Even if you believe that fan and brand communities lack the clout to significantly alter corporate behavior, you still need to understand the way participation works within this new affective economy so that you can direct criticisms at the actual mechanisms by which Madison Avenue seeks to reshape our hearts and minds.
Find examples of fan communities (think of Blakley's "taste communities") affecting corporate behavior or attempts by corporations to woo those fan communities. Are there other examples like American Idol? Were they effective? How so? Do people feel more loyalty when they feel that they have an input?
Post by the end of the day Friday.
