Publicis Groupe's new-media consultancy Denuo has partnered with user-created advertising platform ViTrue.

Denuo will introduce ViTrue to Publicis agencies and clients, as well as assist the startup in enhancing its platform, which allows brands to tap into user-generated creative for advertising, writes AdWeek. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, though in previous partnerships Denuo has received equity. Denuo partners include Brightcove, Lightningcast and 3-D digital imaging company Reactrix.

ViTrue has helped Sony's "The Benchwarmers" movie obtain thousands of video submissions from users depicting their experiences as nerds. It's working on similar promotions for burrito franchise Uncle Moe's and snack-food maker Lance.

Denuo SVP Tim Hanlon said in a statement, "Consumers today have unprecedented ability to respond to - and even initiate - ad messaging, transforming the discipline of marketing from a one-way monologue into a multi-layered dialogue. ViTrue is at the forefront of this phenomenon and seeks to harmonize the interests of both marketers and consumers - and we're excited to help them do it."

Hanlon oversees Denuo's ventures activity and joins ViTrue's Board of Advisors as its charter member to offer strategic insight into the development of advertising strategies that capitalize on ViTrue's platform.

"We understand that marketers may have some initial reservations about "letting go" of their brands. However, ViTrue's technology platform ensures that brand stewards can actively participate in the process, easing them into the brand-consumer paradigm shift that is being accelerated by the Internet community," said Reggie Bradford, founder and CEO of ViTrue.