Can you run a customer's review video as an ad? Where the line is on UGC reuse
Videos customers post on their own often outperform brand ads. So teams keep asking whether they can run UGC (user-generated content) as ad creative. There is more to check than it seems.
Issues that come up
- Scope of permission: is a quick "can we use this?" and a "sure" in the comments enough, or do you need agreement on duration, channels and edits? Opinions differ.
- Once money changes hands: paying a fee or sending product creates an economic relationship, so ad disclosure has to be settled too.
- Editing limits: cutting a clip so it stresses a benefit the original did not really claim can cause trouble.
- Faces and privacy: many people do not want their face, voice or home spread across paid ads.
- Claim responsibility: even if a customer said it, once it runs in your ad, the brand owns that claim.
What teams commonly do
- A short usage agreement that records duration, channels and editing scope
- Calendar reminders to pull the ad when the usage period ends
What process does your team follow before running UGC as an ad?
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