Online Reviews & Half-Truths

Reports like Christopher Elliott’s February 7, 2005 New York Times story – Hotel Reviews Online: In Bed With Hope, Half-Truths and Hype – wrongly pigeonhole valuable online ratings and community sites. Nobody can argue there are bad, disingenuous people online, but this story was at least partly a victim of the cliché trap.… Read the rest

GM to Car Shoppers: Google Pontiac and Discover For Yourself

While participating in the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) conference last week in Orlando, Florida, I caught one of General Motor’s 30-second regional television ads for its Pontiac brand. Television ads often stimulate Internet search behavior by increasing brand awareness or sparking curiosity, as often demonstrated by Hitwise.… Read the rest