Yesterday’s New York Times featured the journey of composer Joseph Bertolozzi, a man who is turning France’s famed Eiffel Tower into a musical instrument.
I was struck by Bertolozzi’s imagination and dedication to his vision–not to mention curious to hear the music he will make by “playing” the steel structure with mallets and other objects.
Then it occurred to me that Bertolozzi’s project, while remarkable art, is also a great example of branded user-generated content (UGC)–content created by a consumer, a fan, showing their relationship with the product.
When Bertolozzi releases his musical creation next year, he will add a new page to the Eiffel Tower’s narrative. He will tell the Tower’s story in sound and from a personal, passionate perspective.
In doing so, he will reach a diverse audience with varying degrees of familiarity with the Eiffel Tower. Some of those who listen will be intrigued, inspired. For them, his music will be a fresh invitation to explore the historic monument coming from a person, not a marketing team.
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| From Disney’s “Let the Memories Begin” UGC Campaign |
The power of that invitation is exactly why so many brands are now turning to their most loyal customers to help tell their brand stories with UGC. It’s why campaigns driven by UGC generate as much as a 400% lift over conventional content marketing campaigns (Vivaki).
You may question the parallel between avant garde art and brand marketing. You may say it’s a reach. Maybe, but one thing is certain: like the users who submitted family photos to Disney’s “Let the Memories Begin” UGC campaign, Bertolozzi’s collaboration with the Eiffel Tower will move at least one person in a way that no paid tourist promotion ever could. For marketers seeking to be heard over today’s storm of digital media and communications, that’s worth noting.
