We all know content is king, but in today's fast-paced, scroll-and-forget world, User-Generated Content (UGC) is the future. Forget the overly polished - what people crave is authenticity and relatable imperfections.
Consumers want product recommendations that feel like they're coming from a trusted friend, not a brand. In fact, 85% of consumers value user-generated content more than branded content. (Source)
Who will your audience trust more for genuine recommendations - a flashy commercial shot on ARRI or someone expressing their excitement about a product in front of their iPhone camera? Well, according to studies, the latter: over 60% of consumers prefer relatable and authentic content to high-production value videos. (Source)
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
It's all about authenticity. A staggering 86% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding which brands they like and support. (Source)
This isn't just a trend; it's a fundamental shift in how people interact with brands. Consumers find UGC 9.8x more impactful than influencer content when making a purchasing decision. (Source)
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
I've been in the proverbial trenches, coordinating the production of 150+ UGC assets for giants like Garnier & Thayers.
My approach? It's about finding that sweet spot where technical quality meets raw, uncurated authenticity. UGC videos shouldn't look or feel professionally curated - they should feel like people talking to people.
Imagine an average user sharing a story with their friends and followers; a spontaneous video in which they rave about a product they've fallen in love with - your product. Slightly overexposed footage. Perhaps slightly out of focus. Background noise. A perfectly imperfect script. Authentic. Relatable. UGC should be optimised for results, not looks.
Concept | Creative Direction
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Concept | Creative Direction
UGC management, like any form of outsourcing, demands streamlined processes and project coordination skills. I handle the entire process, end-to-end, so you don't have to. Including:
► Content Strategy
► Storyboarding
► Casting
► Briefing creators
► Pre-Production (i.e shipping products to creators)
► Daily communication
► Detailed feedback based on my audiovisual expertise
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Beyond building trust, UGC simply performs. UGC-based ads lead to 29% higher web conversions, while social campaigns that incorporate UGC see a 50% lift in engagement. Just think about the ROI. (Source)
It just makes sense. When consumers see themselves and their peers in your content, they're more likely to interact, share, and ultimately, make a purchase. In fact, 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. (Source)
Creative Direction
Concept | Casting | Creative Direction | Project Management
Creative Direction
If you're looking to elevate your brand's storytelling with performance-driven UGC, I'm here to help you.
Let's create content that resonates with your audience.
kelvin@crucible35.com