The changing relationship of advertisers and consumers

From a campaign for Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions. The path-breaking Cluetrain Manifesto from 1999 stated that:

There's a new conversation between and among your market and your workers. It's making them smarter and it's enabling them to discover their human voices. You have two choices. You can continue to lock yourself behind facile corporate words and happytalk brochures. Or you can join the conversation.

The new blog from Wal-Mart, Check-Out, seems to pass the test, with the company having learned from earlier forays into the blogosphere, according to a New York Times article:

The lesson seemed clear: create an authentic blog or don’t create a blog at all.