1. SHAPING THE
FUTURE OF
ADVERTISING
7 STEPS FOR
SUCCESSFUL
CREATIVE
CROWDSOURCING
BY DEREK ARIENS
MANAGING DIRECTOR, EDGE AMSTERDAM

2. I probably do not have to tell you that the creative industry
is changing rapidly. Clients are pitching projects instead of
long-term relations and trends are shifting from producers to
consumers. The consumer is the trend.
For all types of agencies, it becomes harder to keep up with
online developments, as consumers demand a say in what
and why they should buy. Consumers are becoming more
involved with brands—whether the brand likes it or not. They
contribute to concept designs, create new campaigns, make
videos and set up Facebook brand fan pages that attract
huge crowds. With a new design software, they can produce
pages, clips and videos that can make or break brands.
So the questions is: how can you best involve the crowd with
your brand or company?
The purpose of this whitepaper is to provide you with some
ideas about crowdsourcing and how brands and agencies
alike may use it for the better of your business.
INTRODUCTION
consumers are becoming
more involved with
brands—whether the
brand likes it or not.

3. Crowdsourcing is “the act of taking a job traditionally performed
by a designated agent, usually an employee, and outsourcing it
to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of
an open call” (Jeff Howe, contributing editor, wired magazine).
This is the more technical definition of crowdsourcing. In our
day-to-day business, we prefer a different and more practical
one: creative consumer involvement.
The term and idea of crowdsourcing has been around for years,
but with developments in technology and internet speed, it has
become more accessible for consumers and brands alike to
participate in.
With this whitepaper, we will focus on crowdsourcing in the
creative industry and how it may benefit your company if used
correctly. We will describe some of the crowds you can choose
for different models and look at the main reason you could use
crowdsourcing.
THE
DEFINITION

4. Lets start with the downside. 95% of the ideas that are sent in
are rubbish. Everyone can be creative. We agree, but some just
more than others.
We believe in successful creative crowdsourcing, which means
keeping the group smaller to achieve more quality results. The
wider crowdsourcing community works well for slogans and
simple logos, but when you are talking ‘higher creativity’, the
crowd does not suffice—this is when elite sourcing comes into
play. This group can give you access to innovative, fresh and
vivid ideas. This group of creative talentsa and young creatives
students at art schools all walk on the edge of their abilities
with ease, which in the end does produce effective ideas.
So, which crowd do you choose?
CREATIVE
CROWD
SOURCING
successful, creative
crowdsourcing means
keeping the group smaller
to achieve more quality
results—this is when elite
sourcing comes into play.

5. DEFINE WHY YOU WANT TO CROWDSOURCE
There are several reasons for crowdsourcing and they all have a
different approach, which requires a different briefing.
You can crowdsource for PR reasons. The creative output is less
important, but you involve the consumer in the process. This
may lead to incredible PR, so ensure the briefing is open and
without many boundaries.
Use the crowdsource creative output for further development
by your agency or creative directors. Embrace and think that the
time of “not invented” is here. The agency that works as an open
system recognizes that good ideas can come from anywhere:
with this you will have a good competitive advantage.
Multidisciplinary perspectives: Invite different creative disciplines
to work on your briefing. This generates different perpectives on
the product or brand that might lead to the winning idea.
For inspiration and trend insights, these briefings should be
concise, usually one phrase—one that will generate ideas that
can work as a starting point for creative development, such as
visualize the future of investment for a financial client.
7 STEPS
FOR SUCCESSFUL
CROWDSOURCING
1

6. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TARGET GROUP
WORKING ON THE BRIEF
If you crowdsource for PR reasons and for creative output this is
less important; you can invite the world to participate. The more
the merrier! However, if you ask for a design, invite designers. If
you need a creative campaign, ask advertising talents.
In our experience, we find that if it’s a marketing communication
assignment, advertising creative talents participate more actively;
whilst on trend and innovation assignments, there are more artists
from art schools participating.
CREATE A SIMPLE, YET POWERFUL BRIEF
It doesn’t make sense to create a complicated brief. Focus on
the most important thing you want to achieve. Keep it short and
simple, and set clear deliverables.
POST THE BRIEF ONLINE WHERE YOUR EMPLOYEES
CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION
It is always better to know what you’ll get in the end, so ask your
employees to sign up so you can communicate with them. Let
the participants ask questions about the brief, help with problems
that may arise, and ensure there’s a feedback mechanism for the
duration of the process. This will help with the quality of the
creative work.
2
3
4
invite different creative
disciplines to work on your
briefing—this generates
different perspectives on
your product or brand.

7. CLARITY OF THE PROCESS IS KEY
Consumers (in any form) dislike it if you tell them what to do or
don’t do whay you say. This doesn’t help your company or your
brand’s image. Outline the rules in the beginning, and inform
those taking part that they must accept the rules if participat-
ing. This is very important when it comes to the IP rights. Will
all IP rights convert to you or just the winning idea(s)? Usually
the winners will transfer their rights.
Be clear on the deadlines and stick to them. Communicate
when you will review the work, when you make a decision and
when you will pay the winners. There is nothing more irritating
than finding out that the fee hasn’t been paid, but the company
is using the creative ideas.
RESPECT YOUR CROWD, FEEDBACK IS KING
If you have made a decision on the winner(s), communicate to
everyone why you made this selection. Give every participant
feedback on why they didn’t win: this is time consuming, but
there are solutions. Keep your creative crowd small, but with
great expertise. 20-30 creative ideas is enough and manage-
able. Invite only the best talents.
INVOLVE THE WINNERS IN THE PROCESS
Money is usually not the most important reason why people
join creative crowdsourcing contests. If you focus on creative
talents, they participate because they may have contact to
creative agencies and professionals. They can leave their mark
and built a portfolio. In the end, after graduation, they are all
looking for jobs or internships.
This is why it’s very important to involve the winners to work
and help in further development of the concepts. Guide them
through the process. Discuss their ideas and make them feel
important: they are part of the process and will repay you with
more amazing ideas.
6
7
5

8. Crowdsourcing is an intensive process where you have to open
your company to the crowd. For some this is difficult as they are
not used to it, but it is the future. Brands that embrace uncertainty
and dare to make mistakes will profit the most from the process.
There are crowdsourcing initiatives around the world that can
help you find the right crowd companies, like edge amsterdam,
victors & spoils and eyeka. If the crowdsourcing is done right,
it will lead to more fresh and creative ideas that will benefit your
company as a whole and will maintain a position at the forefront
of creativity.
OUR
CONCLUSION
crowdsourcing is an
intensive process...
brands that embrace
uncertainty will
profit the most.

9. Derek Ariëns is managing director of edge amsterdam.
edge is an initiative of conspiracy concepts, which supports
both the growth of the creative industry & community as well as
the brands working with edge. This gives clients the opportunity
to get inspired through the next generation of creatives, while
having the support and experience of conspiracy with activation
of the ideas into market.
edge amsterdam opporates an independent elite sourcing cre-
ative network that connects brands, creative & media agencies
and governments with our community & team to generate fresh,
new insights and creative output—this serves as inspiration to
further development and activation. We are a creative nucleus
dedicated to unbiased collaboration with an inspired design
culture that is influencing entire generations, consumers, brands
and business models.
WHITEPAPER DESIGN BY BRIANA GARELLI
brianagarelli.com
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR