Get Your Vacation Underwritten: XLNTADS UGC Video Contest

I've talked about XLNTADS before, but I assure you there is no relationship between Catalyst and XLNTADS other than my undying love for their great approach, ideas, and community. I may be shilling, but it is a sincere shill.

XLNTADS helps marketers by creating sponsored content video either about your product or the subject of your choice. It works by offering pro and pro am video producers a chance to win big prizes in exchange for making the kind of content and advertiser is looking to sponsor online. It can be a make an ad contest or simply the development of videos and serials that advertisers can sponsor in some way.

Their latest program is a video contest asking people to chronicle road trips in webisode form. I don't know who the advertiser is...they don't appear to be making the requirement that you use suspiciously large quantities of the product on your trip ;-). Instead, they want high quality engaging pro and pro am video content in the travel vertical that they can sponsor.

And that is really an important need that needs to be filled. Those of you who read the trades know that Unilever has decided to develop a series of original Spanish language content in large part because no one out there has existing content to support! Translation:

Unilever: Please Mr. Publisher, take my money.
Publisher: Pish Posh. I'd much rather focus on these T&A things.
Unilever: Fine, we'll make it ourselves.

BTW, the first prize in the road trip contest is $,7500. Would be DeMilles would line up at their web site and get taping. You don't have to vacation on spec. You submit your idea, they approve it, then you go! No muss no fuss.

And brands should really consider this format/approach as a way of getting UGC passion and excitement without the dangers of having their ads run next to amateur Girls Gone Wild wannabes. And don't think producers are whoring out for brands here. The beauty of XLNTADS is that it represents the union set between what producers want to make and advertisers want to support.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.