The jury is still out on whether consumer-generated content is a good idea for marketers, but that hasn't stopped a long list of major advertisers from experimenting with the new and controversial
genre. Emerald Nuts, Chevrolet, and Cartoon Network have all recently created promotions and contests around such content, in which consumers create material to run on a brand's Web site. The
marketers' hope is that such interaction will lead to a loyal relationship with a brand, but some experts are skeptical. "Consumers who participate certainly feel pumped," says Marian Salzman, trend
spotter and chief marketing officer at ad agency JWT. "But I'm not sure that any one response makes that much difference. Their voices give (a marketer) relevancy, but without celebrity you somehow
lack the megaphone effect. So it's a toss-up if consumer-generated is a big wow." Earlier this year, MasterCard took consumer-generated content to a new level with a competition asking consumers to
fill in the blanks in two ads in its "Priceless" series that first aired on the Oscars. Unlike traditional Priceless ads--which show products and their price tags and end with something money can't
buy--these ads feature blank spots for the items. Consumers can complete the ads online at the site priceless.com. Winning ads to be decided in October will run on the Web site and on TV.
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