There used to be a distinct multi-tiered relationship between consumer and product; usually there would be a marketing or advertising person in the middle to be the creative gatekeeper. Now, with the advent of easier technology, all that is changing.
The latest vogue is for the clients to have the consumers directly market the product. Powerful home computers, with editing software, have enabled consumers to make ‘commercials’ about the products they care about. And doesn’t the best word of mouth start with someone who already loves the product?
Converse is one such brand using these methods; they solicited potential ads from their consumers and received more that a thousand. Ipod and General Motors are two more companies using this grass root method. Who knows? Maybe we’re seeing a total revolution of how advertising and marketing is conducted.
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Current TV, a cable network in the States, has commercials just like every other network. The difference? Some of their commercials are being made by the consumer, not by an ad agency.
One of the first being shown is a 24 second ad for Sony Electronics, made by a guy from Minneapolis who got paid a $1000 for his time. Sony approved the ad, gets a creative vision they don’t have to pay too much for, and gets the word of mouth hype from such a risqué idea. The question is, how much longer are those traditional advertising agencies going to last?
"User-generated content is sort of the word of the day," said Anne Zehren, the president of sales and marketing for Current TV, which was started last August. "And I think smart marketers will start harnessing that."
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I believe today’s marketing model is broken. We’re applying antiquated thinking to a new world of possibilities.
-Jim Stengel, GMO: P&G
Vocanic is looking for a Web and Graphics Designer to work on some cutting-edge projects we’re doing. We prefer someone with experience in youth-oriented projects, as well as Web Application Usability and GUI Design. The person will also be skilled with CSS-HTML, JavaScript, Flash, and Dreamweaver.
Does anyone know somebody like this? Are you this person? If you’re based in Singapore, email us your CV to designer_wanted@vocanic.com.
Lego’s best selling product of all time was ready for an update. So how should they research it, build it, and sell it? That’s easy. They just enlisted some of their best customers – and didn’t pay them a thing.
Perhaps the best influencers are those that truly love a product already, and are going to talk about it no matter what. Lego realized this, and brought aboard several volunteers in the very early stages of the new Mindstorm product development. Those customers picked for the task loved Mindstorm, had experience with it, loved to talk about it, and most importantly, would talk about it with others.
Hats off to Lego Corporation, a company doing hundreds of millions of dollars in business per year, and manages to secure the best influencers to not only build their project, to not only talk about their project, but to do it all for free, and be thankful for the chance!
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