When it comes to advertising, most name brands like to stick to tried-and-true methods. However, an interesting new trend has arisen that not only provides a fresh voice to the medium, but could also give several crowdsourcing people a chance to shine.
That’s according to a new article from Mashable, which indicates that crowdsourced advertising isn’t just being saved for special occasions (like the Super Bowl) anymore. Instead, it’s becoming more like the norm, and founding a new model in the process.
James DeJulio, a co-founder and chief executive for ad tech firm Tongal, explains that there’s room for crowdsourced advertising in this medium, acting like the “Uber of the marketing world.” The demand for it has actually arisen quite a bit over the past few years, with original content being introduced across a number of platforms, such as digital and social media. It can also result in lower budgeting for ads, based around low-cost projects introduced by said partners.
“It’s non-traditional work, and it’s a model that’s really starting to catch on,” said DeJulio. “And creative people are enabled by technology now to do what only big organizations could do before.”
A lot of companies have been wary in regards to working with crowdsourced-based advertising, mainly because of the established trends that have already come from it. However, with more and more viral and television hits with certain ads, they’re starting to lean back a bit from this theory, and, indeed, give the “little guys” a chance to do their thing.
However, there’s still risk with it. “Even if you do want to let the inmates run the asylum, without the proper checks and balances in place, it can fall with a thud,” said Sean McNamara, chief strategy officer for Omelet. “It can be more work than if you’d manufactured the ad yourself, and if it fails, that’s just untenable for a brand with a low risk tolerance.”
That’s not to say that companies should be discouraged from giving it a try. Several big-name brands have benefitted from working with crowdsourcing with big results. Coca-Cola, for example, hosts a filmmakers’ program that airs in theaters across the country. A sample of this advertising can be seen below.
