There seems to be a lot of optimism from crowd leaders and CS platforms suggesting that “brand love” is the motive force behind the crowd. If I drive a VW and I have a predilection for creative expression, then I’ll jump on the chance to participate in a contest that is led by VW. That may indeed describe a very small percentage of the crowd. And it may be especially true for the random, occasional housewife participant, but for the expert crowd or even the enthusiastic novices, human nature would suggest otherwise.
It’s not about the brand, it’s about the contest.
It’s about the size of the prize and most importantly it’s about the the quality of the brief. If the brief is convoluted, overly complex, unclear or just too broad you lose the crowd. Why participate when don’t have a clear idea of what the client is looking for. Even if it’s a “one off” everyone wants to win. Brands who try to determine what they want AFTER they see the 300 solutions is a good way to lose the crowd.
As a crowdsource company watcher and participant, it’s interesting to watch some clients change requirements mid-contest, just like they do in non-crowdsourced environments!
