Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Dark Side of UGC - The Cleveland Video


We've all read about the value of user generated content (UGC) and viral marketing. Unfortunately the best intentions do not always produce the desired results. Positively Cleveland, a DMO that promotes the region created a "Hastily-Made Tourism Video Contest". The goal was simple, use UGC to promote the city. This video was "created" for the contest, but obviously was never selected. None the less the first version of this funny but disturbing video has attracted 1,206,632 views. The second version to the left has attracted 994,291 views. When searching Cleveland on YouTube this video comes up 1st!
The lesson here is an important one. Travel companies can try to use UGC to enhance their online offering, but beware as the Internet user population may take this opportunity to do exactly the opposite from your intended goal. The sad part of this video is that though it is obviously a farce, it does show our country's declining "rust belt" and the toll the Recession has taken on the area.

15 comments:

Stephen Joyce said...

This is very similar to the UGC video contest from either Ford or GM (I don't remember which). If I remember correctly though, in that case the car company accepted the fact that these videos were on-line and just took their lumps. I wonder if a totally unrelated site or organization had put on the contest if it would have resulted in the same type of video.

visitseoul said...

oh..where is Detroit??? where is American Auto???

Mark said...

While people may have different views still good things should always be appreciated. Yours is a nice blog. Liked it!!!

Daniela said...

Thanks ever so much, very useful article. If you do not mind, please visit my article related to pandeglang district in Banten, Indonesia at Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang or Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang second and also Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang Objek Wisata Air Terjun Curug Gendang and Kesenian Debus, Sejarah dan Ciri Khas Wisata Banten and our hard work at Kerja Keras Adalah Energi Kita that's right Kerja Keras Adalah Energi Kita, and Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang Memasuki Babak Akhir also Objek Wisata Taman Wisata Alam Carita, Learn Indonesian language, Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang, or Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang, also Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang, or Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang, also Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang, or Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang, also Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang, or Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang, very smart thank you!

nike shox torch said...

Nike shoes
Cheap nike shoes
Discount nike shoes
Nike shox r4
nike shox shoes
puma cat
cheap sport shoes
cheap nike shox
cheap nike max
nike tn dollar
nike running shoes
nike air max tn
puma shoes
discount puma shoes
puma mens shoes
puma running shoes
puma shoes
ed hardy clothes
ed hardy shirts
ed hardy jackets
ed hardy hoodies
ed hardy boots
ed hardy polo shirts
ed hardy shoes
ed hardy jeans
ed hardy outerwear
ed hardy long sleeve shirts
ed hardy bags
ed hardy winter boots
ed hardy handbags
ed hardy love kills slowly shirts
ed hardy love kills slowly shoes
ed hardy love kills slowly boots
ed hardy trousers
ed hardy mens
ed hardy womens
ed hardy t shirts
ed hardy sunglasses
ghd hair straighteners mk4
hair straightners
ghd iv styler hair straightener
ghd hair straightners
cheap ghd hair straighteners

Samantha Fryberger said...

Actually, your post is incorrect. Positively Cleveland, the convention and visitors bureau promoting Cleveland Plus, created the video contest in response to Mike Polk's fictional "tourism board" videos that were designed for comedic effect. They were not created for us or the contest. We asked people to create more positive videos. Forty people did. You can see the entries at our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/positivelycleveland.

Anonymous said...

酒店經紀酒店打工 酒店工作酒店上班酒店兼差酒店兼職打工兼差打工兼職台北酒店 酒店應徵 禮服酒店 酒店經紀 打工 兼差

combattery84 said...

Laptop Battery
laptop battery
ACER Laptop Battery
APPLE Laptop Battery
ASUS Laptop Battery
COMPAQ Laptop Battery
Dell Laptop Battery
FUJITSU Laptop Battery
GATEWAY Laptop Battery
HP Laptop Battery
IBM Laptop Battery
LG Laptop Battery
SAMSUNG Laptop Battery
SONY Laptop Battery
TOSHIBA Laptop Battery
laptop batterylaptop batterylaptop batterylaptop batterylaptop battery
laptop battery

Anonymous said...

bid on lodging prices
[url=http://vimeo.com/user4498961]cheap budget hotels
[/url]international hotel booking
tourist house gare du nord
asia motel
[url=http://www.earthday.org/users/48490]cheap air and hotel
[/url]thermostat protection
tacky london caller house
hostelry europe
[url=http://www.fairview.org/cty/members/klemot/default.aspx]hotel prices in japan
[/url]accomodations deals
lake locality hotels
airline rankings
[url=http://www.youthcabinet.org/profile/Josh]hotel prices in australia
[/url]cheap ancestry decor
budget-priced pile letting
und hotels
[url=http://www.beautyresearch.com/blogs/alexa/archive/2010/08/15/hotels-and-accomodations.aspx]first world hotel
[/url]747 economy class
hervey bay compromise
casing register
[url=http://www.mazdacommunity.com/profiles/blogs/special-hotel-offers-or]janes hotel
[/url]cheap florida house
hotel booking machine
online booking systems

Anonymous said...

city bed deals
hotel price
thai airways restraint classification
what is conservatism grade on an airplane
movies booking
hotels worldwide
airlines rankings
5 unmatched motor hotel shoddy
bed relais
hotel relais
inn frying deals
pension and motel
b & b coupons
comparing hotel prices
va accommodation
motel week
the george new zealand pub shipston on stour
at hotels
inn aid below cost
cheap blood design
worthless toronto hotels
tune hotel
booking wiz
lone accommodation squad
tawdry play lineage

Anonymous said...

To be a upright human being is to procure a philanthropic of openness to the far-out, an skill to trusteeship undeterminable things beyond your own restrain, that can lead you to be shattered in uncommonly exceptionally circumstances as which you were not to blame. That says something remarkably important with the fettle of the ethical passion: that it is based on a trustworthiness in the uncertain and on a willingness to be exposed; it's based on being more like a plant than like a jewel, something somewhat fragile, but whose mere particular handsomeness is inseparable from that fragility.

Maria said...

I don't remember which). If I remember correctly though, in that case the car company accepted the fact that these videos were on-line and just took their lumps. I wonder if a totally unrelated site or organization had put on the contest if it would have resulted in the same type of video.
cheap perfume
Burberrys perfume
dolce & gabbana perfume
Estee lauder sensuous perfume
euphoria perfume
guess perfume

escort madrid said...

It can't succeed in fact, that's what I believe.

0Zero7 said...

Its a brilliant writing. I hope Everyone like this writing. Thanks a lot for sharing this article.
affordable web hosting

yanmaneee said...

jordan 4
yeezy boost 350 v2
off white shoes
supreme
kobe basketball shoes
curry 6
adidas nmd
nike kd 11
nike air max
supreme clothing