Almost every brand and company is now looking to jump on the user content and creation bandwagon before it roles out of town. And as the internet is all about people creating, it seems pretty logical.
But for managers and executives more than one step removed from the process, it can seem such as easy way to get some adverts or marketing. But the penny is starting to drop. The NY Times has covered the troubles the Heinz brand has faced, with a call for five Youtube videos good enough to air on TV so far resulting in 370 entries which simply aren’t making the grade:
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“But these companies have found that inviting consumers to create their advertising is often more stressful, costly and time-consuming than just rolling up their sleeves and doing the work themselves. Many entries are mediocre, if not downright bad, and sifting through them requires full-time attention. And even the most well-known brands often spend millions of dollars upfront to get the word out to consumers.”
It seems like a good time to remind everyone that the most well known examples of Youtube videos are the fake (Lonelygirl15), or individuals that have then been adopted by companies (Miming to music videos etc). And when Doritos invested in a similar campaign, it cost $1.3million.