Monday, September 07, 2009

Users as the new models


Last April 29, 2009, I was one of the three panelists on "The rise of Digital Advertising and the Philippine Outlook for 2009" invited by the 4As - premiere advertising association in the Philippines.

The focused of my presentation was blog / social network marketing and advertising. Looking at various activity trends, noticed a lot of companies organizing activities with users (or favored ones) at the front act.
  • Some entities organize contest encouraging users to submit blog posts, photos, and even videos to a site.
  • Some users get tapped to function as coordinator either on a volunteer or paid capacity running a campaign.
So instead of hiring the usual talents or celebrities, more companies realize the value of collaborating with loyal users in carrying the brand and interact with peers online.
The same applies for user trials where those who enjoyed or enlightened (or even not) with the experience will share what they think in their respective blog or communities they belong to.


Find more videos like this on DigitalFilipino.com Social Network

So I totally agree with fellow panelist Donald Lim, CEO of Yehey.com, when he said in the video that traditional advertising methods won't work online. Advertising agencies need to adjust and learn how to treat users differently from the usual models or celebrity endorsers.
Maria Rodriguez Java of ABS-CBN News also joined in the panel where she shared interesting statistics focusing on their experience.