GoPro’s Fireman Saves Kitten, Doritos’ Time Machine, and Doritos’ Abduction show three ways to put user-made video to work: document a real event, build a simple product-centered joke, or turn a fan’s idea into a full commercial.
These are specific films you can watch, rather than hashtags or brand channels. They’re historical examples, not a list of videos released this year. The two Doritos entries are fan-created contest ads, with scripted stories and production crews. GoPro’s entry uses footage captured by a camera user. That distinction matters when you’re choosing what to ask a creator to make.
Key Takeaways
- UGC describes where content comes from, not one visual style. Customer footage and scripted fan-made ads can both qualify.
- Give the product a job in the story. In both Doritos films, the chips cause the action rather than appearing as a closing logo.
- Match the brief to the format. Documenting real use calls for a different brief from making a comedy commercial.
- Borrow the idea, then test your own execution. An award or a famous placement doesn’t establish what a new video will do for your business.
Content
Top 3 UGC Video Examples
| # | Exact video | Type of UGC | What to study |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GoPro: Fireman Saves Kitten | User-captured footage, published by the brand | A camera user’s point of view |
| 2 | Doritos: Time Machine | Scripted fan-created contest ad | A product built into a simple premise |
| 3 | Doritos: Abduction | Scripted fan-created contest ad | A product at the center of the conflict |
1. GoPro: Fireman Saves Kitten
Watch: GoPro: Fireman Saves Kitten.
GoPro’s official upload identifies firefighter Cory Kalanick as the person who captured an unconscious kitten’s rescue from a smoke-filled house. GoPro also credits Kalanick in its award announcement, which describes the film as a user-created ad.
The footage gives you the firefighter’s point of view. At about the one-minute mark, you look down toward the kitten and the equipment beside it. The camera is part of the action, rather than an observer filming a staged product demonstration.
The creative lesson: Find a real use case your customer can document. For a software company, that might be a user showing how they complete a task on screen. For equipment, it might be footage captured during normal use. The transferable idea is access to the user’s perspective, not recreating a dangerous or emotional event for an ad.
What makes it UGC: The source footage came from a product user. Brand publication and editing don’t turn that origin into a studio shoot. This is different from paying an actor to portray a satisfied customer.
2. Doritos: Time Machine
Watch: Time Machine on creator Ryan Thomas Andersen’s channel. The creator’s project page links to this exact upload and identifies it as the 2014 Super Bowl commercial.
A boy invites a neighbor to try a homemade time machine that supposedly runs on Doritos. The opening dialogue introduces the machine and its unusual fuel immediately. The neighbor supplies the bag, and the joke develops from that exchange.
The creative lesson: Give the product a role that makes the premise possible. The bag of chips is the reason the neighbor participates. A generic joke followed by a logo would be a different idea. When you brief a creator, ask them to explain where the product fits in the story before they film it.
What makes it UGC: This is a creator-made Crash the Super Bowl entry. It’s a scripted commercial, not an unscripted customer testimonial. Its usefulness as a reference comes from the creator’s premise, not from a claim that all UGC must look spontaneous.
3. Doritos: Abduction
Watch: Abduction on co-director Dylan Bradshaw’s channel. This is the same film embedded in the Telly Awards winner profile.
The 2025 Crash the Super Bowl winner was co-directed by Dylan Bradshaw and Nate Norell. Its premise is an alien encounter in which the UFO wants the man’s Doritos. The bag becomes the object of a tug-of-war. The winner profile credits a full team, including visual effects artists, a cinematographer, and a production designer.
The creative lesson: Put the product at the center of the conflict. Here, the extraordinary setup still serves one clear idea: both sides want the chips. For your own brief, identify what the viewer is supposed to remember about the product before adding effects, characters, or spectacle.
What makes it UGC: It’s a fan-created contest commercial. It also shows why UGC isn’t a synonym for low-budget phone footage. This is an ambitious produced ad, so use it as a concept reference rather than a production-budget benchmark for everyday social clips.
What Counts as a UGC Video?
A UGC video originates with a user or creator outside the brand’s own content team. It can be an unsolicited customer post, customer footage licensed by a brand, a contest entry, or a commissioned creator video. Those arrangements have different permissions and production needs.
A customer posting a video doesn’t automatically give a brand permission to run it as an ad. Before reuse, agree on where the content can appear, how long it can run, and what edits are permitted. Commissioned creator content also needs clear terms and truthful claims. Don’t present a scripted performance as an independent customer’s experience.
Influencer marketing adds another consideration: distribution through the creator’s audience. A creator can supply footage for a brand’s channels, publish to their own audience, or do both. Spell out which deliverables you’re buying.
Choosing a UGC Format for Your Product
The three films above are references for user perspective and product-centered storytelling. They’re not a complete catalog of today’s paid-social formats. For a practical creator brief, start with the buyer’s question:
- Does it work? Ask for a demonstration with the product in use.
- How would I use it? Build a tutorial around a specific task.
- What arrives? Use an unboxing to show the package and its contents.
- What is the experience like? Invite a real customer to describe what they used and what happened.
For more structures, see our customer testimonial video examples and short-form video examples.
Applying the Lessons to B2B and SaaS
A consumer comedy spot isn’t a software buying guide. Transfer the discipline: show the product doing something specific, and make the person on screen credible for that task.
A useful SaaS brief might ask a real user to show one workflow, explain the problem it solves, and describe the result they can support. Agree on what customer information must stay off screen and which statements need evidence. Cast for relevant experience rather than follower count alone.
At Vidico, our UGC Engine manages creators producing content variations for paid and organic channels. It sits alongside our wider video and creative production work. The aim is to give your team a repeatable production system: clear briefs, creator management, and variations you can test. Start with our video creative brief template to define the buyer, message, and deliverables.
How to Brief and Test UGC Videos
- Choose one buyer question. State the problem or product use the video needs to explain.
- Choose the right source. A real customer account, a commissioned demonstration, and a fan-made story are different assignments.
- Define the proof. Specify what must appear on screen and which claims the creator can make.
- Record alternatives. Try different openings or demonstrations while keeping the main message consistent.
- Test against your goal. Compare attention, clicks, qualified leads, or sales as appropriate. Don’t infer sales performance from views alone.
What UGC Videos Cost
UGC pricing depends on the creator, deliverable, and rights. Collabstr’s 2026 marketplace report recorded an average UGC asking price of $180 and an average actual payout of $154 per engagement. Those figures describe transactions on one marketplace, not a universal per-video average. Confirm the number of clips, revision rounds, and usage rights before comparing quotes.
Rights and add-ons depend on the supplier. Billo’s basic creator video includes full usage rights after approval; shipping and optional additions cost extra. Ask each supplier to itemize licensing, exclusivity, extra deliverables, and any bundle discount before comparing quotes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some good UGC video examples?
GoPro’s Fireman Saves Kitten uses footage captured by firefighter Cory Kalanick. Doritos’ Time Machine and Abduction are scripted fan-created contest commercials. Together, they show why user-made content can include both real events and produced stories.
How do you make a UGC video for TikTok?
Choose one clear use case, shoot for the platform’s viewing format, and make the opening easy to understand. Ask the creator for a natural delivery and specific evidence. Test alternative openings rather than assuming a fixed hook length guarantees results.
What are the rates for UGC videos?
Collabstr’s 2026 marketplace report recorded an average UGC asking price of $180 and an average actual payout of $154 per engagement. Those figures do not establish a market-wide per-video price. Your quote should state the deliverables, revision rounds, usage rights, and any exclusivity or paid-ad terms.
What makes a UGC video good?
A good UGC video gives the viewer a clear reason to watch and makes the product’s role easy to understand. Customer videos need credible, specific experience. Scripted creator ads need a premise that serves the product. Neither format guarantees a result simply because it looks informal.
What’s the difference between UGC and influencer videos?
UGC describes the origin of the content. Influencer work also involves the creator’s audience and distribution. A brand can license a creator’s footage without buying a post on their account, or commission both. Confirm content rights and posting obligations separately.
Choose the Idea Before the Style
The best lesson from these three videos is to give the product a clear role. GoPro offers the user’s perspective; Time Machine makes the chips part of the premise; Abduction makes them the object of the conflict. Choose the approach that fits your buyer and the evidence you can show.
Vidico produces explainer videos and ongoing creative for B2B teams, with creator-led content managed through our UGC Engine. Tell us about your product and buyer when you book a free strategy session.
