#Comments points us to this adversong from Firefox. They are but the latest to enlist the viral all-stars to pimp some product and they don't do it half bad, although I think that the Chocolate Rain guy needs a new stylist. So the real question is, "is there a career in being ridiculed and spoofing yourself"? And seeing as this is a take-off on We Are The World, I am surprised that the king of that act, Michael Jackson, is not there.
This week, New York Magazine features on-line video. From what the celebs are watching to the 20 funniest vids out there (some of which I disagree although I do love me some dramatic chipmunk). This medium is simply engaging and yet perplexing media as they don't know whether to slam it or praise it, but the more attention it gets, the more we are paying attention.
Read it on NewYorkMag.com HERE.
It seems that CGM advertising is starting to grow up. The above ad was produced by Nick Haley on his mac for the Apple iPhone. Nick is 18 years old and is a big Apple fan. A few months ago his Ad had gotten 2,000+ views on YouTube. Until it was noted by TBWA/Chiat/Day and ended up being produced as an actual spot with Nick as a creative on the production. It would seem that people are starting to pay attention to what the kids are doing in their basements huh?
Read about it in the NYTimes here.
This video hits a little too close to home! I guess we are all a little bit like this, although KommonKraft who made it in many ways gave in to what they criticize simply by doing and sharing it on their blog.
[via The Social Media Blog]
Social video has done many things for society and popular culture. Not the least of which is thankfully expanded the field of those comedic wannabe Weird Al Yankovics who are not let loose to parody virtually anything and everything there is that has a modicum of popularity. Whether it is a mac v. pc advertisement, a popular movie rip-off or a music video, we have many opportunities these days to mimic what we may love and share it with our collective friends. At some point though, do the parodies themselves become what should be parodied? In my opinion, the more there are, the less interesting they become.
Wok It Out - A parody of UNK's "Walk It Out"
Al Gore talks up CGM and he just won a Nobel prize so you better listen.
"Nothing can help your brand more, in my opinion, than helping your customers help you brand your products. You keep control of your brand and how your brand is presented. But letting your customers express themselves and join the conversation about your product is empowering of them, respectful of them, and brings new creativity into the process that's hard to get any other way."
Link Via Pete Blackshaw's CGM.com
I think one of the larger growth areas in the CGM/On-line video world is in niche user video sites. Youtube and Myspace have everything, a great mass of stuff so finding little gems takes a bit of work, but the randomness pays off. But if you are into a specific subject, then niche sites make alot of sense. Take BoardRideTV for example. A site focused on user vids of skateboarding, snowboarding and general x-gamish behaviors. If you are into that (and can get around the overuse of the fisheye lens effect), why not go to a place that aggregates it, comments on it and curates it for you. And if you are an advertiser, you know you have a committed user base, albeit smaller than the general one at the big sites. I think this will be an interesting category to keep an eye on, so stay tuned.
I am seeing The Police on Sunday. They were the one group when I was a lil'un that I really wanted to catch and of course they brokeded up before I could see them. So they are 20 years older and losing their hair. I still think it will be a solid show. In the meantime. Here is a great mash-up of Every Breath You Take with Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars.
Adrants points us to this confusing dichomatic (yes, i made it up) play by Factory Publishing both asking for CGM and trashing the agencies that ask for it from their users.
I have looked at both the vids and the online contest and don't see too much creativity as is from the group and yet they have brought it upon themselves to judge. Let us hope that they don't offend those talented art directors who would have spent their time creating some interesting pieces for JM in the interim. And I wonder how Triumph Motorcycles, who sponsored the contest feels about it.
LINK: ADRANTS on CGM
Logic and Emotion have an interesting post about The Conversation Virus or as they more aptly put it, Consumer DJ's. It discusses the shift in marketing as the users themselves are defining and mix/matching their most interested subjects.
Take a look, it is a good background piece for anyone interested in this space. Oh yeah, it has a pretty nifty chart.
