Just as fast as the page was uploaded, the criticisms about the design of the crosstour and the price tag avalanched.  Time, money and energy that were invested into this car design were quickly becoming time, money and energy to salvage their reputation.

In a Columbus Dispatch article the execs of Honda USA talk candidly and openly about how this debut went wrong.  Dan Gearino, the journalist of this story, summarizes “The two campaigns (Ford’s Fiesta subcompact debut) show some of the opportunities and pitfalls for big companies when they make the public part of the marketing” (Gearino, D1).

The news here is not that a new product seemingly failed upon debut.  The news is what this journalist is hitting upon what the business world views the consumer as–a roadblock to making sales.

All though Honda and other fortune 500 companies may have not realized it, the consumer has always been a part of marketing efforts.

In a pre-digital world, this failed design would have affected an inner circle of buyers who would tell their family, friends and co workers “do not buy this car.”  Due to the top down communication print and electronic media bring, Honda would never have believed there would be an outcry.  They controlled the message.

In today’s world–the consumer has the platform to tell anyone they want.   Facebook pages, twitter posts, personal blogs and consumer sites all allow for a conversation between brand and consumer to occur.

How are you opening up to Ms. Jones?  Are you allowing for user reviews on your website or just letting the consumer review you somewhere else?  Do you talk openly about the under belly of your industry which sometimes affects what you can get done on an everyday basis?

The ballgame has changed.  It is now a two way.  Changing the look of your ad is not going to change your reputation—talking openly about it is.

For information, education and products related to “opening up to Ms. Jones” be sure to attend the 2010 R&A Roundtable at Deer Creek Lodge & Conference Center.  This two day educational event will talk about all things related to the web and how to market to today’s consumer.  Click here to sign up for more details.

For 11 months out of the year travel onto public property and you are safe. Enter month number 12. Your favorite spots to nestle up to and be safe are no longer that at all. Your world has been turned upside down.

In the furniture industry we are coming upon month number 12 in our deer season. Ms. Jones is changing and she is changing fast.

Before this New Ms. Jones competition was what put people out of business. All a retailer would do is find your niche, spend more money than you and then blow you out of the water. Why did this work? Retail controlled the cards. There was no blogosphere or RSS feeds. Ms. Jones received anything relevant to her life only because we as marketers and retailers were out there they what were relevant.

Today’s retailers are not being put out of business by competition. Most are struggling through these economic times. Ms. Jones is taking retailers out of business by talking, conversing and sharing.

Is it for the better? Nobody knows and Ms. Jones does not care. She has changed and is expecting you to satisfy the needs she has right now.

At just the tip of the iceberg she is doing it here or here or here.

Ms. Jones wants to be heard and demands a store that lives up to the brand she wants to create. If you don’t cut the grade then she moves on. The way in which we market and you gain sales is no longer a closed relationship.

Mediums, channels of communication and information gathering have changed to the point where Ms. Jones controls the brands she consumes. You are now in an open relationship with Ms. Jones.

Don’t let month 12 become your last.