Advertisers Beware: Blog-Fortified “Copy Cops” at Your Doorstep

Media Daily News has a fascinating article on the rise of blogging and the implications for Advertisers. They give some interesting tips to marketers and brand managers on how to stay three steps ahead of us blogging types.



‘Blog and bloggers have made a huge mark in 2004, and this should give every major marketer and advertiser pause for deep reflection.

Bloggers gave Howard Dean’s campaign early, unexpected momentum. They fanned the flames of the Iraqi prison crisis with rapid distribution of photos, especially the most controversial ones. They catapulted into the mainstream Burger King’s “Viral Chicken” campaign, as well as the controversial “Swift Boat Veteran for Truth” anti-Kerry video. More recently, blogs have showcased new and promising ways for brands like Microsoft, Nike, Nokia, Sun, and HP to reach out to consumers and other stakeholders.

But let the word go forth – to marketers and agencies alike -that the blog revolution brings with it unmistakable tradeoffs and potent new “rules of engagement.” Ignore them at your peril.

New Rules of Accountability

Like it or not, bloggers promise to hold marketers to new levels of accountability, impacting just about everything advertisers do, say, and claim….

“Copy Cops” and Consumer “Shelf Space”

Remember, a blog is basically a diary that logs consumer narratives on a public, non-erasable hard-drive known as the Internet. A good percentage of blog content reflects consumer experiences with “branded” products or services. Because virtually all blog content is indexed on search engines, enabling ready access – dare I say “easy listening” – by other consumers, such narratives take on special meaning and importance….

Looking ahead, brands need to ask harder questions about whether they can meet the new “torture test” established by the newly conscripted (and growing) blog army of product testers and fact-checkers. Brands also need to consider that these truth-soldiers will only get more persuasive as they integrate new “visual” functionality into their blogs, from digital photos, videos (heard of “vlogs”), dynamic links, and more. Indeed, thanks to Steve Job’s iMovie, and the millions being spent by wireless players promoting camera phone usage, consumer generated media is moving to the big leagues of multimedia….

Read more at MediaDailyNews Advertisers Beware: Blog-Fortified “Copy Cops” at your Doorstep