Lots has been written about the shift in power from brands to consumers. Huge branding campaigns can be negated by one negative action that goes viral in social media. A few months ago, we saw Beam, Inc.’s Maker’s Mark brand tarnished by a decision to water down their whiskey slightly. More recently, Abercrombie & Fitch was hit by a wave of negative publicity when insensitive (and six year old!) remarks by their CEO gained new life in social channels.

While marketers may bemoan their loss of control over brand messaging, the news isn’t all bad. One positive aspect is that communications in the new channel can be two way and one-to-one. A customer who is angry at a brand might have simply complained to friends, family, and co-workers in the past. While social media now give the disgruntled customer a larger pulpit, they also give the brand a chance to both learn and interact. In some cases, the brand can fix the problem or at least reduce customer anger instead of letting it fester in relative obscurity.  Read More