It's Permission Marketing not Permission to Market

In today's London Times magazine, there's an interesting piece on consumer-created ads. David Rowan writes "With all the amateur podcasts, bloggers and video mashers taking on the mainstream media, it was inevitable that marketers would spot an opportunity to harness customers' creativity."

He goes on to describe how companies are trying to draw people into the ad-making process and create mashed-up ads from a base supply of video clips and logoes or of their own volition. There are financial inducements for the best and the hope is of some of them going viral and reaching elusive demographic groups.

The hope was clearly to generate buzz, save ad budgets and get people to think about their products' attributes and in some cases it has apparently worked. Rowan cites Converse shoes monthly online sales as having doubled after one such ad was posted. However, he also points out that this is very much a double-edged sword with the danger of brands being portrayed off message.

Permission to Market which these companies are offering is very different from Pemission Marketing.