In an age of "relatability," it is safe to say that successful brand campaigns are not solely dependent on film stars or even big influencers. User-generated content has become extremely popular, with consumers sharing blogs, comments, reels, and pictures to rate their experience with brands. Significantly, the lines between content creators and viewers have blurred, and the consumers can become a company's face. The proliferation of smartphones, affordable internet access, and social media platforms has democratised content creation, enabling anyone with a digital device to create content. It is also an outcome of modern life, which focuses on individual expression.
User-generated content is driven by social media platforms and often encourages consumers to create content through contests, challenges, and hashtag campaigns. Rewards often include features on official social media accounts, giveaways, discounts, or exclusive event invites. The campaigns tap into the youth's desire to be famous and liked in their social circle. These incentives allow Genz and millennials to align themselves with the brand and its reputation. Fame achieved by winning the contest often serves as a stepping stone for greater recognition and a chance to be discovered by talent agencies.
Social media mentions from participants help to add to the narrative of the authenticity of the product reviews. Users might question whether actors and models use the advertised products in real life. However, by making their product popular in a young person's circle of influence, brands allow their target audiences to be influenced by people they feel connected to in more ways than one. This content also provides for increased public visibility and normalised usage of a company's products. Affiliations and connections are also formed among consumers based on their love for the brand. User-generated content humanises the brand and establishes an emotional connection with potential customers.
Social media, and user-generated content specifically, promotes in their users a culture of recording the monotonous and everyday parts of their lives. Documentation is therefore given particular importance, suggesting that social media users who do not record moments may fade into insignificance.
Public documentation enforces social acceptance norms, promoting a sense of competition among users to showcase the best and most carefully thought-out product experience, ultimately ensuring that the content matches the standards of a campaign.
Let’s look at some recent campaigns by big brands to motivate and reward users for creating content for the brand.
1. Apple- Shot on iPhone Campaign
"Shot on iPhone" has been running for almost a decade and is among the prestigious competitions for several aspiring and amateur photographers. The "Shot on iPhone" 2022 campaign focused on macro photography, with an esteemed jury to determine its winners. Photos taken on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max could be posted with the hashtags #ShotoniPhone and
#iPhonemacrochallenge. Given that the contest is international, it gets significant press coverage. Winners document their wins on their social media platforms. The campaign allows the iPhone to position itself as an irreplaceable camera, with the features of a professional camera but the mobility of a sleek phone.
2. Sephora India: The Sephora India Instagram page often leverages user-generated content given the many brands under its umbrella. One such example was the contest asking followers to recreate beauty looks shown on the website and post them on their social media handles. This allowed the brand to popularise several products while setting standards for makeup and beauty trends. The content feeds into notions of the importance of makeup and highlights that only Sephora products can give successful results for beauty.
3. Go Pro often runs several challenges on its social media pages asking users to share images and clips captured by a Go Pro camera. The content is diverse and ranges from scenic landscapes to adventure sports and motorcycling videos. Incentives for sharing content range from cash prizes to features on their social media handles. Its user-generated content can showcase the diversity of locations where the device can be used. User-generated content becomes an excellent strategy to capture their travellers and adventure lovers' niche, making Go-pro synonymous with the category.
4. Coca-Cola Friendship Day Challenge: The challenge encourages users to share content about enjoying a meal, including Coca-Cola, with their best friend, with the hashtag #RecipeforMagic. Through the user's content, it ingrains the usage of the beverage in celebration of relationships, thereby promoting the drink for social events. Incorporating coca cola with a meal is an attempt to change eating norms.
5. #StarsofStarbucks initiative by Starbucks called on participants to send pictures or reels of their experience in a local Starbucks store. Winners get featured on the Starbucks page, creating an even more relatable level of authenticity for local users. The initiative puts more value on the in-store experience, attempting to make it "cool" to have Starbucks products.
Actionable Insights:
1. In a nutshell, user-generated content is an excellent strategy to target youth and youth culture, if there are enough incentives to create content.
2. By promoting a culture of recording mundane, everyday activities, brands can amplify existing usage and create avenues for new use. This type of ‘story-telling’ around everyday practices that blurs the lines between content creators and audiences, also enables brands to make the ordinary into "cool" and "trendy".
3. Given the diversity in India, brands must recognise the cultural nuances and preferences of different regions to create UGC campaigns that resonate locally.
4. By fostering a digital ecosystem that encourages consumer participation, brands can not only shape narratives but also become an integral part of their audience's stories. As the cultural and technological landscapes continue to evolve, user-generated content stands tall as a driving force that propels brands into the heart of contemporary youth culture.
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