Let's take a look at the three most common methods for obtaining a consumer-generated video.

• The contest route: This is by far the easiest way to go. All a brand has to do is throw an assignment to the masses and wait for the return. To ensure some return, many brands spend on display or print ads to notify consumers about the contest. If successful, there will be thousands of submissions, so resources will be required to vet all of the entries. It will be a tedious task. A disproportionate number of entries will be of poor quality or otherwise unacceptable due to creators who didn't bother to read the rules or unknowingly violated copyright laws due to a lack of experience. And forget any idea that an important brand ad is going to come from YouTubers videotaping friends falling off skateboards or would-be creatives capturing a TV spot on their video cellphone. This approach is essentially about PR. If you are truly searching for great creative, this is an unlikely and time-consuming (and deceptively expensive) route for finding it.
• The assignment route: Via the assignment route, you highlight your interest to a pre-screened talent pool. This pool will still number in the thousands, but it will be much more qualified in production. By taking this route you are working with semi-professionals and boutique shops, and they are going to pay closer attention to the creative brief and try hard to impress you. The average return may be just a couple hundred submissions, but they will be more usable. Typically, at least 10-20 percent of submissions will be broadcast-ready.
• The single match route: This is a one-to-one approach. On the brand's end, there is a lot of research up front. You can review dozens or hundreds of portfolios before finding and selecting a videographer. While this method does provide the brand with more control, a major downfall is that you only get one person's idea, and there is no guarantee that you will like what you get. It's the CGA version of hiring a single ad agency. Considering that consumer-generated video is a great way to gain insight into consumer opinion of your brand and new ideas to incorporate into your ad mix, you will be losing those benefits with the single match route.