Why read Embedded Word of Mouth? Marketers today need to understand how to apply word of mouth marketing, which took off dramatically about 10 years ago, because this is the umbrella concept, or foundation, which spawned social media. From Pete Blackshaw, author of Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000, evolved the concept of CGM (consumer-generated media). To use Pete's words, "What exactly is CGM? It is the currency of a new commercial relationship between business and consumer. It is the endless stream of comments, opinions, emotions, and personal stories about any and every company, product, service or brand, which consumers can now post online and broadcast to millions of other consumer with the click of the mouse." Sort of sounds like social media doesn't it? So now that we see the relationship between word of mouth marketing and social media how do we bundle them with the still-relevant and valuable disciplines of traditional marketing? That's where the marcom engine comes in. It provides a vehicle and a blueprint for blending messaging and media into a viable sales and marketing communications go-to-market strategy. Get a copy. Share with a friend. Help a marketing buddy bridge the gap between traditional advertising and today's accelerating social media juggernaut. You'll be glad you did. Keith Bates