Social Media Etiquette

I am sitting in my marketing class at USF thinking about the power of social networks, probably because social media marketing is a theme that comes up frequently.

The notion that "brands" are not owned or controlled by companies as they were in the Mad Men days is not new but it is troubling for those responsible for corporate communications and marketing today. Brand now is in the hands of the people who use them. Anyone, can say virtually anything they like about you in the world and there is virtually no way to stop it - there is no way to un-ring the bell.

What does this mean and why should we care? I believe anything that dilutes the concentration of media and messaging - ostensibly that implies greater democracy. The idea that now any one person can actually be the voice of a multi-million dollar company is actually quite liberating.

In marketing, consumerism and politics it is a truism that the more active and engaged you are the more "voice" you have. The fact is, voice will continue to happen whether or not companies view this as an opportunity to engage or act in fear...