Keeping It Real With User Generated Content
User-Generated Content (UGC), best known for fueling the popularity of web sites like YouTube and MySpace, has taken a hold of advertising. Many brands, such as L’Oreal, Toyota Motor, MasterCard, and Converse have latched onto this trend and used it as a new medium in their campaigns. User-generated content as a marketing medium is ideal for a product that everyone loves because the brand will basically sell itself. But what happens when people have negative feelings towards your product? What strategies are marketers coming up with to avoid backlash on their products?
For example, in April 2006, Chevy Tahoe introduced what they thought was a creative and innovative way to advertise their product. Incase you haven’t heard, here is what happened: Chevy Tahoe had their customers create ads for their vehicle using provided backgrounds, images, and music, leaving it to the user to generate the text. Consequently, anti-SUV activists created anti-Chevy Tahoe ads and posted them for everyone to see. Most even ended up on YouTube, which received viral attention. Some of the more popular videos included, "Our Planet's Oil is Almost Gone. You Don't Need GPS to See Where This Road Leads," "Like This Snowy Wilderness? Better Get Your Fill of It Now, Then Say Hello to Global Warming," and "$70 to Fill Up the Tank, Which Will Last Less than 400 Miles. Chevy Tahoe."
It has been one year since this tough lesson was learned: user-generated content as a marketing medium can backfire. What are marketers doing today to prevent things like this from happening again? Over the last year there have been several user-generated content campaigns that have been very successful. The best tactic so far in using UGC in your marketing is for the brand to be in control.
Dove Cream Oil had a contest for a user-generated video, which they previewed and picked the best one to show. See my last blog for more information. Doritos did the same thing, but had users vote online for their favorite, and then aired it during the 2007 Superbowl. The Chrysler Group learned from their competitor’s marketing mistakes and invited consumers to help create its ads, both print and online – but they are able to stay in control of the whole thing.
User-generated content websites are growing by the day. This medium is leading the growth of online advertising, but marketers need to keep in mind that since the web 2.0 boom, freedom of speech has taken on a whole new meaning. If you want people to write about your brand, they will, but it won’t always be what you are looking for. Let the users do your advertising, but make sure you ultimately have the control. Think about all of the consequences. What about mocking up a user-generated advertising campaign? I can guarantee you’ll see that very soon.
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