Sunday, October 3, 2010

Rule #5: Want Control? Give It Away

In chapter five Mathieson discusses the advantages and potential pitfalls of user-generated content. Using examples such as Heinz Ketchup’s Top This campaign and Coca Cola’s “Essence of Coke”, a compelling argument to the efficacy of allowing consumers to create content is made.

Key Takeaways:

Embrace Risk, But Ensure Reward

Encourage users to participate in content generation, however make sure that safeguards are in place to protect brand reputation. Mathieson uses the example of Chevrolet’s UCG website meant to promote the Chevy Tahoe. Users were allowed to create the commentary for a short commercial. The commercials were then open to all viewers. Hilarity ensued as rogue users created anti-suv clips (click here to jump to a consumerist.com article about this, replete with the original parody ad vids)

A more effective campaign was employed by Doritos, named “Free Doritos”. Users were encouraged to create commercials, which were then carefully vetted before receiving online showtime. Here's the 2009 winning ad

What would incentivize you to participate in one of these contests, other than money (you greedy scoundrels!)

It’s Not Consumer-Created If It Comes From A Pro

When allowing open, public participation in a UCG campaign, professional consumers (artist, videographers, production specialists) can essentially usurp these campaigns, which may be construed as unfair to the average consumer.

In your opinion, does professional involvement serve to motivate or discourage amateur participation?

Don’t Think User-Generated, Think User-Personalized

By narrowing the parameters in which content is generated, it becomes more of a personalization process. Mathieson uses the example of Jones Soda allowing users to create custom soda labels to order, and submitting pictures that may be used as a label for one of their products.

If you could personalize any product, what would it be?

14 comments:

  1. Online user generated and personalized experiences have grown at an almost exponential rate. It seems like everyone has a customizable aspect to their product or service website. As a software engineer I have to wonder how different online marketing would be today without the enabling Web 2.0 technologies (Ajax, Adobe Flash, Adobe Flex, JavaScript, new web scripting languages, etc.) that made all this possible. On the other hand with out new technology we wouldn't have nearly as many annoying "flash enabled" web pop-ups.

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  2. What would incentivize you to participate in one of these contests, other than money (you greedy scoundrels!)
    SO: Only a very, very good and excellent product, that I am a big fan of (not Doritos :))


    If you could personalize any product, what would it be?
    SO: Benefit Makeup, Nutella, Boulder Ice Cream, CorePower Yoga Studio

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  3. Re: "does professional involvement ..."

    I don't think so. If you love a product, you love a product. If you have an idea, you have an idea. If you're capable of producing video, you produce video. That said, I don't think professional participation is a very transparent part of the contest.

    My guess: they received a mountain of garbage and a handful of gems. There might be a slightly smaller mountain of garbage if it was more clear to the herd that a professional was probably going to win.

    Of course, the gems came from smart, professional people. Love this from Herbert, the Doritos winner: "We did a lot of research on how the Ad Meter works, and tailored our commercial to exactly what we thought would achieve a high ranking." It goes back to Rule 1: know your audience. They studied the way the scoring system worked, then tailored a spot very specifically to the system (audience). There were probably better looking and more professional spots in the heap, but the Transit Film guys started smart.

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  4. What would incentivize you to participate in one of these contests, other than money (you greedy scoundrels!)?
    EK: I would need some sort of major incentive if I was going to put a high level of effort into it...perhaps food for a year from a food place, or a free trip from a travel company (specific to the company's specialty).

    In your opinion, does professional involvement serve to motivate or discourage amateur participation?
    EK: If amateurs knew they were up against pros, far fewer would participate.

    If you could personalize any product, what would it be?
    EK: a flavor for Glacier Ice Cream/Gelato, or a new item for Trader Joe's

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  5. What would incentivize you to participate in one of these contests, other than money (you greedy scoundrels!)

    People will often become incentivized when it relates to them and their networks interest. The incentive for myself is often times the desire to share something that I know others will enjoy. A good example is http://sendables.jibjab.com/ where people sign up and provide all their information just so they can share an idea or product with friends.

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  6. What would incentivize you to participate in one of these contests, other than money (you greedy scoundrels!)

    GR: Honestly money...or the fact that I actually believe in the product and want others to experience what I did. Also if the product really truly sucked I might make one that would eventually be censored.

    In your opinion, does professional involvement serve to motivate or discourage amateur participation?

    GR: It would be interesting to know if no one would submit UGC if there wasn't an incentive. I would say a few people would do it regardless of the talent pool. This could be a hobby or interest to them.

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  7. I think the money incentive gets creative people involved. Whereas the Chevy Tahoe example brings in people who want to make a political statement (the No War for Oil crap, etc).
    On the Jones Soda page I couldn't help but notice all the "great" comments people wrote. I wonder how many are faked just so people think the soda is the bees knees?

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  8. What would incentivize you to participate in one of these contests, other than money (you greedy scoundrels!)? -- I don't know that anything would except a true belief in it's benefits. It would have to be something that I had and emotional attachment to, heart loyal...

    In your opinion, does professional involvement serve to motivate or discourage amateur participation? -- It appears the professionals always end up winning. I am not sure that any of us would want to watch an advertisement produced by amateurs.

    If you could personalize any product, what would it be?
    Hmm, maybe a beer bottle label. That's about the only thing I can think of right now. Wine bottle labels would be cool as well.

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  9. I love the user-personalized approach! I think it would be cool to personalize a liquor or wine bottle label for a special occasion.

    Like:"Mr. and Mrs. X, Congrats on your wedding day. Just as this bottle of wine took way too long to finally get here so too did your wedding!?!"

    In reply to Ryan's post. I think the Jones site is a great idea and the cultish followers and consumers of Jones Soda get all the reward they want when they see their comment or picture on the website. Or possible their input will show up on an actual bottle! This isn't for money or recognition. This is how they feel like a part of the Jones Soda tribe. They have contributed and enriched the community!? That's how I see it.

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  10. I think a good example of giving away control was Dominoes Pizza and how they took all the criticism of their pizzas to make it come out better (or at least that's the majority consensus). It had to be hard for them to listen to all of that and not just get discouraged, but they seem to have made it into something good for the company.

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  11. I think that "incentivizing" is going to be a major staple in the future of marketing...basically in the form of crowdsourcing. Often, paying an "incentive" will be much less costly than having the same thing done by professionals. Not only the cost, but the perspective/attitude of the individual user is generally much more keen than the professional...as demonstrated by the Tahoe misfire. Nevertheless, there will have to be spefic 'rules' and 'best practices' to succeed in this type of environment.

    What would incentivize you to participate in one of these contests, other than money (you greedy scoundrels!)?
    RW: Incentives would have to be commensurate (or exceed) the level of effort. Putting words to an ad is much different than creating the ad itself

    In your opinion, does professional involvement serve to motivate or discourage amateur participation?
    RW: Discourage...they often don't have the time, resources, or experience to produce the same level of quality. However, it is also the perfect opportunity for amateurs to showcase their talents in working their way to become pros.

    If you could personalize any product, what would it be?
    RW: any item you use on a daily basis should be able to be "customizable".

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  12. Slightly off point, but timely:

    Gap reveals new logo. Reaction is broadly negative. Gap invites its Facebook fans to submit their own logo designs.

    http://mashable.com/2010/10/07/gap-logo-redesign/

    Touches on listening, crowdsourcing and UGC.

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  13. Interesting research: user-generated product reviews as effective as professionally produced commercials ...

    http://comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/10/comScore_ARS_Study_Finds_User-Generated_Video_Reviews_Exhibit_Elements_of_Sales_Effectiveness

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  14. I would personalize:

    pet apparel for cold winters
    high end apparel- like Ralph Lauren did with Rugby shirts
    some crazy 80's looking tennis shoes

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