Crowdsourcing – brands turn to fans

Brands are increasingly turning to their fans to help them develop their next products. Samuel Adams followed in the steps of Mountain Dew and Coca-Cola to turn to Facebook fans and crowdsource a new beer. Nestlé is now asking its fans to help them pick the next flavour in their KitKat Chunky range to increase its uptake amongst young men.

Facebook is the ideal social media channel to source these insights. From simple competition apps through to augmented reality apps, Facebook users are able to engage with their favourite brand in a fun way within a familiar environment. It’s a win – win situation as brands know they are investing in something that their target audience will buy, while fans get to feel part of creating something tangible.

As apps continue to advance in what they can do and Facebook offers increasing opportunities for brands, this trend is likely only to continue.

So it seems for brands, a crowded marketplace can only be a good thing.