Grassroots Video Marketing

As You Tube and other video sharing websites continue to explode, advertisers are scrambling to connect to these web users where traditional advertising methods have failed.

L'oeral Paris is sponsoring a "You Make the Commercial Contest" to connect to teens. Converse shoes is soliciting amateur videos and Mastercard is inviting people to enter their own "Priceless" commercials. TV networks have gotten on the bandwagon as well. USA Networks is asking web users to upload personal videos to inspire new story lines for shows.

More and more companies are creating "Handycam" commercials as entertaining viral videos to brand and promote products. My own sister (shameless plug) stars in a Biore mini series to promote its products in an attempt to appeal to a broader market. Check out the video series at: http://www.condenet.com/promo/biore

So if you're looking for creative ways to expand your brand and find new audiences for your product, you might just grab your digital camcorder and save yourself big bucks on an advertising firm.