A few notes from today’s afternoon session:

• McDonalds UK – ‘we need to tell our story, not sell our story’. McDonalds is embracing online interaction such as using web chats. For instance, with Channel 4 after a showing of the SuperSize Me movie, the McDonalds UK CEO took live, unfiltered questions. During a 40 minute web chat Channel 4 received 15,000 questions,of which McDonalds answered about 20. McDonalds is engaging in podcasting. It is also about to invest in an interactive online web presence.

• Howard Kosky, founder of Markettiers4dc, a broadcast consultancy – gave an example where he threatened a major automotive company with setting up a blog expressing his dissatisfaction with the problems with his car. Within 48 hours, after a year of trying traditional complaint channels, he received a replacement car. Most consumer blogs about brands are negative complaints rather than positive brand endorsement. Consumers are quicker to complain than congratulate.

• A quick show of hands demonstrated that most delegates did not have Technorati alerts set up about their companies, competitors or key issues.

• Howard Kosky warns organizations not to rush in to blogging ‘just because it’s fashionable and your advisors are suggesting it.’ Companies must recognize that a corporate blog requires significant resource. He also believes that every organization in the UK will have an RSS feed which will replace/augment its email marketing program.

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