a Depeche Mode video, and its really good.

Check it... http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2688102

Podcasts and such as user generated content...

2006-01-26T11:35:00.000-05:00

Its a little off the path of UGC, but yours truly got some airtime on the iMedia Podcast about Emerging Media, so why not show it off a little bit...

Podcasts are UGC for audio after all.

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/7830.asp

iMedia Speaks at Sundance

2006-01-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/7997.asp

According to the good folks at iMedia, Sundance might as well be launching a UGC event. Some of the studios are starting to take notice and consumers are creating some great stuff...

Advertising is Obsolete?

2006-01-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

This article came through the New York Times this week and it states that advertising is dead and only word of mouth marketing is of any value.

I love blanket statements like this.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/23/business/media/23adco.html?_r=1

This is absurd and true at the same time. Advertising in the traditional sense of the word has become less and less effective, which is why we are discussing a move towards engagement. Engaging a customer in a dialogue is effective; much more effective than any form of advertising.

Word of Mouth is ALWAYS the most effective because it is engagement from one consumer to another. User Generated Content is EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT IS THE SAME THING.

If one user generates a statement about a brand, then another user of a similar mindset is bount to pay attention to it, hence it being more effective.

Read the article and form your own opinions, but know that the contradiction is what saves our industry in the first place.

Loreal contest to create ads

2006-01-21T12:15:00.000-05:00

Loreal recently had a campaign where "you create the commercial" and they posted the best 25 on this page. Not to obad, and a great example of users taking ownership for the brand...

http://www.varsityworld.com/videos/loreal/

User-Generated Content Is A Viable Ad Medium

2006-01-21T11:12:00.000-05:00

IN MY 2006 PREDICTIONS I mentioned that this year we'd see an increase in the usefulness and quality of user-generated content (UGC). I want to take this week's column to explain a little about what's going on in this category and why I'm so focused on it right now. First off, the fundamental truth of the Web is that it opens the doors to anyone with an idea and a little bit of time to publish for the world to see. The Web consists of trillions of pages, 99 percent of which are not created by any corporate or legal business entity. These pages are created by people all over the globe with a computer and Internet access. In fact, the Web is almost 100 percent UGC, and advertisers have been supporting that content for years through affiliate programs and network ad buys, and most recently with the contextual search products from Google and Yahoo. It's money from advertisers that supports the prospect that the Web can provide an outlet for a new idea or a new business, which keeps the system growing unto itself. Even last year's hottest topic (blogs) are just another form of UGC, and one that advertisers have started to notice.

The next wave, which we are currently seeing embraced by many mainstream publishers, is user-generated video content. I've already mentioned sites like Sharkle and YouTube, but now MTV and VH1 have shows dedicated to "Web junk," as VH1 calls it. These shows take some of the funniest UGC content and republish it on traditional cable television for the rest of the world to see, feeding people back online to find and view more of this new addiction (and trust me, it can truly be called an addiction since you'll find that you've just wasted hours of your time before you even know it).

I consistently hear advertisers state they're wary of supporting user-generated video content for fear that they cannot control the context of where their ads may be shown--and to this fear, I respond that the lesson has been learned and the model has already been proven. Advertising in user-generated video content is absolutely no different from advertising in an ad network or an affiliate program, both of which are models that every smart interactive marketer has taken advantage of. How many ad networks release to you their full list of sites? How many of you have combed through your affiliate program with a fine-toothed comb and reviewed the content of each site's pages on a regular basis to ensure they haven't updated with content that you'd find detrimental to your brand? Probably none of you have reviewed the entirety of either of these, but you trust the systems that are in place to ensure that your brand will be managed to the best extent possible. You trust that your vendors will watch out for you to the best of their ability, and they do. Nothing is guaranteed, and to be honest it can't be in as dynamic a medium as this.

Which brings me to my final point. The fact of the matter is, that once your brand has made it into the public domain, it belongs to the consumer.

Brand Democratization is a topic that I've dealt with before, and it is undoubtedly true. It is the concept that the consumer is in control of your brand once you've put it out into the marketplace and your responsibility is to listen and ensure that the promise of your brand (your brand message) coincides with the experience of your brand. If it does, then you've done your job well.

If it doesn't, then you need to react and respond to your consumers. If you place your brand in an ad unit in any form of media, then you must trust your consumer to let you know when they come across your brand in an environment they feel is inappropriate or incorrect. They are vocal, and if they like your brand, and if you've provided them with a sense of ownership for your brand, then they will respond and take action. They will let you know, and they will trust that you did not mean any association to be intentional. If you are listening, they will accept it and move on, but if you are ignoring them and have not engaged them in a dialogue, they will expose your brand and create an environment detrimental to your brand. This is the wave of the future, and this is the promise of Brand Democratization.

So you can see why I am as hot on the concept of USG as a viable ad medium, and even as a means of creating messaging that brands will find useful and that will possibly resonate more with the consumer. If you're interested in finding out more about the topic, or you have any ideas you'd like to pass on, check out my new blog at http://usergenerated.blogspot.com.

And pay attention in 2006; everything is evolving right before your very eyes.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=38586

Washington Post Shuts Down Bloggers

2006-01-21T11:08:00.000-05:00

User generated content extends far further than video. About 99,9% of the web's content can be considered User Generated. The Washington Post saw this on its blogs and, some may say rightfully, shut down their blogs because of the type of content that was being laid out. Hate speech and profanity were the reason it was shut down, so i can't blame them.

http://adage.com/news.cms?newsId=47554

Juice Wireless - mobile UGC

2006-01-18T16:39:00.000-05:00

http://www.juicecaster.com/JuiceCaster/index.php

These guys are making it easier for any user to create content on the fly and in a rich media fashion. I actually like how they are putting together products and trying to make it easy for the average person to use. Check it out.

Digg.com offers users the chance to decide...

2006-01-18T15:11:00.000-05:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113700912120443995.html?mod=djemMM

Tech news site Digg.com takes a unique approach to determining what to publish: it lets readers, not editors, decide. But such an approach presents some risks.

Word of mouth = peer to peer advertising

2006-01-13T09:50:00.000-05:00

There are some numbers that show word of mouth is more effective than any other form of advertising. Specifically, i can say that peer to peer word of mouth is the most effective, and if the users are generating this type of content, then the other users are likely listening...

Response Mean Index*
Positive word of mouth from someone you knew personally 7.7 - 134
Negative word of mouth from someone you knew personally 7.0 - 121
A negative news story on TV/Radio/Newspaper/Magazine 5.7 - 99
A TV or radio commercial 4.7 - 82
An advertisement in a newspaper or magazine 4.6 80

Source: WOMMA

The Wall Street Journal covered the topic...

2006-01-13T09:49:00.000-05:00

The WSJ had a series two weeks ago called "DIY Media" and this is an excerpt from one of those articles. It serves to add validity to the idea that users can generate great content...

“Drawing consumers into marketing campaigns is a time-honored tactic, whether companies are searching for the new Oscar Mayer kid, Brawny man, or Crayola Crayon colors. But in recent years, the Internet has furthered the conversation between corporations and consumers, tapping into the public's views and talents on a grander scale. Meanwhile, new technologies enable even amateurs to create sophisticated images. Earlier this year, Subaru of America enlisted fledgling filmmakers to produce 30-second films. The company was trying to generate awareness for the launch of its Subaru B9 Tribeca, an SUV”.

Tylenol

2006-01-13T09:43:00.000-05:00

This is a tylenol ad that was created by a user as part of a contest that was held. I know the brother of this guy and he sent it over to me, without realizing i would send it out to the world. Check it out - its a fantastic example of the high quality production and creative ideas that can be done by a user with little to no budget.

http://www.ouchthewebsite.com/page.jhtml?id=ouchthewebsite/timgreenburg/catalogueofpain.inc

"I don't need to speak to the man..."

2006-01-09T16:19:00.000-05:00

This is one of the Firefox ads that are being created as part of the trend toward user generated content. Funny, quick, and i think it might have been made my old high school science teacher...

http://video2.spreadfirefox.com/

Google Maps Ad...

2006-01-09T16:14:00.000-05:00

I love the old ladies with strippers. Its funny, its viral, and its a great example of low budget with high results...

http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=tcF-t9ANZCk&search=google%20ads%20advertising%20pbs%20nova

MTV got into the user generated trend in 2005

2006-01-07T01:06:00.001-05:00

http://www.psfk.com/2005/10/mtv_creates_use.html

MTV is rolling out MTVU Uber - a user generated content broadband channel. Until recently, the channel was only available on 730 US campuses but now executives have decided to distribute the channel in its entirety over broadband.

The programming focus is on original content, including "the best student-produced" short films, music videos, animation, etc. In a press release, MTVU GM Stephen Friedman says,
"We are handing over an entire channel online to college students and everyone who wants new music. mtvU Uber gives them the power to create and program their own channel, and will remain in perpetual beta mode as they experiment and pioneer the digital future."

Check it out here...
http://www.mtvu.com/

The first... sort of...

2006-01-07T01:06:00.000-05:00

BMW Films was close to the first, though not truly user generated.

Converse Gallery

2006-01-07T01:05:00.000-05:00

One of the first, and still one of the best...

http://www.conversegallery.com/

Teens are creating ads for Ban Deodorant... who knew?

2006-01-07T01:03:00.000-05:00

Summary: Who better to design ads than the targeted demographic itself? Kao Corp. embraced this philosophy in its "Feel Ban Fresh" campaign, a contest in which teens 12-20 designed and submitted ads for Ban Deodorant. The winning ads - chosen from a pool of 4,000 submissions - will be displayed in US Weekly this spring. The campaign drove traffic to the site and created a buzz for the product, but more importantly, it actually helped increase sales: by November 27, sales had risen 13.6%, after an abysmal three-year decline. P.J. Katien, Ban's assistant marketing director, recognized that the success of this initiative relied on "getting [a consumer] to feel like she is involved. No more one-way messaging."

Analysis: Ban's not the only brand getting a whiff of success. For its Converse label, Nike also eschewed traditional one-way advertising and instead engaged customers by encouraging them to create content. The company received 1,800 24-second videos for its Converse Gallery. Although Nike won't release its sales figures, marketing managers indicates that they're pleased with the results: after a 14-month series of user-generated ads, the company has decided to bring back another run of user-generated ads. How's that for a fresh-smelling campaign?

Resources: Wall Street Journal, FeelBanFresh
Simon Beins Writer/ResearcherHeartbeat Digital

http://www.heartbeatdigital.com/intellibeat/displayAlert.asp?page=241

Extreme Skipping is sweeping the nation

2006-01-07T01:01:00.000-05:00

If you don't laugh, you're dead...

http://www.sharkle.com/?a=video&id=2598

Organized: One of the Best

2006-01-07T01:00:00.000-05:00

This is one of the best videos i've seen from a random user in awhile. Not an ad, but it shows some dedication...

http://www.sharkle.com/?a=video&id=3386

The iPod Flea...

2006-01-07T00:58:00.000-05:00

This was too damn funny...

http://gprime.net/video.php/ipodflea

The Volkswagen Terrorist Ad

2006-01-07T00:55:00.000-05:00

This was over the top, but people watched it...

http://www.adrants.com/2005/01/vw-promotes-car-with-terrorist-bombing.php

Trendwatching...

2006-01-07T00:54:00.000-05:00

These guys recently did a great article on the trend towards user generated content...

http://www.trendwatching.com/

Consumers Create Burger King Video iPod Ads

2006-01-07T00:52:00.000-05:00

Consumers Create Burger King Video iPod Ads November 04, 2005 By Brian Morrissey

NEW YORK Although less than a month old, the video iPod is fast becoming a new advertising vehicle. Burger King is dipping its toes in the water by partnering with Heavy.com to offer consumer-generated videos extolling its brand icon, "The King."Burger King interactive shop WPP Group's VML in New York created the campaign in concert with Heavy.com, a youth-focused broadband video site that features a heavy dose of user-created content. Heavy.com sent out about 25 Burger King masks, created for Halloween by Crispin Porter + Bogusky of Miami, to the site's frequent contributors. It got back a dozen videos of The King in action, including one featuring him driving through a McDonald's drive-through wearing the mask and asking for Burger King menu items.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/iq_interactive/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001434353

Dunkin Donuts

2006-01-07T00:47:00.000-05:00

I saw some Dunkin Donuts ads today on TV and they are asking people for their favorite stories. Looks like they're jumping into the game now.

The Purpose of User Generated.

2006-01-07T00:15:00.000-05:00

The world is changing. It is becoming a Consumer-Centric World. Consumers are in control of when they engage with media, where and in what format they engage, and more importantly they're starting to create more of the media themselves.

The Internet was created as the first self-publishing format, allowing anyone and everyone the ability to create content for the world to see. Personal websites emerged and morphed into blogs, which launched community sites, and now we're seeing video as the new wave, the next generation. As analog media slides into the past, digital media is enabling the users to generate the media.

And by the way, they're pretty damn interesting.

As brands are launched into the world, we see the concept of Brand Democratization emerge. This is the concept of the users being in control of the brands. The simple fact is that once your brand is in the public eye, brand perception becomes brand reality. The way a brand becomes succesful is by ensuring that there is a positive experience with the brand, and that the message of the brand matches the experience of the brand. If it doesn't, then the users expose the brand for what it truly is and it flops. If it does match, then we see the power of the consumer as they evangelize the brand. This is where word-of-mouth marketing becomes so important, and in a world where the mouth of the consumer is so easily broadcast for the world to hear it, the brands MUST be listening!

This blog is going to expose and highlight some of the best, and the worst, in the trend towards a consumer-centric, user-generated world. If you want to know whats going on in this space, come here, 'cause I like to think I am paying the MOST attention to this category.

Its my personal epiphany to share with the world.

So thanks for reading and best of luck!

CTreff