Influx

Influx disagreed with Time when they made “You” person of the year, (even if we know every planners and consultants presentation will know use the cover) and now we disagree with Ad Age, sorry to say this, but “You” are not agency of the year.”

We could write a pithy narrative justifying our reasons to disagree, but what’s the point when someone’s already done the thinking for us.

Leave it to one of our favorite bloggers, Asi Sharabi of No Man’s Blog to nail the argument.

Below are the key points from his post (in all its un-edited British glory) and we wait with baited breath for Ad Age to come back at us! We know we could be waiting some time, but let’s see if their link tracker even works.

“First, let’s not forget that 99% of user generated content is quite rubbish. It’s like giving The Consumer the designer of the year for a couple of people who did a really good DIY home renovation. Whats next? YOU as the hairdresser of the year if you blow dried your missus really well? Best pornographer of the year if you made a good homemade? Best policeman of the year if you kicked a hoody’s ass for trying to steal a bicycle?

But this choice is wrong mostly because it will strengthen an already played out fad. Brands and marketers already overuse and misuse the idea of user generated content. They saw an emerging trend that it’s power lies is in it’s spontaneity and ‘grassrootsness vitality’ and most importantly it’s independence and they are going to kill it softly. Instead of using the idea of loosing control over your brand strategically, first and foremost for driving internal cultural change, they use it tactically (and forcefully) to make consumers do the job for them and that will either backlash of simply bore people away.”