Many advertising and communications agencies happily talk about harnessing user generated content as if users will be pliantly go along with agencies suggestions and brands desires. Consumers have proved time and time again that they will push back on this approach and go their own way. The C doesn't stand for Content, it stands for Communications and actually agencies are ultimately cultivating their replacements.
Take Coke's recent Mentos experience. "Two total unknowns hijacked the Coke brand and gave it back to them in better shape. Coke was stunned, but they saw the light." After ignoring Grobe and Voltz, then trying it themselves (via their agency and yes, it bombed) Coke finally went back
to Grobe and Voltz to create a new promotion. Nothing to do with their agency.
Is this the new model, getting rid of the middle man and putting not only the brand but the brand communications back into the hands of those that always really owned it - the people.
1 comment:
Giles, lovin' the blog. Good thinking!
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