DISQUS

CK · 3 years ago

Great post. Fine line, indeed. This new playing field of authenticity, where advertising is a side dish--no longer the main course--is going to be a rough adjustment. And, like you say, I hope it doesn't kill the medium in the process.

I recently posted on how "Wawa" (the convenience store) has fan-generated sites on MySpace and Facebook. Naturally, those brands are at the center of those sites because users placed them there. Why? Because of Wawa's great service.

So, in answering your question, I think brands will by and largely need to turn inward (ramp up innovation/increase service levels) rather than outward (airing ads, creating self-serving channels) to create better products/services/experiences. In other words, they're going to need to do what they should have been doing all along. Then the customers can invite them in, as an accessory or otherwise.