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Most advertisers are running plain vanilla user-generated-content (UGC) contests - in the name of engagement
Most advertisers are running plain vanilla user-generated-content (UGC) contests - in the name of engagement. Do advertisers and digital agencies lack the skill or intent to create interesting contests?
Girish Mahajan, Co-founder & Director, Webitude
In case of UGC, a brand might need to go the extra mile to create an environment to facilitate users' creativity by providing examples, reference content or simple, do-it-yourself tools for them to exercise their creativity. Therefore, it is not the lack of skill or intention, but rather the 'nascent' nature of the medium that is resulting in low-on-creativity programmes.
Ashok Lalla, President, Digital, Euro RSCG
Many marketers and digital agencies are guilty of mistaking the medium as the idea. They feel that 'YouTube is an idea'. It isn't - it's just a means to an end. If everyone includes YouTube in the interaction plan, it is the idea that will make one brand's message stand out from the other.
The problem occurs when marketers and their digital agency partners mistake the Upload, share, video, comment tools and related apps to be their big idea. These are common tools that will apply to all interactivity. What turns the interactive from mere action to real engagement and involvement is the quality of the idea backing is.
Start with an idea that addresses a real consumer need or problem, wrap your brand around it appropriately and you may well have a successful campaign or contest.
Shubho Sengupta, Creative Head, Digital, Rediffusion Y&R
I feel sheer numbers - can only happen on mobile. Unless the stakeholders in digitally-driven agencies see the value of creative and get out of lip-service mode, I don't see much changing. The great thing is there's a bunch of kids out there who are furiously working on mobile apps for overseas clients. They will drive the change and Indian advertisers will sit up and take notice.
RP Singh, Business Director, Digital, GroupM
I am sure this video campaign is a result of deeper coordination of will and skill. In India, advertisers are using tried and tested models only to play safe. It is a result of a lack of "will and skill", but both can complement each other in driving innovative ideas. A client might drive his digital or social media agency up the wall to deliver a path-breaking UGC execution while the skill of an agency can motivate the advertiser to create will.