What if ordinary TV viewers went from watching commercials to creating them? We're about to find out.
Sony Electronics, Toyota Motor Sales USA and L'Oreal Paris have cut deals with Al Gore's Current TV that will usher the 30-second spot into the age of consumer-generated content and send shivers down the spines of agency creative corporate marketers will enlist the viewers to produce commercials and will pay to air the best of those spots.
What the Heck is Current TV?
Current TV, launched last summer with the backing of former Vice President Gore. It is Current's objective to democratize TV by letting viewers create programming. At its launch, the company aimed for 5% to 10% of its content to be created by viewers, but the actual amount is closer to 30%.
Reaction for Advertisers
Ad deals are a natural evolution of consumer generated Internet ads (ie: YouTube.com), although they put advertisers, who are used to controlling messages, in an unnatural, and potentially unnerving, position.
Many proponents of user-created content believe brands will have to learn to give up control, that creative agencies will see their role reduced and that consumers will have as much of a say as marketers in defining a brand's image.
Agencies beware, said Sony's chief marketing officer, Mike Fasulo, who might have been joking. It's a great reinvention. ... These are the folks we want to tap into speaking to each other -- let's put them to work on their terms, not ours.
Closing Thoughts
Well, Al invented the Internet, so why not take a step back in time and invent TV Advertising? I will be interested to see what happens with Current TV. Current could offer an awesome opportunity for young starving creatives that are in college or just coming up in their careers to get their ideas out there and make some money. This business also opens the door for the average Joe or Joette to get their ideas out in the free market economy that makes captialism work so well for the U.S.. And competition is just suppose to make the other guy work harder, not put him out of business, right?
What do you think about the concept behind Current TV? Would you want to create a commerical? Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. . .
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