Fear Leads Companies to Attack Gripe Sites

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that companies are increasingly engaging in legal dogfights with consumer gripe sites. Robert Scoble about this very topic. Imagine for a moment that the companies mentioned in this article had transparency running through their veins. They practiced openness and were actively engaging in a regular dialogue with consumers online. I bet - and I think Scoble would agree - they might not have to worry about such attack sites. The same applies for amateur ads that are popping up online. Companies are terrified of them. I could feel the fear in the air when I spoke at iMedia Brand Summit this week. This is why ad gurus like author Jack Trout are poo-pooing consumer expression. Senior Vice President with Micro Persuasion weblog, which tracks how blogs and participatory journalism are changing the public relations practice.