User Generated Advertising – we’ve heard a lot about it. From the natural expression of enthusiasm for a product (Apple) to more ham-fisted attempts by brands to get users to rearrange their assets into ads (Chevy Tahoe), user generated advertising is on everyone’s minds. Now, it’s Al Gore’s turn. Gore’s been on a roll for the last year, almost single-handedly keeping climate change on everyone’s mind. Prius, one of the more annoying cars to drive, is now a status symbol for caring for the earth.
Just short of one zillion people caught Kelly Clarkson at the Live Earth concerts talking about how easy it turns out to be to change a lightbulb. Now, as Gore’s presidential awareness campaign continues, he has announced a competition, open to anyone at all, to create an ad campaign explaining global warming and calling viewers to action. Whether donors are found to buy airtime or not, we can assume the winners will get a lot of play on news shows and YouTube.
I admit I’m annoyed that the spots are all video. Why leave out ad formats that work better online? In announcing the contest – the unfortunate prize for which is a car (ok, a hybrid Toyota Highlander, but still) – he offered as a template a truly excellent ad that an environmental group in Australia did (http://www.climateprotect.org/ah12). We can’t wait to see what people come up with, we’re big believers in user generated content. But when this is the template people are asked to aspire to, the if-you-have-a-camera-you-can-create-content ethos is going to be put to a serious quality challenge.
Matt Rosenberg
Strategists & Planners