It seems that every day we hear about social networks like Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. What you don’t hear as much is how frequently contained stream of information is how brands are being mentioned. Consumers now have the wisdom of billions of people at their finger tips.

They are no longer just telling their friends and family about how much they love or hate your brand. They are telling the whole world. The world may not be listening at that moment, but their message is still spreading and rapidly. Social Media has given them a mega-phone which they aren’t afraid to use. Recommendations about products are being handed out or worse yet they are turning people away from your products.

What does that mean for brands, and the agencies that market them? They need to change, and quickly! We can no longer just push out a message about products. You have to earn the respect of consumers. However earning a consumer’s respect isn’t that easy. A relationship has to be built up from the ground up.

Building that relationship takes time, and effort. Many agencies aren’t used to taking criticism or feedback. However there is something amazing happening through all of this. Agencies are not only marketing brands, but also assisting brands with customer service. After all if a person is complaining about your product on Twitter that is an opportunity to understand why they are complaining and fix it.

Hart Associates understands this shift and is prepared. To be prepared for this shift we are also going to show that we understand this space by engaging in it ourselves. After-all how can we guide our clients, if we aren’t doing the same for ourselves. We are embracing this shift, and changing. Hope that you like it.