XLNTads' acting CEO shares the tricks of the trade from marketers who enlisted audiences to create their Super Bowl ads last year.

Although user-generated content, or UGC, has been around for years, its role in this past year's Super Bowl caught the attention of marketers, the media and consumers alike. After all, if organizations like Doritos, General Motors and the NFL were handing over their most expensive and important ad buys confidently to their customers, there had to be something to the UGC trend.

Doritos, Apple, Coors Light, Upper Deck, KFC and Canon Camera have already begun to promote major Super Bowl campaigns for the 2008 event, so it's probably too late for any new campaign with this Super Bowl deadline. Still, the time to start planning is now, before your competitors beat you to the punch. The consumer trends and the big-brand involvement prove that the trend isn't going away anytime soon. But before embarking on such a project, let's take a look at what we have learned over the past year.

At Super Bowl XLI, UGC was showcased in three different ways:

• Doritos' "Crash the Super Bowl" campaign solicited 30-second commercials from consumers, and two out of thousands of submissions aired during the game. Both spots were voted high up in the "most-liked" polls.
• The NFL asked for ideas or commercial sketches from consumers. NFL produced, filmed and polished the winning idea into the final commercial spot.
• General Motors took a college campus approach with 400+ colleges participating to present their best storyboards and then having an ad agency produce the ad. 

The cumulative buzz around UGC drew in many more brands promising of fortune, fame and, in one case, a lifetime supply of Moe's burritos. Consumers, amateur ad creators and videographers emerged from all over the country to take part in the excitement. In the mad dash, however, we stumbled over a few unexpected problems. 

One of those was strategy. Many brands dove head first into UGC without first defining their goals or understanding their audience. Whether your goal is consumer engagement or finding a new resource for creative content, it is important to understand what has changed about the UGC channel to determine appropriate tactics moving forward into 2008.

What's new in UGC

Broader definition of content. Brands are looking at the channel more and more as an alternative method of getting not only TV commercials, but also 15-second online spots, one- to two-minute webisodes and any other kind of online content.

The rise of support structures. Third parties have emerged and can serve as a trusted partner to help connect brands and agencies with talented, qualified pools of creators to best fit the needs of the campaign. This can reduce UGC "waste" -- video submissions that are not appropriate to the brand messaging or the constraints of the campaign.

The birth of "prosumer" communities. Consumers like UGC and are getting better and better at creating content. Videography is a vastly growing hobby. Editing and filming equipment and software have vastly improved and enabled many more creative people to participate. Extraordinary talent is emerging in unexpected places across the country. In addition, more sites have come to the scene devoted to ad creation (e.g., vidopp.com), and online video watching continues to grow in popularity.

Increased disenchantment with conventional marketing. Consumers are even more skeptical of traditional advertising and are looking for "authentic" content via word of mouth and UGC. In fact, a recent Nielsen Media Research survey indicates that 78 percent of consumers place the most confidence in recommendations from other consumers over any form of traditional advertising.

Although UGC is still in its relative infancy as on online marketing strategy, what we learned in 2007 will propel even more buzz-worthy, audience-engaging campaigns in the new year. Here are some things to consider before you get started.

1. UGC is not just for the big guys. It may even be a life saver for small or up-and-coming brands who can't afford $400K for an ad.
2. Define your objective: quality content, consumer engagement/PR, market research, some combination? All other initiatives should stem from your main goal.
3. Talk to a trusted partner who can alleviate any concerns and advise you on how to move forward with engaging your consumer base to deliver a strong relatable UGC campaign.
4. Fish where the fish are. Look for niche pools of talented creators rather than going out to the whole world. Remember that thousands of submissions require lots of time and resources to review. Half of them will be disqualified immediately.
5. Let go, at least a little! Give the creators creative freedom. The more you chain them to rules and restrictions, the less passionate they will be. You may also get an inside peek into fresh ideas, catchphrases and authentic messages that resonate with today's consumers.
6. Protect you brand. Host your contest/campaign on a unique website to avoid placement next to brand-unfriendly messages.
7. Use what you learn! By participating in your UGC campaign, consumers are telling you what they think about your offerings. If you treat UGC like a giant focus group, you may learn a thing or two to help you improve your brand.

In looking back at UGC's place in the advertising world over the past year, let's not forget the tremendous buzz and PR around the last Super Bowl efforts. It is no coincidence that brands are starting their own UGC campaigns now to take advantage of that cumulative buzz that will undoubtedly occur again this year. So what are you waiting for? Jump onboard the UGC superhighway and reap the rewards for your brand before Super Bowl XLII passes you by. 

Neil Perry is acting CEO, XLNT ads. Read full bio.