Event Marketing & CGM, Part 2

My last blog touched on how events can leverage consumer-generated media to connect their fans to one another by providing an example of what Coca-Cola did at the Torino Olympics. This week, I would like to take that example of a text blogging to the next level...i.e. video. Video aggregator sites like YouTube.com are all the rage these days, so why not leverage this vlogging (video blogging) phenomenon at large scale events.

Imagine a concert where there was a designated area where users could video tape live footage of the concert and themselves to post on sites like YouTube. In a world of video cell phones, cameras as big as a watch battery, podcasting, and other James Bond type gadgets, it would behoove event promoters to leverage the video CGM trend.

Here are a couple of the advantages:

- Marketers could charge a premium for tickets in an area they designate as vlog friendly. Tickets would be uniquely differentiated from standard tickets and would inform security personnel that cameras are allowed for this audience.

- The viral effect of allowing users to digitize their concert experience would spread like wildfire among the masses. Look what allowing users to record their concerts did for the Grateful Dead. They have 17.5 million albums sold and one of the most loyal fan bases in the history of music.

There are multiple variations for this type of concept, but the one consistency is that CGM is here to stay. Consumers will always find a way to get their content out there; smart companies are embracing the trend rather than arguing that it cannibalizes sales. Coke gets this...do not be surprised if you see a Coca-Cola sponsored promotion involving YouTube in the near future.