Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/482797
14 QRCA VIEWS FA LL 2 014 www.qrca.org The Participation Economy C O N T I N U E D programs). The ability to notice trendset- ters and leaders in the community and analyze their unique behaviors has also helped innovators understand "what's wanted next." These same benefits can now be reaped on a much larger scale in digital crowd- sourcing communities where participants use smart phones, tablets, and laptops to interact with each other and with clients. The intense interactivity and extended duration allows for creative activities and collaboration on problem solving. The adaptive nature of these communities makes them ideal for the co-creation of innovations with client experts. Online crowdsourcing research commu- nities can range significantly in scope and composition, depending on the client's objectives, their organization's geographic footprint, and the number of proactive stakeholder segments who will be partici- pating. For example, a boutique hotel chain in one country may only want to engage 1,500 of their brand ambassador clients in online research and creativity community programs; whereas a global consumer packaged-goods company may have 350,000 or more participants in a brand activation community with the core purpose of product co-creation and dis- ruptive innovation. Marketing with your stakeholders Leading brands and organizations are moving along this participatory spectrum toward greater levels of interaction and openness with their stakeholders. Many see diminished value in only marketing "at" their audiences (direct marketing, mass media advertising) and even see opportunity beyond marketing "for" their audiences (advocacy marketing, social marketing). They are moving into the space of marketing "with" their audiences, inviting their proactive audiences (cus- What are top qualitative researchers saying? Visit www.QRCA.org for upcoming dates, speakers, and topics for our Qcasts, and to sign up today! Also, be sure to visit the archives area at www.qrca.org to listen to all past webinars. Stay in the know with QRCA's Qcasts. Join us live to interact with our experts. Search our archives 24/7.