This is part two of our intern Mihaela’s report of the SCAMP digital innovation event. Check out part 1 for data games and the sillier side of the web (the Slapometer’s great). Read on here for the dark side of user-generated content, and smart home technology.
User-generated content and dangerous acts
Up next, the dark side of user-generated content posted online by pro-ams (professional amateurs) whose publishing skills improve increasingly despite their lack of relevant experience. The power of the crowd becomes strongly evident in activist campaigns that usually turn viral and Hill & Knowlton’s Candace Kuss termed these as “anti-brand”acts which become dangerous when voiced via social networks, e.g. Nestle’s Facebook page demonstrates growing crowd discontent instead of brand loyalty. The fake BP PR account satirizing BP’s fails further confirms two things – one, that a brand’s worth is estimated by the audience, and two, that humour is engaging even when the actual topic is far from funny. When asked how BP should act on this, Candace highlighted the importance of developing social media crisis prevention tools to be applied before things go wrong instead of after.
