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Showing that Ad Age understands about as much about social media as the big ad agencies it serves, they rave about General Motors new online contest where consumers can pretend to create ads for Chevy Tahoe:

"Joining the new trend of consumer-created advertising, GM is asking viewers to make and submit a 30-second spot for its Tahoe truck."

Umm, no, actually GM is letting consumers "create" canned commercials. Players can add their own text to video clips provided by Chevy and drop them into a canned commercial with a choice of canned sound tracks. Then they can watch the commercial they've "created."

Clearly, GM, or, more likely its ad agency, doesn't realize that the public is capable of producing incredibly creative, accomplished work. Take a look at consumer-created ads on YouTube, for example.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: message control is, and always was, nothing more than an illusion. Let that tired old idea go!

The contest was announced on last night's The Apprentice episode which we didn't watch.

I ran through it to see how it worked. It reminds me more of a videogame (cool technology though).

But, the thing doesn't even work. After spending time creating the thing, you go to submit it, and you can't, or at least I can't.

I agree that it isn't social media in any form, its just a clever sweepstakes program.

"Message control is, and always was, nothing more than an illusion"? (Time to give your buddies Al Ries and Jack Trout a call and have them beg you to differ.)