Consumer Generated Content

According to Wikipedia, the advent of Consumer Generated Content in 2005 was due to new technology becoming affordable and accessible to the masses. They define it as , "various kinds of media content, publicly available, that are produced by end-users.

My initial thought about blogging about “User Generated Content” was that it would be that it would be limited to reporting on, deconstructing, and understanding past User Generated Campaigns that have been executed. My other thought was, since interactivity is the true nature of the web; I would have a lot of ground to cover. Joseph Jaffe articulated it well when, he said," the tv was the lean back; passive medium and the internet was the lean into, engagement medium."

Upon more reading, Wikipedia's cited these three central characteristics for UGC:

1-Publication requirement
2-Creative effort
3-Creation

And these as the different types of user generated content

Discussion boards
Blogs
Social networking sites
News Sites
Trip planners
Customer review sites
Experience or photo sharing sites
Any other website that offers the opportunity for the consumer to share their knowledge and familiarity with a product or experience
Games

I again, realized how broad this topic could be so for my intent and purposes I will define User Generated Work as a vehicle to engage a person, whether in a conversation or an activity. Its about getting people to participate thus, making a connection with the consumer, especially one of the emotional nature. I love the saying the president of our company Ben (Heo) quoted in a meeting, "Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand."

That being said the parameters of this blog is to cover anything consumer generated from discussion boards to games; anything that a brand could use to CONNECT,CONVERSE, and or ENGAGE their audience in a MEANINGFUL way.