User Generated Content Contests and Advertising

Advertising is a very competitive business, and that isn't going to change soon. The traditional media are watching their revenues gradually wane, while brands clamour to get more bang for their advertising buck. Thankfully, some of the attention (and budgets) is turning to online, where new advertising ideas are born every minute.

The days of spending large advertising budgets without detailed goals centered around the return on investment (ROI), are long over. Instead, advertising agencies are constantly changing the game, finding new ways to make marketing and advertising work; tracking every dollar and every click.

The popularity of online contests with user generated content (UGC) seems to be growing exponentially along with this trend, and not just because they are fun. Consider the difference, for example, between an advertising campaign that seeks merely to inform, and one that gives you specific call to action like entering a contest. In the case of the contest example, a considerable amount of engagement is possible, and it gives the advertiser the ability to measure the success of the campaign. When someone enters a contest, they can be invited to share contact info, agree to be subscribed to email lists, and even answer specific survey questions to better assist the advertiser with data collection and measurement. In other words, when handled properly, there is a real opportunity to create and foster a meaningful relationship between advertiser and audience.

So it is no surprise then that so many advertisers are tying all of their media buys together for a single campaign. This can take the form of anything from "See Our Ad in Golf Digest" (curious, and questionable in its effectiveness) to "Become a Fan on Facebook" or the even more engaging "Enter Now online." It is easy to see the added value of the latter examples, especially when you can see the actual results and statistics, click for click.

As you might have guessed, Strutta is well-positioned to help brands and agencies take advantage of this new world order. We have already worked with some extremely smart agencies to incorporate the full scope of their advertising adjectives, and we are proud to do so. After all, the more thought and execution that goes into a contest campaign, the more likely it is to succeed. And nothing pleases us more than seeing our clients enjoy the success they were planning for.

We invite the savviest of tradtional media publishers to try this tactic for themselves. Why not offer online contests directly to your advertisers as a gateway to an ad buy? By positioning yourselves as the contest provider and seeling the accompanying advertising, you can create a new "product" line, and a new source of revenue. If it helps, we happen to know where you can source the software to make this happen, and it's easier than you might think.

As an example of this kind of campaign in action, let's take a closer look at M&C Saatchi's "Day of Enchantment" campaign for Tourism New Mexico, featured in the TV ad at the top of this article. The idea started with the photo timeline, an eye-catching visual experience that does well to reflect New Mexico's natural beauty. Across the entire campaign of local television ad buys, state-wide outdoor advertising, and nationwide online promotion, the design and theme are consistent. While the stunning beauty of the campaign is a great way to raise awareness, the contest element is a great way to source excellent content, and connect with the people who have documented the picturesque landscape of the State.

If you have questions about how to make an online contst work for you, at any scale, call us and ask at 1-877-477-5717. We would happy to answer your questions by phone or email, and we are more than happy to advise you to help make your campaign a huge success.