apple logoOver at AdTech last month there was a lot of buzz about rss and blogging. Seems as though a growing number of savvy marketers and advertising agencies have gotten hip to the opportunity that user generated content offers their products, services and brands. I’ve always believed that word of mouth advocacy is the most effective way to generate brand awareness, trial and cultivate perception. Nothing like a recommendation from a fellow human being to inspire curiosity and trust. Unfortunately, some premier marketers are still playing it too close to the vest, afraid to truly “empower” consumers - that’s a term that makes me cringe, everyone talks about “consumer empowerment” but I see little evidence of that happening in a truly open environment. The trick is how do you provoke a dialogue in a positive direction. Here’s an example: last year the Music group Nine Inch Nails released their latest single, “The Hand That Feeds,” as a multi-track Garageband file for remixing by their fans. Trent Reznor, band leader Trent Reznor wrote: