Advertisers are clearly taking note of the power and popularity user-generated content enjoys online today. Tremor Media has recently partnered with ExpoTV in order to embed user-generated product testimonials into ads, while Italian-American start-up Zooppa—which launched its new site last month—synthesizes two Web phenomena, user-generated video and online social advertising. Tremor and Zooppa are two intriguing examples of how experimental the frontier of online video remains—particularly when it comes to creating successful advertisements and brand awareness.
The partnership between Tremor Media and ExpoTV allows Tremor ads to exhibit unique ExpoTV Videopinions reviews, which ExpoTV describes as “short, unbiased, consumer-generated videos of products and services.” The companies see such reviews as a new advertising vehicle that will, ideally, leverage the influence of brand ambassadors to get the word out about products. The appeal of user-generated reviews is that they should resonate with Internet users, as the production by another consumer lends a greater air of authenticity than a typical, company produced ad. Videopinions reviews also get advertisers off the hook when they lack creative assets suited for the online environment; the reviews provide ready-to-use video with full usage rights. Tremor Media CEO Jason Glickman calls this:
…a new twist on blending advertising with user-generated content that leverages the power of social media that is safe for brands.
Glickman is not the only one looking for creative, safe ways to leverage social media for branding purposes online. Zooppa describes its site as “an innovative platform for advertising made by users and sponsored by companies.” The start-up aspires to conduct business in a creative and rewarding viral context. By providing designers and video makers the opportunity to bid on contests from big brands to create commercials, Zooppa simultaneously fosters competition and creative collaboration. The production of ads in such an open, social environment lets companies get a glimpse of how people see a brand. The subsequent viral spread of the most popular, creative videos also works wonders for brand building.
Both the Tremor/ExpoTV partnership and the Zooppa business model demonstrate an interesting, viral yet controlled direction for online video advertising. Could blurring the lines between consumers and content creation be the next big thing in online branding?
