Brett Slater of Slater’s Garage is one of the newest media creators to join up the XLNTads community. We’re very excited to have him working with us! First, he made us this great ad for our XLNT DIY ad contest:
Then he left a great comment for us on Kevin Natly’s blog while they were discussing consumer-made advertising. After praising our efforts (Thanks, Brett!), he went on to point out some excellent tips for consumer-generated advertising creators.
In a world where people (particularly the ever-important 18-34 demo) are getting more and more tuned in to the BS factor of “conventional” ads, what better way for products to be promoted than by regular folks? Like a lot of people nowadays, I’d sooner believe the testimony of a friend, or even “some guy,” than I would the stereotypical Madison Avenue-type spots that have ruled the roost for lo these past several decades… However, there are certain aspects of conventional advertising that I think still hold true in a CGA format:
1) Don’t forget to make it about the product. As a CGA creator, it’s great that your spot is funny and entertaining. It should be. But make the comedy pertinent to the task at hand — which is to promote the brand. Ask yourself sincerely: Is this about me, or about the product?
2) If you’re specifically hired to make CGA media, don’t forget, you’re making an ad… It doesn’t have to look or feel like an ad, but you do have clients to satisfy. Make sure you and the client are in agreement over who the ad should speak to, and what it should contain and/or depict.
3) Think in round numbers. 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds. It’s just easier on everybody…
4) If you’re making CGA just “for fun,” in hopes of your idea being “picked up,” prepare to have it picked up, walked away with, and passed off as someone else’s. If the idea is good — REALLY good — someone will want to steal it. Be careful. Nothing would burn my you-know-what worse than if I did a YouTube video for sneakers, say, and then saw my idea ripped off and broadcast during a ball game 4 months later with other actors and stuff…
Looking ahead, I think one of the toughest things to do is to convince companies that this IS a viable medium through which to market their products… There are still a TON of CEO’s and other, you know, “grown-ups” who still don’t know what YouTube is, let alone its value.
[tags]natls, kevin nalty, commercials, xlntads, slater’s garage, cga, advertising[/tags]
