In the old media, lines were clear, commercials and ads were just that. They were separate. As you know, many lines have either disappeared or are blurred. And ‘product placement’ is becoming much more common.

It also raises a question or two. Is this film art? Is it advertising? Can companies ‘control’ their ‘image’ or ‘brand’ in new media? Should they?

As a former creative director and copywriter, he knows the advertising format well. Richard was not hired by the company to do this. It’s his idea. And now with YouTube, he can ‘broadcast’ it without client approval, since it’s considered art. Pretty cool. The ‘Creatives’ have now also escaped the broadcast prison. And Richard is using the commercial format to make a social comment. Or is it the other way around?

Companies no longer have to guess, or research, what the consumers ‘want’ and think. As consumers instantly communicate with each other, through emails, text messages, blogs, tweets, and even, shockingly, face to face. Through various means they can tell companies much more than some companies might like. There’s no place to hide.

Sitting in a big corporate meeting several years ago, it was crystal clear to me that since the broadcast model has fallen apart, the best thing that a company can do is simply make a fantastic product, and just stand back. The consumer can take care of a good part of the marketing. Imagine the benefits if the efficiencies were passed along.

After all, with the new media, consumers are creating the research, the advertising and the ‘broadcast’ media all by themselves. The audience is now the marketing engine. And the resources that used to be allotted to marketing can be put to use in product development. The interaction between the consumer and the product, or service, defines the personality of the company.