Buzz Marketing Smack-Down at AlwaysOn

The AlwaysOn Conference was running super late yesterday and a lot of attendees left for the bar and missed what turned out to be the best panel of the entire first day.  A Jeff Jarvis moderated panel with Rick Murray (edelman), Gordon Gould (ThisNext), David Weinberger (All around guru, Cluetrain Manefesto co-author), Barry Reicherter (porter novelli) and Bill Cleary (Cleary Partners).

Jarvis, Murray and Gould.  Murray's quote of the event:

Its not Advertising vs PR, its messaging vs conversation.

Reicherter, Weinberger and Cleary.  Cleary's quote of the day #1:

Advertising is the lubricant for capitalism.

Cleary's quote of the day #2:

Jelly is the lubricant for peanutbutter.

Much of the discussion here was around Buzz Marketing, is it good or bad, can you or should you even attempt it as a marketer.  It was full of all the expected mantra's:  transparency, authenticity and creativity.

Obviously, the easy example for poor buzz marketing is PayPerPost and the trashing of PPP started off right away and continued throughout.  Finally, having enough of it, Ted Murphy, CEO of PayPerPost  chimes in from the back of the room.  I wish I could find the video of it because it was a great debate.  Ted was in over his head...you can't out debate Jarvis and Weinberger on this topic. 

Ted tried to make it better by saying that they require disclosure now...Jarvis gives him credit for finally coming around but what took so long?  The damage has already been done.

More coverage on this panel here and some on some other panels here, here and here.