One of my new laws for communicators is “the more you participate, the more transparent the dialog becomes”. Think of it as an exponential curve with each step driving more transparency. Browsing through Gizmodo I stumbled across this hilarious example.

Here we have a new product – which while I agree is a tad stupid, will probably find a home in plenty of stockings. But the more the company the communicates, the more it lands itself in hot water. Traditional media might have had a hard time reporting this one. But not participatory media, here there is plenty of virtual real estate in which the dialog can unfold for all to see. And the tone of the dialog is laid bare for all to see. The result, transparency at its best.