Tongal Takes on MacGruber UGC Contest

The site Tongal, a platform that helps brands crowdsource content under the framework of contests, launched a promotion this week with the upcoming Rouge Pictures film MacGruber.

To promote the film, which originated as a Saturday Night Live sketch series and is due out domestically on May 21, fans are being encouraged to submit ideas for a video based on a line from MacGruber; in the second round, people will be able to submit videos based on one of five selected concepts. (There’s a bit of sweet irony in that MacGruber itself has worked with brands, as seen during last year’s Super Bowl.)

With $10,000 in prize money to hand out, Tongal has come up with a multitiered system for winners to earn at least a little cash — not only will each of the five finalists win some cash, but those who submit winning concepts receive a 5 percent residual payment on future winnings, and the most-viewed video will receive a cash bonus as well.

Launched in 2008, Tongal made a big push at SXSW this year for both the MacGruber contest and a separate, conference-specific contest that asks attendees to submit B-roll video for the Ultimate SXSW video, including buying the front inside covers for the interactive and film conference programs as ad space. So far, 36 concepts have been submitted to the MacGruber contest, and co-founder Mark Burrell believes that number will climb to about 100 when this round ends next Wednesday.

UGC contests at times can feel exploitative — a way for a music label or a brand to solicit a lot of free ideas without offering them much reward in return. But in this case, where the money one might win is clearly specified, and the contest itself is framed as a fun way to engage with the world of the brand, Tongal might be onto something.

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