brand-e

By Simon Fuller. Creative fame. What happens when brands offer crowdsourcing initiatives which focus on the ad itself? Well, you get something a bit like TV channel Current’s online VCAM group.
The VCAM – or Viewer Created Ad Message – group works like this: brands post their ad assignments through the Current website, where prospective ad designers can flick through a number of work briefs. For each brief, the creatives have a month to give it their best shot before all submissions are handed to the brand, with the best four ads being aired on Current TV – that’s Sky channel 183.
Oh, and not only do these crowdsourced creatives get their five minutes of TV fame, they also pocket £1,250.
These are big assignments too, with some top brands involved – in the past, creatives have been asked to come up with ads for the likes of Samsung and O2, along with video game Resistance 2.
“[Our VCAM partners] are innovators who tend to lead the way in new media and technology,” says Helen Robinson, marketing manager at Current TV. “Though we are just as at home working with hair and beauty brands who want to approach advertising in a new way.”
And according to Current, it’s not just the tech sector which can get onboard and see the advantages of this take on crowdsourcing – the VCAM group has something to offer all brands.
“Many sectors may benefit from VCAMs as Current works closely with each client to ensure brand messaging and targets are hit for the campaign,” says Robinson. “Many brands choose VCAMs as part of a product launch, for example Samsung who have additionally utilised the online and TV platforms by involving branding in bespoke content created by Current.
“The way we create a VCAM brief together sits in line with the client brand, but it’s also positioned as an achievable challenge for the VCAM producers. Through previous campaigns it has become increasingly clear that the clients who are daring enough to trust young creatives, treat them professionally, and work with Current to appear accessible have been most successful. This mainly requires a practical involvement in the campaign managed by Current, allowing [creatives] access to logos, standard product assets, and indirectly being reachable for queries and coaching. Brands who are interested in discovering and encouraging new talent will see the best results.”
Current reckon the majority of their creatives who answer the call of the brands are 18-34 year-olds, who are into film, graphic design and new media. And they get involved via a range of videos utilising a raft of techniques, from animation and claymation to HD film production, with different approaches ranging from simple to subtle.
So what do the brands look for in the VCAMS they select?
“Often a selection in style of ads are chosen to represent different parts of their brand and to suit different environments,” says Robinson. “The producers that are most successful are those who really understand the brief, have talent and a creative flair.
“Each brand is looking for something different. Whether they want to use the platform to gain knowledge of their consumers, whether they want raw talent and fresh eyes on the brand, or whether they are using the platform as a small section of part of their larger campaign to ensure a unique touch point with the consumer.”