
Creative Crowdsourcing: Co-Creating Your Brand with Your Community
In today’s digital age, brands are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to connect with their customers. Amidst this pursuit of engagement and differentiation, crowdsourced creativity has emerged as a powerful tool, harnessing the collective wisdom, talent, and ingenuity of a brand’s community to generate fresh ideas, compelling content, and even groundbreaking products.
This collaborative approach breaks down the traditional barriers between brands and their consumers, transforming them from passive recipients of marketing messages into active participants in the creative process.
What Crowdsourced Creativity Entails
Crowdsourcing creativity extends beyond the realm of conventional marketing and advertising. It encompasses a diverse spectrum of initiatives, from open innovation challenges that invite the public to submit ideas for new products or services to social media campaigns that encourage user-generated content.
This inclusive approach not only fosters a sense of community and belonging among customers but also unlocks a vast reservoir of untapped potential, enabling brands to discover hidden gems of creativity and innovation that might otherwise remain unnoticed. This can be gotten through a variety of methods, such as:
- Online contests and challenges: By setting specific objectives and offering attractive rewards, businesses can attract a wider pool of participants and inspire high-quality submissions. These contests can be tailored to various creative disciplines, such as designing logos, creating marketing slogans, or developing innovative product concepts.
- Idea Platforms: Dedicated online idea platforms provide a centralized hub for collecting and managing crowdsourced ideas. These platforms offer a structured approach to the process, allowing businesses to clearly define the challenge, establish submission guidelines, and facilitate discussions among participants. Popular idea platforms include InnoCentive, Ideo, and Brightidea.
- Social Media: Social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, have become powerful tools for gathering crowdsourced creativity. Businesses can leverage social media hashtags, polls, and group discussions to engage their audience and solicit ideas. Social media’s real-time nature enables businesses to quickly gauge public sentiment and identify trending topics.
- Employee Suggestion Programs: These programs tap into the collective knowledge and expertise of a company’s workforce. By creating a culture that encourages open communication and values employee input, businesses can uncover valuable ideas from within their own organization. Suggestion boxes, online portals, and dedicated suggestion campaigns can facilitate this process.
Benefits of Crowdsourced Creativity
Leveraging crowdsourced creativity unveils a vast array of benefits that extend beyond the reach of traditional innovation methods. These benefits include:
- Increased brand engagement: By inviting customers to contribute ideas, designs, or content, brands create a sense of ownership and belonging, strengthening customer loyalty and fostering a passionate community around the brand.
- Access to a wider range of ideas: By tapping into the collective wisdom of their community, businesses can uncover hidden gems of innovation and fresh perspectives that may have remained unnoticed within their internal teams. This collective intelligence opens up a world of possibilities, leading to the development of groundbreaking products, services, and marketing campaigns.
- Reduced costs: Businesses can avoid the overhead costs of traditional research and development teams by leveraging the talent and expertise of their community. This decentralized approach allows brands to quickly test and refine ideas, accelerating the innovation process and bringing products to market faster.
- Improved brand image: Engaging in crowdsourced creativity demonstrates a brand’s openness, innovation, and customer-centricity. It signals to the world that the brand values the input and perspectives of its customers and is willing to collaborate with them to create something meaningful. This reputation can attract new customers, enhance brand loyalty, and position the brand as a leader in its industry.
- Accelerated Learning and Adaptation: Crowdsourced creativity facilitates continuous learning and adaptation for brands. By engaging with their community and gathering feedback, brands can stay up-to-date with emerging trends, identify areas for improvement, and adapt their products, services, and marketing strategies to meet the evolving needs of their customers.
Examples of Successful Crowdsourced Creativity Campaigns
Numerous instances highlight the triumphs of crowdsourced creativity campaigns. Here are a few noteworthy examples:
Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl”:
Between 2006 and 2016, Doritos orchestrated a highly successful crowdsourced creativity campaign known as “Crash the Super Bowl.” During this period, enthusiasts submitted a staggering 36,000 entries. The innovative approach involved inviting people to create and submit their own commercials for the Super Bowl, with the winning entry earning the coveted spot during the game.
Oreo Daily Twist:
In celebration of its centenary, OREO rolled out the captivating campaign “OREO’s Daily Twist” across its website and social media platforms. Running from June 25 to Oct. 2, the campaign unveiled a new advertisement each day, culminating in a live showcase in Times Square. The Daily Twist ads showcased the brand’s creativity by transforming the beloved cookie into something entirely new each day.
Starbucks Frappuccino Contest:
In 2015, Starbucks captivated its audience by running contests for new Frappuccino flavors. Customers were given the power to decide their favorite flavors through active participation. This crowdsourced campaign not only generated substantial engagement but also contributed to increased sales for the featured Frappuccino products, showcasing the impactful synergy between creativity and consumer involvement.
How to Implement a Crowdsourced Creativity Campaign
If you’re contemplating the implementation of a crowdsourced creativity campaign, consider these key tips for a seamless execution:
- Clearly define your goals: Begin by articulating your campaign’s objectives. What do you aspire to accomplish? Clarity on goals will guide the entire process and help align the creative contributions with your overarching vision.
- Choose the right platform: Navigate the plethora of crowdsourcing platforms available and select one that aligns with your campaign goals and resonates with your target audience. The right platform can significantly enhance engagement and ensure a tailored approach to creativity.
- Create clear guidelines: Provide participants with transparent guidelines outlining expectations and submission processes. Clarity in expectations ensures that contributors understand your creative vision, streamlining the submission process and enhancing the quality of entries.
- Promote your campaign: A successful crowdsourced creativity campaign requires effective promotion. Ensure widespread awareness by leveraging various channels, including social media, email newsletters, and other relevant platforms. Encourage active participation and highlight the unique aspects of your campaign.
- Recognize and reward participants: Express gratitude to all participants for their contributions and emphasize the value each entry brings to the campaign. Recognize and reward winners thoughtfully, reinforcing the community’s importance and encouraging future participation.
Summing Up
As we conclude our exploration of crowdsourced creativity, it’s evident that this collaborative approach holds immense power to transform businesses of all sizes. By tapping into the collective wisdom and ingenuity of your community, you can unlock a treasure trove of fresh ideas, enhance brand engagement, and strengthen your brand image.
When you embrace crowdsourced creativity, you’re not just inviting your customers to submit ideas; you’re inviting them to become active participants in your brand’s journey. This sense of ownership fosters deeper connections, encourages loyalty, and elevates your brand from a mere product or service to a movement that resonates with your audience.
By embracing the diverse perspectives and expertise of your community, you’ll unlock a world of possibilities, propelling your brand toward a future of growth, engagement, and limitless potential.