Consumer engagement via crowdsourcing is the new black. Back when Mazda leveraged Facebook in 2007 to engage car enthusiasts to design their next concept car, it was fairly unique but without much fanfare only gaining 300 entries. However this past year when BMW held a "graffitti design contest" via Facebook, there were over 6000 entries merely seven days into it. What does this tell us? "If they design it, they will come." Consumers love to be engaged. They love to have their creativity utilized and they like to feel like they are a part of something. Is this something new? Not really. But social media has thrown it into the spotlight simply validating something we already knew.
The last 2 years as our economy began to fail there has been the "Consumer Design" trend emerging geared at taking current brand ambassadors to create new ones to push brand awareness. We saw it with Nike and IQONS when the fashion social network was tapped to submit designs for the NIKE iD. We see it with watch brand, OCEAN7, who utilizes the discussions of design concepts in their consumer forum to inspire their watch design. Threadless.com is built on this concept alone and is highly successful.
But I have to wonder, is this strategy good for the long term? Will those new customers enthusiastic about being apart of sharing the spotlight with a brand something that will stick long enough to continue sales and keep positive brand image entact? Or does the concept of using the talents of the consumers only to benefit the brand in sales later dilute their reputation?
You tell me.
Posted by Shannon Nelson on February 26, 2009 11:28 AM
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Comments (2)
I'm really on the fence with this concept and have thought quite a bit about it. I believe in some cases a company can really benefit from the creativity of the general public, especially when, like you've described, it's geared around a contest, a non-existent product or futuristic prototype. People really do have wonderful ideas and a company may learn a thing or two while being rewarded with a certain level of buzz this creates. I recall Mountain Dew having a bottle design contest recently online and some of the work was amazing.
Having said that, as a designer I'm wary of asking the general public for substantial input on REAL products that will be on sale in the near future, especially if I'm an established brand. Of course, companies don't have all the answers and use focus groups to test products or ideas, but that's a much more controlled environment. Look at the amount of Apple concepts that have been created by designers worldwide speculating on what the next great iPod will look like. I could never imagine Apple actually using any one of these designs no matter how great they are. That would dilute the magic of Apple and Steve Jobs. I also can't imagine Gucci or Prada or any other luxury brand doing this either besides for maybe a one-off marketing campaign.
I still think it's a great concept if used properly. Interesting topic!
Posted by![]()
John P. |
February 26, 2009 2:55 PM
Posted on February 26, 2009 14:55
Thanks for commenting John. I'm wondering though if in the end consumers feel "used" as the brand goes on to sell the product and make money, but the original "designer" is merely compensated with "prize money" or just brief recognition. Or in our short attention span society, is it quickly forgotten when we move on to the next big thing?
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Shannon Nelson |
March 2, 2009 10:38 AM
Posted on March 2, 2009 10:38