UGenMedia has created a platform for advertisers that allows citizen marketers of their products to upload consumer-generated content (CGC) that can be shared with other users.
The platform, which is similar in design to video-sharing sites such as YouTube, will allow consumers to post and share videos, audio clips and text about their favorite products, writes ClickZ. Companies have the ability to co-brand the site and can filter out content deemed inappropriate. As with YouTube and MySpace, advertisers will have to find their own comfort zone for what is and is not acceptable from their community.
"It's going to be up to companies to balance the fear they have with allowing their brand to be interactive with consumers versus those that have a more open policy and recognize in this era of user-generated content that listening to consumers and embracing their opinions is what's going to help companies to survive," says Michael Bassik, VP at MSHC Partners. "Marketers are going to have to find a balance."
One of the first advertisers, PalTalk, has created a contest for its users to submit a video detailing their chat experiences.