BuzzMetrics CEO on SPSII

Jonathan Carson, CEO of BuzzMetrics (a WOM measurement firm recently acquired by Nielsen), posted about SPSII last month, noting, "I think this is a really important dialogue which Kate is beginning." I wanted to respond to a couple points Jonathan made in his post. First, he writes that in SPSII I state "that stealth is not important, and that WOMMA is guilty of ignoring the real ethical issues."

Because the stealth issue has been the focus of almost all criticism of WOM marketing, I made an effort in SPSII to leave it alone for the most part. I certainly believe that covert marketing campaigns involving undercover "bar leaners" and phony bloggers could have a negative effect on relationships and society. What I'm saying in SPSII is that many WOM marketing campaigns and WOMMA (the Word of Mouth Marketing Association) demand that people participating in WOM campaigns reveal their campaign affiliation. The WOM marketing issue has been bogged down in the stealth discussion for too long, forsaking what I believe to be some very significant ethical questions.

Jonathan acknowledges this: "I strongly agree with Kate that there are tons of other ethical and policy issues which need to be studied and critiqued as well. If advertisers really do start allocating more and more of their money to media which is consumer-generated, then there are all sorts of societal and cultural ramifications which need to be considered. There's lots of fodder for discussion in the SPS piece...."