A legendary brand for generations before falling on hard times, Converse abetted its remarkable resurrection by asking consumers to express themselves in a completed TV advertisement. The program’s main restriction, a 23-second time limit, cannily allows room for a sales message if the spot should ever be aired on TV. The result has been a continuing outpouring of creativity, messaging, and emotion.

Converse offers a true gallery of consumer-generated creative materials. Still photos that allow access to about 60 of them scroll across the bottom of the web page. Each consumer-generated ad is markedly different and highly authentic:

Click here to view the slideshow

Strategic Note: With this CGA approach, Converse has taken the biggest risk to date by opening the floodgates and encouraging consumers to produce whatever messages they wish. Of course, there’s little chance advertisements that they don't like will ever see daylight. Because of the perceived freedom of expression, however, countless consumers embraced the opportunity from the get-go and poured forth their feelings in highly creative and visually striking ways.

The CGA messages currently available on the Converse website range from those that totally ignore the product to several that focus completely on its iconic shape and markings, with a wide variety of treatments in between.

Arguably, this campaign represents the high watermark of CGA to date.