Marketing, defined (sort of)

Several years ago I got into an in-depth discussion about marketing and marketing approaches with a friend of mine. He taught me something that at the time didn't quite sink in, but over time, has made a tremendous amount of sense to me. He said, 'People use products, buy benefits, and talk brand'.

This evening I saw an awesome video clip on RocketBoom through Tivo that really seems to bring the above statement into the Internet age. The speaker here is focused on how brand is no longer driven by corporate culture alone. He says it is about the cocreation of the brand. It's the result of a dialogue or interaction in real time with the users of that brand utilizing a technology medium and the power of social networking, blogging and more.