Face Launches X-Crowd for Tech Co-Creation

In the UK, co-creation specialist Face has launched an online community called X-crowd, which promises to connect 'tech lovers' with global technology brands.

London-based Face uses co-creation to enable the direct and active involvement of consumers with brands to deliver a range of insight, strategy, innovation and planning objectives. X-crowd was developed for Nokia, following co-creation Face completed for the mobile company last year.

Nokia's Director of Consumer Research & Insight Tom Crawford described the X-crowd project as 'seminal', adding that it had introduced a new way of listening and interacting with consumers by treating them as partners rather than just respondents.

Last year, Face launched Mindbubble, a joint-branded Unilever and Boots community for women to pilot products for household brands.

'Mindbubble has been adopted mostly by FMCG brands, but for technology brands it's a huge opportunity because they can collaborate with people rather than trying things and failing,' explains Francesco D'Orazio (pictured), who is Research Director and Head of Social Media at Face. 'We find the more brands invest in co-creation the less their marketing spend has to be because the product launched is already more relevant.'

Web site: www.facegroup.co.uk .