IAB and Marketing in a User-generated World
Marketing in a User-Generated World
While almost all brand marketers have determined that Social Media represents a huge opportunity, many are still uncertain as to exactly what it is or how to capitalize on its potential. Marketers must first understand the nuances of user-generated media, then define the objectives of their marketing strategy around it and finally address how it connects with the overall approach to brand development. This panel will discuss these issues along with the opportunities for advertisers to leverage user-generated content as well as their own to achieve relevancy, freshness, emersion and engagement.
Moderator: Abbey Klaassen, Digital Editor, Ad Age
Jonathan Carson, Chief Executive Officer, Nielsen BuzzMetrics
Kate Everett-Thorp, CEO, Real Girls Media Network
Andrew Markowitz, Director, Digital Marketing, Kraft Foods Inc
Art Sindlinger, Activation Director | Social Media & Gaming, Starcom Worldwide
AK: AdAge names the consumer the agency of the year. This was controversial, but indicative of the shift to 2-way conversation and away from blast marketing. So, to the panel, what is UGC?
JC: Lots of stuff. Social media, content created by users, communicated or published, For this audience [at the conference] it’s relevant to brand.
AK: is it filtered, unfiltered?
KET:it can be both. But you are getting more reviews, editing,. Advertisers have a choice. We talk about content in an atmosphere where we would like to engage the audience but is it social media or is it ‘free publicity’. When does it compete with ‘legitimate’ media. [i don’t necessarily agree with her split here]
AK: What has more potential. Ads next to UGC or adding UGC to the development of messaging.
AM: it should be a piece of integrated marketing. I would like to see brand engage, with the community, brand loyalists etc.
AS: is it either/or? YOu have to match the objectives; You have to apply same filters for the buy as you would elsewhere. You have to tailor your message.
AM: there are differences; you don’t need multi-million pound campaigns. It’s about facilitating conversation. We don’t always think about objectives.
KET: it has to resonate. Using an advertising message only can be bad - need to engage and interact.
AK: can you name a good use of UGC?
JC: Superbowl? We track the buzz. The Nationwide campaign did the most buzz. They did an aggressive lead-up through UGC/CGM; leaked clips sent to bloggers. Put up a site with extras, put up viral components. By the time ad aired, it had already been seen a lot. The TV ad spend was in support of the buzz campaign.
AS: when using UGC have to do checks - objectives, audience, check non-users and how they feel about you. Would your involvement trigger unintended consequences? I love the ones where the users have meaningful role, such as Dell and Ideastorm, or Pontiac or Coke in Second Life.
KET: Nikon Picture Town - they handed digital cameras to the town and they told the stories. Anyone can take a great photo with the right camera. Apple leading to allt he spoofed PC/Mac ads.
AS: Inspiring (spoofs) is a great place to be, Can you design with this in mind?
AM: I like it when brands take a risk, there can be a huge reward.
AK: What does buzz get you?
JC: it’s taken off as we can now measure it. There are strides to link buzz to marketing performance. It is just beginning. We have done studies on buzz related to sales. Still working on it. We added buzz to Baseys model and error rate for new product predictions decreased by about 20%
AM: internally we know there is a lot of data but the new world means you can’t wait for everything to be perfect. Brands can be risk adverse - but there are ways to get into this without spending a lot; you can try possibilities. Need to set expectations internally.
AK: How do build support in an organisation?
AS: It is a risk/reward situation. Demystify it, educate. You have to crawl-walk-run. Start slow. Look for small victories. Always have contingency plans and do risk mitigation.
KET: You are changing position. Everywhere else you are ‘telling’, here you are talking with. Need to start with different messaging approach. Being a solution is underutilised in this space - go and help them! Get a dialogue going. WOM can pass you by, you need to understand it and what is happening in the space.
AK: There’s a lot of ‘me too’, derived plans. How important is it to be fresh?
KET: Depends on overlap. Time Sq pictures are being done a lot but it is new for the audience. The women’s groups are being annihilated right now - everybody is hitting them.
AM: use your home mindset at work. Get people out of the office in thinking aobut it. What are you challenging peope to do? Depends on the audience. What are they passionate about?
JC: it has to be engaging and relevant, not just new.
AM: does not have to be big, just talk to consumers.
AK: advice for guiding and shaping conversation?
JC: track it. Understand it. participate. Real marketing activity is when the audience is involved.
KET: set expectations properly. Understand the scale. 1% create, remember these things have a long life as well - they are
not a ‘campaign’
AudienceQ: We are talking about things that are long established marketing principles; some product categories have no interest for the consumers. Do some categories just not do it or can anyone do it?
AS: You need to understand the audience. Is it community building or community participation. Marketing is facilitation, so how can you add value? What is the relationship between fellow brand users? Should you be the host or the guest?
AM: it’s not about brand equity it’s about consumer benefit.
AK: have to know insight and consumer involvement with the brand.
AudienceQ: Contingency plans…do you have an example?
KET: you can change the message. Have to have the right mindset. Publish the etiquette adn the community rules first, communities tend to gravitate towards these.
JC: Psion(?) during SL campaign. You could buy the cars they built, but the price was too high. They introduced test drives and auto-financing in SL, partnered up with a bank.
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POSTED IN: Buzz Marketing, Conferences and Events, Engaging the Customer, User Generated Content
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