From the folks at AdAge, blogging… "goes a long way in personalizing brands and creating one-to-one relationships with customers. While IBM says it does not want to use new media as traditional sales and marketing tools, it has succeeded in opening discussions in health care and video gaming with “outsiders,” which in turn could lead to new business relationships."

“This is a way to get our expertise out there, not by shoving it down people’s throats, but by just starting conversations,” Mr. Barger said. “It expands our reputation, perceptions and reach of IBM, at the same time expanding the number of people we can learn from.”

Where I am not on board with the AdAge story is that technology companies are more advantaged by social networking technologies. As GM and Stoneyfield Farms have demonstrated, the more you think about your customers as participants in your company’s success – and as part of a community – the more participatory communications works for you. It’s not about the technology, it is all about how you view marketing.