Virgin Money consumer generated ad backfires

Reason #142 why consumer generated content isn't always a good choice.

Apparently Virgin wasn't really ready for what would happen if they let the masses submit ads for the brand. Virgin was using b3ta.com readers, known for their risque type humor, to create a new ad for Virgin Money. Apparently Virgin wasn't too pleased when the entries began coming in showing founder Richard Branson in "very compromising positions", so they pulled the plug.

A spokesman for Virgin Money said the company had become concerned that some of the images were "a little bit illegal", and had decided to shut down the competition to prevent further transgressions.

But members of the site, which has a reputation for anarchic humour, are unrepentant. Rob Manuel, one of the site's founders, refused to comment when contacted. However, he told the site's subscribers that Virgin was warned to expect the worst. "I think the whole thing is funny," he wrote.