The art of sourcing the crowd
By Simon Fuller. Current thinking. Over the last few months we’ve looked at crowdsourcing initiatives, such as Benetton looking for new ad peeformers via an online campaign to BBH utilising crowdsourcing platform Talenthouse. And there are few signs of brands letting up on this, with crowdsourcing campaigns a regular fixture of the marketing landscape.
Current TV is one bunch which should know a thing or two about all this. It’s VCAM – Viewer Created Ad Message – group allows creative types to get involved in producing videos for brands, with big names like Samsung and HP getting involved by assigning briefs.
So what’s led to this ongoing drive towards collective work?
“Brands are beginning to recognise that understanding, engaging with and listening to their consumers is imperative for individuals to feel connected to them,” says Helen Robinson, marketing manager at Current TV. “It is a way of adding value and allowing people an experience, rather than simply being subjected to messaging. It is important for brands to step up their game, and by interacting and crowdsourcing material they will always have something different and unique to offer.
“Consumers trust adverts that are created by consumers as the endorsement comes straight from the horse’s mouth.”
And Current hopes that the VCAM group will have an impact on marketing.
“VCAMs aim to open eyes to young and undiscovered creative talents that have grown up in the consumer world, and that have become more savvy to the advertising industry than ever,” says Robinson. “It should certainly keep agencies on their toes as we find it harder than ever to cut through the market. VCAMs essentially aim to help bridge the gap between the brand and the consumer and we believe [the VCAMs] will encourage brands even more so to listen to the people that will buy or use their products.”
