Ciao stimulates members-through-members
Ciao Shopping, one of the biggest and fastest growing comparison sites in Europe, has members earn money through reviews (50 cents per review), and by getting other new members. They can earn a 50% bonus on all review earnings of the new member for the first half year of his or her membership. Participating in market research also brings in money: up to 5 euros per research (em, Dutch). Thus new brands show what a thin border there is between employees and consumers. People who are more involved, make more money. Even in times in which they are less active themselves, when others who they recruited are more active. Regular brands more and more start using multi-level marketing mechanisms. Or the mission work with which churches were successful in the past. It depends on how you want to see it. This anyway is an example of how it can be successful.