TY - JOUR T1 - The Voice of the Consumer Speaks Forcefully in Brand Identity JF - Journal of Advertising Research JO - J Advert Res SP - 101 LP - 111 DO - 10.2501/JAR-51-1-101-111 VL - 51 IS - 1 50th Anniversary Supplement AU - George Christodoulides AU - Colin Jevons AU - Pete Blackshaw Y1 - 2011/03/01 UR - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/51/1_50th_Anniversary_Supplement/101.abstract N2 - User-generated content (UGC) is attracting a great deal of interest—some of it effective, some misguided. This article reviews the marketing-related factors that gave rise to UGC, tracing the relevant development of market orientation, social interaction, word of mouth, brand relationships, consumer creativity, co-creation, and customization, largely through the pages of the Journal of Advertising Research over the last 40 (or so) of its 50 years. The authors then discuss the characteristic features of UGC and how they differ from (and are similar to) these concepts. The insights thus gained will help practitioners and researchers understand what UGC is (and is not) and how it should (and should not) be used. ER -