Converse is looking for you to make a film that "embodies the values and spirit of Converse." If your film is chosen to be used as an ad, you will get $10,000. Not too shabby. And much better than some of the other "make an ad for free" type things we've seen recently. All films must be 24-seconds. They will not be edited except for films chosen for TV use will have a 6-second tag with the Converse logo added on at the end. Some of the films are already airing on MTV and other channels.
In the Converse Gallery you can check out the already submitted films, and sumbit your own.
The Boston Herald reports that "David Maddocks, Converse's vice president of global marketing, said the idea of letting the customer create the ads is groundbreaking. "We actually view our entire campaign as facilitating a conversation among those in our community."
That kind of buzz marketing is increasingly in vogue as companies turn to legions of customers to evangalize their brands. And since BMW first ran short films on the Internet in 2001, marketers have increasingly relied on that medium to generate chatter. But asking consumers to make the films may be cutting edge.
Patrick Kiss, managing director of Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, Converse's Sausalito, Calif., agency, said Converse's core young customer is in an "anti-marketing mode," deluged by ads from all directions. At the same time, everyday consumers have access to technology to make films today.
Converse put the word out to the artistic community, and movie makers responded in droves. The company launched its gallery site in August and had 250 submissions in the first three weeks. That has since doubled.Maddocks said the site has received as many as 3 million visits with an eight-minute average stay.
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I think that calling these consumer created ads might be a little misleading...
Almost all of these Converse videos were NOT created by consumers. Many of these "directors" are ad folks, professional videographers, etc...
What's more, if these were all created by consumers, why would I find a website that has one of the "submitted" ads as a project for Bulter Stein Shern & Partners... This makes me doubt the credibility of the whole "consumer created" thing. Did they get paid to make this?
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PermalinkCorrect spelling: Butler Shine Stern & Partners...
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PermalinkHmm. That's a good question. Good info dig, random. :)
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PermalinkAll the same, this is one I could really get behind. I luvs me Cons.
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PermalinkI'd be interested to see a follow-up on this, if anyone knows how to get in touch with Butler Shine Stern & Partners, or with Converse themselves.
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PermalinkI'd love to get someone from Converse on the horn.... *checks watch* aah.. Might be too late today, and oh-so longdistance for me.
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PermalinkCalling in from Butler, Shine and Stern........
What are the questions?
I am guessing that this is the main one
Are the films consumer created?
This is not a contest, a promotion or an idea for the web, instead Converse is opening up all of its brand communication to the broadest group, everyone.
Films have been created by everyone: yes, from people who have craft skills, but also from 15 year old kids who have done stuff on their computer. It's open to all.
All the details can be found at www.conversegallery.com
Thnx
Ed
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PermalinkThanks for clearing that up zedz/Ed.
I've found some consumers joining in the making of converse films like this girl (I assume) here HarrietPotter on livejournal. She was quite exited to send her film project applegate, even though she'd turn over ownership and rights to the film to converse just by participating in the competition. Sadly her film was not chosen, so her portfolio piece is now no longer hers but on the upside she gets $40 worth of free shoes. I hope I don't get her into trouble for linking to her film.
Some would say that's a really crap deal.
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PermalinkThat bites. For her I mean.
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PermalinkHere's a good one with some trippy patterns:
http://filmblender.com/2006/03/18/converse-ad-mandala/
Yeah, I think Consumer Created is a bit of a stretch, there is obviously a lot of professional work done on these, though I suppose 'professionals' can be 'consumers'.
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