Worst Social Brand Meltdown - Ever?

The authors of GROUNDSWELL argue that in a world of easy social sharing, the customer defines what a company's brand stands for, not the company.

Put another way, today the conversation about your brand is already going on in social media, with or without a company's permission or participation. Far from being in control of that conversation, most companies simply must decide whether or not to participate.

So in the real world of Reddit and Yelp, here is a vivid example of how to do everything wrong in managing criticism of your brand.

A couple who owns an Arizona restaurant goes deeper and deeper, in a highly public social media name-calling contest.

Buzzfeed: This is the Most Epic Brand Meltdown on Facebook Ever 

Next Generation Social - eMarketing Summit Panel, May 2 2013

I had the privilege of joining a panel of thought leaders at the eMarketing Summit, part of the 2013 Innotech Conference at the Oregon Convention Center. Here's a Storify treatment of the key takeaways.