Sock Puppets in the Echo Chamber

Early in my career, I had a rather wacky boss that was fond of saying "the last original idea is the wheel." Another famous expression- there is no bad press. It may seem that there is, but on the web, controversy generates more links and viewers.

Having worked in Marketing Communications for over ten years, I have recently taken interest in Social Media Marketing in all its forms. Entering the game somewhat late gives me I a slightly different perspective on all this. As I observe the industry blogs and tweets frequently generate a running commentary on each other and the industry itself in order to produce more content and experts, with the hope that the cream will rise to the top. Industry term: the echo chamber.

A primary study of the echo chamber at work: the Shel Israel/ Robert Scoble/ Loren Feldman sock puppet video mockery debacle, made worse by publicity from TechCruch. GreyWolf summarized the situation on his blog well and Tyme White did a great critique of the situation on her blog to which Scoble responded. Shel also commented on the situation on his own blog. This is all very interesting for a Social Media Newbie or anyone remotely connected to PR, communications or the web to read.

Sure, Loren's sock puppet parody videos of Shel are amusing and funny- but the sock puppet idea is not exactly new. The bigger question is this-- if Shel (and Scoble) didn't exist, would the sock puppets? Would Loren's new media star shine as brightly without Scoble and Shel (or someone of their ilk) illuminating it?

If the major new media innovators don't produce content, good and bad, for us to comment and critique would we still hear the echo in the forest? We are all still learning to some extent, and that my friends, is the point. The interesting part will be to see what Shel does next. Can he turn a little sock puppet mockery his favor? I hope so. I'm sure Loren will find someone else in the chamber to turn his puppets on by then.

Me? I'm in the echo chamber myself.