Kate Everett-Thorp on user-generated content
Kate Everett-Thorp, CEO, Real Girls Media Network, says user-generated content is in its infancy. And the challenge for marketers is learning how to play in a space that is controlled by consumers.
Transcript: Kate Everett-Thorp on user-generated content
I think user generated media and content are in their early stages of development. I think the users don t know that, we as media companies are trying to figure it out, and as marketers, how to play in that space. I think what s really important how to be in those environments appropriately and really tailor your message to the way the consumer is talking. They re not ready for you to talk at them in their environment. They re ready to speak with you. Well, I think lately there have been a lot of efforts in the user generated content area with advertisers, and I think with that you ve seen both the good and the bad, and some time these efforts make us scratch our heads, and think why do I want to contribute myself to a pretty shelf product. In other places they ve done a really good job where they ve made themselves relevant to the conversation and/or given it all up. I think everyone brings up the Chevy Tahoe experience. People weren t sure whether it would be positive or not. Where, of course, after they were done reacting was very positive and definitely had a great impact on the brand. And the things that were negative about their campaign or what ended up being their campaign were already known elements. So it was overall a good thing.
I think a lot of the user generated content with advertising has been very short-sighted. I think to ask that much of a user to become involved with your brand, and then for it all to just end isn't really fulfilling what you invested in with the user. I also don t think brands should just have destination sites. I don t have a long term goal as a consumer to now remember to come to all the time where I ve contributed a snippet of my life to a CPG product. I think if you can integrate in an atmosphere that they do have a reason to come, and that they stay there, and find a way to become a member of that community, that is the long term pay off for a brand user generative area.
I think brands have used research forever. We just tend to do it in a closed room behind a piece of glass, and now the web and other elements in the digital world have allowed us to do things in real time. I have a feeling we re going to be adding a lot of the same principles, and make sure that these are the pieces of advice and research that we want to make into products and apply whether someone just wants to be seen and they re putting on a show, or if this is true advice. And I think those market research principles will come into play to keep that good information coming forward. What s revolutionary, though, is that you can actually apply that test. So that type of impact to product development is a very positive thing.
I think the role of the agency will evolve, but I think that year after year everybody wants to say that agencies are going away somehow, which I don t see happening. They re a significant and relevant part of the discussion that happens between the clients and the brand and the consumer. And there s a lot of work that gets done for the agency, for the client. And so I think there s still a very solid relationship there whether anything s happening in social user generated or digital. I think user generated content already has infiltrated a lot of the offline elements. The Home and Suites campaigns and the Dockers now for Father s Day is using the Times Square billboard, which everybody is talking about now, but I remember Joe Boxer back in 1996 running text, was all user generated online. Some of those elements have been crossing over for some time -- Dove's television ad -- I think there's a lot more than that. One of the things is that it s not going to be open to everyone who's in the user generated area. I think what we also want to realize is that a lot of UGC has kind of a democratized community element and when you start showcasing one element or another, you just need to understand that dynamic so you don t alienate one part of the community for another.