Failure to Communicate

New York Times, November 5, 2008 — Traditionally, brands have spoken in a "monologue" form to consumers. Print ads. TV commercials. Billboards. They talk at, or to, consumers. They say, "Here I am. This is what I am/do." This began to evolve when brands started asking people what they thought of products. While consumers suddenly had a voice, they used it the only way they could--to deliver monologues right back at the brand. Now, those simple monologues are evolving into a genuine dialogue.

Virgin Atlantic Poked by 'Facebook 13' Kerfuffle†

Posts on Social Network Shows Dangers of Public Oversharing

Advertising Age, November 3, 2008 — Having sacked a baker's dozen of its cabin crew for making disparaging remarks about everything from customers — "chavs" — to company jets, Virgin Atlantic is now dealing with a bit of user-generated criticism.

The saga of the "Facebook 13" began Friday, when the company said it had fired a bunch of employees who used one of the massively popular social network's groups for the purposes of deriding passengers, for questioning the jets' cleanliness and, most disturbing, for making the claim that its planes needed several engine replacements a year.

General Mills, Kraft Launch Word of Mouth Networks†

Brandweek, October 5, 2008 — Recognizing that a consumer's two cents are well worth their dollars, General Mills and Kraft have both launched new word-of-mouth networks.

For General Mills, it is "Pssst . . . ," an online network that gives members the scoop on the latest product news and offerings. The site, pssst.generalmills.com, currently has 100,000 members after a quiet launch last month.

Pssst uses an initial survey to help gauge product preferences. Once registered, users can voice their opinions via blog posts, share online coupon offers and recipes, and test new sample kits via the mail.

Kraft, meanwhile, kicked off Kraftfirsttaste.com last week, which lets consumers share the newest coupon and sampling offers, but also includes features such as a member spotlight, product... continue reading

Michael Dell 'Friends' his customers

How Mr. PC is using Facebook and other Web 2.0 sites to help turn his company around.

Money, September 4, 2008 — Write something about Dell online, and chances are the company will know about it in an hour or so. Dis the company in a blog or a Facebook group, and someone from a crack response team may even chime in, if only to let everyone know that Dell cares. Spooky? Well, this is a new Dell (DELL, Fortune 500): a little more attentive online, and a little more paranoid. When Michael Dell took back the reins of his company in early 2007, one of his first acts as CEO was to give its web strategy a kick in the pants.

Marketers Love Conversation, Unless the Consumer Starts It†

Listening Gets You More Than Complaints -- You Get Positive Brand Association and Word of Mouth

Advertising Age, August 11, 2008 — If the consumer voice is so important these days, why are brand feedback, or "contact us," forms so get-out-of-my-face unfriendly?

I dare you to find a feedback form that winks even a quasi-friendly smile. And if you find one that allows consumers to truly communicate in their native voices — complete with links, photos, audio clips or videos — I'll eat my just-published book.