Maybe the writers finally ran out of ideas for the MasterCard "Priceless" ads. That's what it looked like earlier this year when they sat an actor down in a chair and had him type out empty spaces, inviting viewers to try filling in the blanks themselves.

Apparently, the ad copywriters were just up with the latest fashion.

This is the moment of in-your-hands consumer advertising -- the kind generated by the masses rather than for the masses. From Emerald Nuts' make-your-own contest to Mozilla FireFox's posting of consumer-produced spots at firefoxflicks.com, the creative directors seem to be handing over the work to us common folk.

There's marketing powerhouse Procter & Gamble, responsible for such memorable ad icons as Folger's Mrs. Olson and "99 and ⁴⁴/₁₀₀ % pure'' Ivory soap, offering a $1,000 prize to food-service professionals who can come up with the best pitch for the Dawn Grease Fighting Arsenal used in cafeterias and restaurant kitchens.

Even the coveted Super Bowl spots that create buzz for the advertising industry like no other evening of television are up for grabs. Both Chevrolet and Frito-Lay are promising time during next year's big game broadcast for garage ad agencies -- startups and wannabes working out of their basements -- who can pack big ideas on selling cars and snacks into 30 seconds and 45 megabytes.

All these efforts to encourage consumer-generated marketing may look like a cheap trick to get free ideas, but advertising executives say there's more to it. What's actually happening is the industry is trying to plug into a very connected online audience that has little patience for traditional ads.

In some ways, the marketers want to regain a little control over the conversation by giving up on the myth of total brand control.

"I think everybody is trying to get a handle on how to wrap our arms around this whole viral and Internet situation," said Frank Marmion, president and chief executive officer of South Side ad agency GatesmanMarmionDrake.

Companies have seen how powerful it can be when consumers tell each other about a product they love by sending e-mails or posting endorsements. But let a marketer try to sneak in its own message that way and the backlash can be stinging. The Internet is just as effective in distributing the bad comments as the good.

Consumers -- empowered by technology if not always possessed of polish -- already have been having fun with traditional spots created by the professionals. The Internet holds numerous parodies of the "MasterCard" commercials, some of which likely would draw fines from the Federal Communications Commission.

"The younger generation -- they almost resent the big, established, corporate brands," said Geoff Tolley, president and creative director of Strip District ad agency GBL Inc.

Inviting them into the marketing process has its risks. When Chevrolet invited people to make their own spots for the Tahoe earlier this year, anti-SUV versions quickly appeared on the Web site the company provided. Ad executives say that kind of smart-aleck response is to be expected.

Chevrolet is trying a different approach with the Super Bowl contest. It is limited to college students who will develop storyboards and a script. The winning entry will be chosen by company executives and their ad agency.

"You've got to create something of a box that they can play in," said Mr. Tolley. That has to be done without, of course, making them feel manipulated. Prizes and potential fame seem to be a popular tool for appeasing amateur ad writers and producers.

MasterCard received more than 100,000 "quality" submissions -- no word on how many non-quality entries -- and the winning commercial is expected to be televised by the end of the year.

Whether or not the various projects create award-winning spots isn't the point.

"I can't say that this technique [of consumer-created commercials] will ever produce the best commercials. But as a source for getting user-feedback, ad inspiration and creating centers of influence, I think the idea is pretty interesting," said Squirrel Hill marketing consultant Jodi S. Klebick.

Mr. Tolley predicted Pittsburgh-area companies may be inclined to let national marketers with deep pockets do the early testing on new ways to get consumers involved in generating ad content. At this point, the results have been too uncertain for those with tight marketing budgets to easily justify the expense.

He's had some clients ask about such promotions, which look pretty cool. So far, none has been ready to take a chance on damaging its brands. "To really do it well, you do have to give up some control."