Ringo: The Great Ringo Advertising Challenge

Reality advertising is a trend in the making. Some corporations are beginning to think that using an ad agency may not be the best way to create an ad campaign. Ringo.com, a networking site like Friendster and Ryze, has put out an RFP to members of Fark, a community weblog with a reputation for ribald humor and photoshop artistry, asking Farkers to create an ad campaign for the company. Ringo is offering a $1,000 prize to the winning entry.

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  In essence, the method is somewhat close to a testimonial in giving the creative a very "real" sound, yet doesn't require the simplistic I'm-a-believer format. Either this is a cultural blip, like flash mobs, or it's a sign of things to come. As most advertising is stale, exuding no real personality, this may be the industry's natural reaction. Especially in cases where dumbed-down ads result from the analysis paralysis created between client and agency, this is one way of routing around the problem.

  Previously on Up2Speed, we covered iMedia's piece on how Coke and Visa were asking real people to script ads. Perhaps Ringo will end up with some great ads and reality advertising will move from trend to practice. But, if Ringo ends up with a bunch of cruddy submissions, it might be forced to turn to flash mobs.