What crowdsourcing means to marketers

Brands have always turned to marketing and PR teams to develop creative ways to better engage with fans, but clients and agencies increasingly use crowdsourcing as part of the process. From Lay’s looking for the latest chip flavor to Doritos asking the public to create its Super Bowl ads, consumers are now actively involved in how their favorite brands create and promote their products.

According to WOMMapedia, 92 percent of consumers globally trust their family and friends over what they hear from brands, so it’s no surprise brands want to present something authentic to the public.

Why brands turn to crowdsourcing

It’s not enough to observe what is happening, however—marketing and PR pros should understand why crowdsourcing is happening.

The public is burned out on pre-packaged marketing messages. Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook make it easy for users to create and curate all kinds of content instantaneously, and there’s no jargon, messaging rules or brand guidelines to conform to.

Crowdsourcing this content has become a mainstream activity partly because the creative funnel is open to anyone, allowing brands and consumers to connect directly.