Yesterday morning Gary Gygax passed away, so I'm a bit nerd-sad at the moment. Like many other computer geeks, growing up I was into roleplaying games and Gary Gygax was an icon as the Father of Dungeons & Dragons. Though it was in person, sitting around with some pencils, paper and dice was our social networking back then. Later when the internet was picking up, but before the label of "Web 2.0" was slapped on it, to have "online friends" was still seen as anti-social.

And now everyone and their mom has a Facebook or MySpace page. If you don't, you're the odd one out now. The irony is particularly interesting because the nerds, geeks and dweebs of 15-25 years ago are now leading the technology behind Web 2.0, social media and all things "hip" about the Internet right now.

If anything, I'm more anti-social now than I used to be -- except for the fact that I interact with more people online now than I ever do in person. I've put down the d20s (those are twenty sided dice for you non-initiated) for now, but I'll always be a roleplaying nerd at heart.

User generated content (UGC) is a buzz phrase that has our industry all atwitter.  Mostly, marketing communications processionals are scrambling to harness the power of UGC for to move product.  But here's the thing:  the consumers we're targeting with UGC -- X, Y & Millennials -- aren't buying.  They're sharing, and learning and building relationships online.  Mostly with other online-people and sometimes with brands.

CurrentMarketing has always been a technologically forward-thinking company and we have long included email blasts, websites and seasonal web content as a part of our clients' marketing mix. Cue it up...pull the trigger...next!  It became a parallel function -- in timing and execution --  to the traditional media it reinforced or replaced.

But UGC is more of a slow cooker than a microwave.  It takes time, thought and coordination.  Mostly time.  Reggie Bradford points out in a recent post  that UGC and other social media builds long-term assets, requiring persistence, along with appropriate integration with a brand's traditional promotional calendar.  It must be nurtured and cared for.

There are some who define a "brand" as the consumer's relationship with a product or service.   UGC builds that relationship stronger and deeper than any award-winning campaign.  I haven't seen the proof that it's enough all by itself.

So while traditional media like broadcast and print -- and nowinteractive media like podcasts, SMS text programss, and blogs -- may still have a place in the marketing mix, social networking also need to be integrated into promotions and brand building formerly entrusted these media.