Interpublic Group has started a user-generated content practice that will operate as part of IPG's Emerging Media Lab, Adweek reports. The new practice will help clients and IPG agencies understand blogs, video-sharing services and podcasts - and it will cooperate with "emerging platform providers as they develop advertising models," according to the article.

The new group will conduct research to better understand the user-generated content; an initial study found that users who create video tend to be young males: 86 percent are male, and 72 percent are under 25; as for advertising, 25 percent said they have already made brand-focused content, and 32 percent said they would be willing to do so.

Brian Monahan, a group communications director at Universal McCann, will lead the new effort.

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