“We have to realise that the days of controlling the message are absolutely over.”
Wendy Clark Senior VP of Integrated Marketing Coca Cola.

You work hard to create an impression of your brand or business. To make your idea spread. You tell the story with your packaging, website design, logo, products, copy and service. You share it in print, video, at events and on online networks. Those impressions you work to create are only a tiny part of what makes up the complete picture of your brand.

Of 146 million views generated for Coca Cola on You Tube, 26 milllion were impressions generated by Coke. 120 Million were generated by the expressions created by consumers!

“Who’s controlling the dialogue? It’s not me.” Wendy Clark VP Marketing Coca Cola

Now your business has a fantastic opportunity to engage with customers and fans, to enter into a dialogue, to listen, to reach out to them and understand how and why they use, love or hate your product.

You might have the trade mark, you might even wear the crown, but you don’t own the story.

What you do have though is an opportunity like never before to give your customers a great story to tell.

Which brands (big and small) are doing this best? How are you listening to and engaging with your audience?

Image by Doug Focht