In a bid to boost its public profile, the Creative Commons nonprofit has partnered with BzzAgent, a leading word-of-mouth marketing organization.
But the unlikely partnership has upset supporters of Creative Commons, some of whom find it hard to believe the copyright reform organization would team up with a viral-marketing company with a somewhat dodgy reputation.
Last week, BzzAgent began a 12-week pro bono promotional campaign for the nonprofit. The opposition from Creative Commons supporters stems mostly from concerns that BzzAgent may be trying to enhance its own reputation by associating with the squeaky-clean nonprofit.
Since 2001, San Francisco-based Creative Commons has promoted "flexible" alternatives to the current copyright system. Boston-based BzzAgent sends armies of coached, unpaid promoters to talk up products in bars, malls and backyards.
After the storm of protest, the venture between the two organizations is now under review. But in an instant-message Q&A with Wired News, BzzAgent's founder Dave Balter defended the unusual alliance, saying his company has long supported Creative Commons' mission and wants to help promote it. Balter also dismissed concerns about deceptive buzz-marketing tactics, saying the volunteer BzzAgents are told to disclose their association with products they promote.
Wired News: Why should the Creative Commons community feel good about BzzAgent working on its behalf?
Dave Balter: Nothing we could do would measure up to the foundation built by the people who have supported CC (Creative Commons) from the beginning.... It's not a replacement mechanism, but a way to help broaden what they've already started. We want thousands of everyday people with limited prior awareness of CC to be talking about and utilizing its resources.... I regret that we've overlooked how the current community would feel about our involvement. We're not pretending to be the saviors of CC, just a resource to help more people understand the power of free culture. Can't we all just get along?
WN: Why do you want to work with Creative Commons?
Balter: Many of us have been supporters (of its mission for years). We've read Lessig's books, and our GoodBzz program (helps) nonprofits and open source/good cause organizations.
WN: Can you elaborate?
Balter: We appreciate that it's not combative to copyright, but is an alternative to it. We like that it empowers consumers to share their creations (however) they choose. It allows consumers to truly co-create with each other.
We love that.... Our goal is to help CC get its message out to different communities.... We would help introduce the concept to others, give them the tools to communicate more effectively and learn from how they express it to others. We'd help CC understand how they could/should be embracing individuals who appreciate their system.
WN: Who is the Creative Commons community?
Balter: They are believers. Early adopters. They believe in what Creative Commons stands for. They have a cause.
Their dedication, and their willingness to support their belief, is what gives CC credibility. Many organizations can never get to this level. But this is a sign that CC is truly changing the world. Now it's time to help get this message out to others in a way that's effective.
But let me clarify.... It's not about going out and spamming the world or overwhelming other consumers. It's about finding those that have yet to experience the product, who are interested, and openly and honestly sharing opinions with them -- both positive and negative.... Until someone they can relate to mentions it to them, it's still a foreign concept, and it's only when someone they trust actually takes the time to share their opinion that a real impression is made.
WN: Do you think BzzAgent benefits from associating with Creative Commons because of the copyright group's reputation?
Balter: This has nothing to do with us gaining anything by associating with CC. We started the GoodBzz program because we have a strong desire to help companies that don't have the budgets to utilize our services. We believe in good causes.... We wanted to help CC. We think they could use it. The idea that we're doing this to build our brand is completely false.
WN: Why do you think the Creative Commons community feels your motivation is to benefit from associating with CC?
Balter: Because they're protective of a brand and service they feel really passionate about. It's natural. When we really believe in something, we want to ensure it's not taken advantage of.
Why would we spend so much time and energy -- and actual dollars -- to build this program, if we just wanted to build our brand? There are much easier ways to do that. We work with dozens of Fortune 100 companies. We have (already) received some very strong press.
