Interaction, not broadcast
Marketing and communication is moving away from a top- down, one-to-many broadcast model.
It is moving towards brand democratisation, which is based on many-to-many (person to person) interactions.
Trust and influence are moving away from institutions and towards the individual.
People are using free social media tools that offer the potential to publish and broadcast (or more accurately, multi-cast) their opinions.
Your brand is increasingly in the hands of your customers and other stakeholders who you do not have direct control over.
For companies that recognise and embrace this trend, it is a chance to get ahead. For companies that fail to adapt, brand democratisation is a risky minefield.