Share ideas that inspire. FALLON PLANNERS (and co-conspirators) are freely invited to post trends, commentary, obscure ephemera and insightful rants regarding the experience of branding.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Trend: User Created. Oops-a-daisy.

So Chevy is running a competition with The Apprentice. It allows you to make your own ad and upload it...

Seems not every contributor is a fan of the motor industry.

Now, heavens only knows how long this link will stay up before it vanishes down the memory hole. It's going to be interesting to see. Because this is one of the dilemmas I think brands still haven't really figured out. How much co-creation do you want? Do you risk allowing and propagating criticism? Or do you curtail and delete submissions you don't agree with, thereby negating the whole point of co-creation in the first place? Buggered if I know the answer.

Let's see what Chevy does, shall we?

2 comments:

AKI SYSTEMS 2600 said...

ha! this is a good hack. but i don't really sympathise with Chevy for asking for this one. on so many levels this speaks to Adrian's issue of too many fake co-creators.

a)the premise is make a spot...BUT we'll supply you the footage. in fact, we'll supply you all the corniest footage from our vaults from which we make local sale-a-thon spots from which suggests we not only are gonna jump on a bandwagon, but we aren't even gonna really INVEST in our bandwagoneering. consumers aren't worth that.

b) User Co-Creation is, at the core of it, simply CELEBRATING OUR USERS. tell me where there is ANY CELEBRATING THE USER IN THIS? this is just a another trapdoor to regular, traditional advertising- or celebrating our big car...as reedited by us. hell, i dunno even what was USER-CENTRIC about this...did they seed the passionate Chevy Gangs to get first dibs? Or did they blast it on a TV Show?

c)user co-creation as a platform NEEDS TO ALIGN WITH CONSUMER PASSION AROUND THE BRAND. THE JOB OF THE USER-CREATED EXECUTION IS TO DIRECT THAT PASSION AND PROVIDE A SHARED (ENHANCED) BRANED EXPERIENCE - NOT INVENT CONSUMER PASSION WHEN THERE IS NONE. example...quick name a friend who is so passionate about Chevy that he tattoos it on his arm. or...name a friend who evangelizes to you weekly about why Chevy is tops. name a friend who lives and breathes Chevy as a lifestyle. hmn, still waiting. Name a friend who does the same for say, Vespa. Or Triumph motorcycles. Or Lego. Or Campers and Converse? hell, even if i goto the GM portfolio i can name a few Cadillac passionates. the Car Tuner demographic is an easy example to cite for Car Passionates who live their car brands beyond just the price and function. near as i can tell, those evangelists only care for the old-school Chevy Impalas and such. Not Tahoes.

Really, my point is EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GET OFF USER-CREATED BANDWAGONS THAT DON'T FIT THEIR BRAND. or find better, more insightful ways to source the fit.

Peter Parker says: "With great power comes great responsiblity". Chevy, Use Users Responsibly.

AKI SYSTEMS 2600 said...

I COPIED SCREENGRABS FROM IT FOR MY CASE STUDY OF "HOW NOT TO FUEL USER CO-CREATION".

i am certain this folder will grow within the coming months.