Open Advertisements: A Shouting Match In An Empty Room

In a nutshell advertising doesn't work in Social Media because it violates my first Law of Business:

There are no friends in business and there is no business between friends.

How can an advertiser pose as a friend when their only objective is to conduct the business of opinion swaying?

Doc and David started off their "Markets are Conversations" chapter of the Cluetrain Manifesto with this prophetic observation...

When you think of the Internet, don’t think of Mack
trucks full of widgets destined for distributorships,
whizzing by countless billboards.

Think of a table for two.

- @man

... so in the empty room we find an intimate table for two. And the Ad people still want to engage in a SHOUTING MATCH. Is it any wonder Why Current Social Media is Crashing?

If we, as advertisers, are to be successful in influencing the opinions and behaviors of consumers then our message must be molded to fit into the framework of current social media. The currency of the current social media is attention. Whether acknowledged as fame, notoriety, or popularity the consumer's object of attention is the value of the moment. The business relationship that affixes an opinion or behavior changing stimuli to the object of attention is where advertising's value is pinned.

Social Media is the intimate conversation being held at the table for two. One or the other or both of the members of this intimate party have to be willing (incentivized?) to bring an opinion or behavior changing stimuli to the table. This calls for an example ...

My little sister Sally just loves the plush cuddly Coca-Cola(TM) Polar bear cubs. I am confident that she would allow the animated little cherub cub to wink and wave and drink the occasional Coke(TM) on her MySpace/FaceBook page in return for say a free 12oz bottle of Coke(TM) per month.

Sally would be even more pleased when the little animated cub displayed different behaviors - because it is not a static jpg image but a embedded feed from the PR firms servers. (Note to PR: This allows you to control dynamic content AND monitor the number of 'hits' that Sally's "Ad" is generating.)
Wouldn't Sally be pleased when, as her site becomes more popular, the little cub "gives" more and better rewards?

...so please stop SHOUTING!

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.