In a difficult and unforgiving sector, is it time for a new era of support and empathy or is it still survival of the fittest?
After planning, implementing and contributing to various blogs and forums over the past five years, and Twittering with Tweeple for two of those, I now find myself a little ashamed of admitting to difficulty in gauging whether I should respond to (cantankerous) comments.
According to friends, a combination of my fascination for all things digital, and an insistence of wearing a suit-jacket for every (non) occasion has apparently earned the reputation of being, a bit Geek Chic. Perhaps, Geek Sheik?!. It would appear, after many years of thinking I was out on the periphery, I appear to now conform to a category, or tag. However, in the context of this post, I’ll let you decide (quietly) if it’s cool or not.
As a result of now becoming tagable, I feel slightly embarrassed and overwhelmed by the response received by my last post. For friends who missed it, my post didn’t contain any geeky, tech-related thoughts, opinions or observations.
My previous post (my first on the Brand Republic blog) focused on an identified need for agencies, not all I may add, to embrace the holistic benefits of business development. I tried to clearly explain how I saw the process of developing new new business as a function and element of a wider strategy - an attempt to differentiate one from the other, encouraging innovative thought to transform, once-speculative (cold) approaches it to targeted initiatives. Conversation-led engagement, if you will. Personally, and from comments and feedback (both on and off-line) received externally, I thought I did a good job.
The embarrassment I now have comes with a sense of hesitation in responding to comments, direct messages and opinion I really disagree with - fearful that my newly found geek-chicness would quickly transform in to that of a cold, cantankerous and self-opinionated fool.
Blogging and the provision of platforms, like Comments Central, are of course used by individuals to voice opinion, spark debate, increase profile and aid the organic growth of traffic to websites and blogs. So, what should one do when a comment is posted, by another industry professional, who adopts (what appears to be) a belittling tone-of-voice, risks the possibility of ill-perceived desperation and opens themselves up to scrutiny?
My dilemma: Should I trust the intelligence of the reader, and an ability to draw one’s own conclusion or, like the U.S. Presidential Debate, (respectfully) knock ‘em back in to place with proven fact?
Should brand owners invest in ownership of their own “.brand” domain, or is this just one last ICANN effort to monetize a no-longer-so-important monopoly? 
In a digital era — as BP attempts to shift assets, ‘cap’ expenses, restore reputation and rebuild trust — is it possible the global giant has invested enough in its brand and identity to be able to recover, without having to change face?
Notes