• by Beau Fraser , Op-Ed Contributor, February 14, 2011

This year's Super Bowl was full of entertaining, crowd sourced ads proving once again that asking consumers to produce our advertising can be an engaging PR tactic.

But when is it too much?

Delegating too much authority to consumers makes me wonder whether we are creating a monster and in the process abdicating our role as professional marketers to a mob. The monster and mob are one and the same. They are the consumer.

I've never agreed with the idea that says "Set your brand free. The consumer owns your brand." They don't. We do. Or at least we'd better. After all, we created it. We gave it meaning. We keep it shiny and fresh. We redefine it when it loses its relevance. Any brand left to the consumer to define is a weak brand because every consumer will have a different definition.

Nor do I ascribe to the idea that the consumer is always right. They're not. They don't know what we know. Their opinions are based on limited knowledge and experience, which by definition look backwards. They're notoriously lacking in foresight. Did they ask for the ability to carry their music with them? No. A CD was enough, thank you very much. Until iPods came along, which taught us what could be.

Not that marketers are perfect, mind you. See New Coke. Tropicana. Gap and Chevron.

Blogs, the web and social media give voice to people whose voices, ah, er, um, should not be heard. And, of course, the web allows us all to be vicious critics with the ability to opine with impunity. Power without responsibility is dangerous to the health of our brands.

All of which begs the question: When should we listen to the consumer and when should we ignore them? And more importantly, how should we respond when they rant?

Here are some principles to guide us when confronted by an angry mob carrying torches, spears and an effigy of your logo.

Have a hurricane plan in place. Hurricanes happen. You just don't know when or where. And just like the poor folks along the Gulf Coast, prepare a fully thought-out response to a range of possible scenarios before they happen-developed when your emotions are in check and you are thinking rationally and clearly. This plan needs to be approved at the highest levels and, should the hurricane reach land, be implemented at the highest levels. Speed, accuracy and flexibility are critical. You don't have time to wade through bureaucracy for approvals or agreement on wording or execution.

Build a social network of raving fans -- today ... who can defend you against the blogosphere. Fight fire with fire. Fight social media with social media. Enlisting surrogate foot soldier separates the response from the brand and allows you to get the message out without sounding defensive. This is a lesson put to great use by Toyota. Amazingly, even with the number and frequency of recent recalls, a report in late October lists Toyota as the second most reliable car. Toyota can thank their network, in part, for that.

Know who is in the mob and what fuels their anger. I suspect that many of the critics of Gap's logo during their recent imbroglio were not loyal customers. In which case, you don't need to acquiesce to their demands. But if the mob is your loyal customer, take them seriously. Tropicana's decision to return to their old logo and design was not driven by the number or depth of complaints, but from interviews with some of their most loyal customers. In other words, interviews among those whose opinion mattered.

Respond immediately, thoughtfully and politely. Defuse the mob by showing you heard them; the quicker the better so that they don't gain momentum.

Broaden your research. While you should always conduct research among your target as you develop your plans, today there is wisdom in also conducting research among a broader group as a way to gauge how a broader audience may react. This is especially true if you are a beloved brand that consumers know well.

But before you do anything, look in the mirror. The blogosphere is very unforgiving of anything less than absolute honesty. There are billions of Ralph Nader's and Arnold Diaz's in the blogosphere living for the empowering "gotcha" moment. Don't be a target.

Respect the consumer. Listen to the consumer. Respond to the consumer. Let them guide your thinking. But don't let them run your company. That's your job.