You cannot control the internet - Sam Flemming

Sam Flemming by Fons1 via Flickr

You cannot control the IWOM (Internet Word of Mouth) and thus ultimately the internet, tells CIC-chief Sam Flemming 56minus1, when asked about the biggest mistakes companies, brands and agencies make:

One big mistake is thinking they can control IWOM by posting fake messages or getting negative messages deleted (see great example here; the whole Sanlu Milk powder case is also worthy of mention). IWOM is made up of the hundreds of millions of voices of the Internet community and to assume that as a single institution the brand can control IWOM is a fantasy at best.

Because of the commercial character of the Chinese internet providers, compared to the West, they would encourage anything that increases traffic, Flemming explains.

More at 56minus1.

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Sam Flemming is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. When you are interested in having him at your conference, do let us know.

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