User Generated Content (UGC): a rapid and authentic way to produce video ad content during Covid-19.
Influencer marketing. No matter your take, the one thing for certain right now is the significant reduction of brands working with influencers. A tightening on ad spend, a desperate push to rework assets, and the premise of influencer activity in itself - historically aspirational and associated with fashion - has been attributed to this reduction. As luxury goods take a back-seat to more essential needs, Fohr cites that almost 60% of influencer marketing campaigns have been paused and a further 18% cancelled.That said, now is a more important time than ever to communicate with your customers. Combine paused and cancelled content with an exponential increase in time spent on social media, and there is a vacuum waiting to be filled. So, why the gap at a time when consumers are looking for optimism and security from their trusted brands?
"Combine paused and cancelled content with
an exponential increase in time spent on social media,
and there is a vacuum waiting to be filled."
This is largely driven by messaging that doesn’t make sense in the current environment. In an effort not to appear tone deaf and a struggle to adapt content narratives to suit a world in crisis, brands are stuck between a rock (not creating content) and a hard place (creating insensitive content). Most of the magazine industry has had to make a drastic pivot at a time where photography from two months ago doesn't fit the current consumer mood, and this is a global trend.
Largely it's a question of finding the right tone which is difficult as companies are rightfully wary of appearing to be ‘selling’ at a time of massive insecurity and, for many consumers, financial hardship. Magazine covers previously featuring celebrities and aspirational imagery have been replaced by the real heroes of the hour with images of frontline health workers appearing on many glossy titles.
So, how do you strike the balance when the news cycle pivots on the hour or day - not by quarter - and budgets aren’t available for full Net New creative production?
User Generated Content can provide the answer:
- The best way to define and understand the right tone to take is from your customers themselves. Many of them are posting more content than usual, providing indicative themes and tone of voice.
- Your key advocates provide a great signpost of consumer mood, sentiment and feeling towards your brand.
- Enhancing communication with your customers via advertising is a critical tool in both building trust but also maintaining relevance on the road to economic recovery.
- Historical studies show that ads featuring social context drive a +50% recall and +35% online sales lift.
- As User Generated Content is native to social platforms, its authenticity resonates in ads driving 5X increase in CTR.
How does UGC work?
Most companies already sit on a treasure trove of great creative assets generated from consumer social posts. These posts can quickly and cost-effectively be turned into mobile video ads that adhere to social platform best practices.
Here are some examples that our team has created recently:
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User Generated Content is a great opportunity to lean into your customers. A two-fold benefit of striking up a dialogue with your most engaged consumers whilst at the same time creating new content with appropriate messaging. Many people are looking for brands to bring some sense of normalcy into their lives, without ignoring the current realities, and UGC can be the key to doing all that (from home!).
By Trelise Mansfield, Head of Marketing @ Shuttlerock
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