Nike, like many companies this year, has enlisted users to create ads for their new product, Air Force. Nike has decided to take advantage of the popularity of "mashing" on YouTube. They offer a variety of clips and sound tracks that can be edited together by the user into a 1-minute ad. This isn't mashing in the purely democratic, free-for-all kind that has been the hallmark of YouTube. You are limited to their menu of clips and music and all ads will end with "The Second Coming," the tag line for the new product, and a patented Nike swoosh.
From a marketer's perspective, this sounds pretty amazing. You are engaging the consumer with your brand while generating buzz about the Air Force sneakers. Proud mashers will be sending their clip (i.e., your advertisement) around so all their friends can watch. PLUS, you get to see what your brand means to these users by which clips and music they choose. If Nike is smart, they will listen closely to hear where their brand is going when it is out of headquarters and in the street. Check out these two videos posted on YouTube and you'll see how different brand perceptions can be. (Wish I could post the videos but YouTube won't let me!)
Italian Craftsmanship
Detroit Attitude
From a user perspective, however, I am curious to see the reaction. Will mashers accept the limitations or are they contradictory with the whole idea of mashing. It seems that in this world, no one is supposed to claim ownership over any content and use by others should be a form of flattery, just as jazz musicians used to riff off of other artists' tunes. While this surrender of the material is unacceptable to a marketer, it may be difficult to come off as genuine in this milieu while keeping a grip of the left-brain of Web 2.0.
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