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Can Consumers Sell Brands to Themselves? Borat Vs. Kazakhstan Can Consumers Sell Brands to Themselves?
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Can Consumers Sell Brands to Themselves?
 
 There is no harm intended and no harm foreseen.Involving consumers can only create more excitement for the brand and give all the opportunity to imbue the brand with their own ideas and likes.To get into the head and hearts of consumers,brand owners spend billions of dollars annually on consumer research and product tests.Who better to lead you into his heart and wallet than the consumer himself,who can temporarily assume the position of orchestra conductor with all the attention and plaudits that go with it.
Brands really need to listen to consumers and have more than a feel of what they desire.Giving them the chance to also use their creative talents to unravel what they want and how they want it,equally shows that brands are recognising the fact that consumers are not brainless manipulable gluttons who just seat there and consume whatever is thrown at them,no matter how its packaged or presented.It is a recognition that brands must seek ways to unobstrusively know 
Ray Atelly, MD/CEO, PatcosGino - October 1, 2007
 
 Since consumer freely participate, contests cannot "exploit" consumers. Of course, it's important brands be honest and clear--burying the rights the consumer gives up in the 20th paragraph of a legal release is a poor practice.

The bigger issue is whether consumer-generated media (CGM) contests make sense for the brands. Sure, it's great to involve consumers so deeply within the brand, but consumers seem prone to creating things they find funny (or purposefully challenging or offensive) rather than communications that are "on brand." What consumers cannot create is media targeted and tested to advance your brand to a specific target audience.

So, I believe contests have value provided the guardrails are set and the brand is willing to accept the risk of letting anyone create and post media associated their their brand.

The only doubt I have is if the CGM trend is endless. Might consumers get tired of this tactic eventually? The onus will be on marketers to keep it fresh. 
August Ray, Managing Director - Experiential Marketing, Fullhouse - October 1, 2007
 
 Many consumers feel disenfrachised by the companies that produce products they buy, including medications (beware of the big bad pharmaceutical companies), pet food that kills their pets, contaminated toothpaste and toys that contain lead paint (even Thomas the Train). In reality, many companies have a credibility crisis.

Allowing consumers to participate in branding enables them to be part of the decision making process, which gives them a sense of ownership and power. It is the best way for companies to regain credibility in the consumers' minds and will result in many of the consumers becoming loyal clients. And that's the bottom line of branding - engaging consumers so they become loyal clients. 
Frank Settineri, President, Veracorp LLC - October 2, 2007
 
 Absolutely Fantastic...and thats what I would call as "Marketing - by the customer, for the customer, of the customer."

Companies like Nestle have taken marketing activity to next level, from marketing to the customers, TO marketing by the customers. Such a marketing is most effective in terms of results (sales and brand awareness), and least expensive (in monetary terms). Involving customers in brand marketing, helps in high brand recall, increasing mind share, and huge amount of customer loyalty, simply because customer feels that he/she is a part of brand. This sense of ownership, itself, defines brand success. Its like what most marketing gurus call as "Creating Buzz Around the Brand".

However, this sort of involvement of the customers might not be possible in every type of industry. For example. pharmaceutical industry might not be able to reap full benefit of such customer involvement, since customers (physicinas) are a different set than consumers (patients). 
Mohit Bahri, Sr. Consultant, PharmARC Analytic Solutions - October 3, 2007
 
 Marketers have finally triumphed the classical yearning of sex and money to tap into the powerful desire of lasting legacy and success.
 
Levon Guiragossian, Director, Place Marketing Group - October 10, 2007
 
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