This week’s Econ­o­mist includes a spe­cial 14-page wake-up call on con­sumer power:

“Many firms do not yet seem aware of the rev­o­lu­tion­ary impli­ca­tions of newly empow­ered con­sumers .… With con­sumers becom­ing increas­ingly empow­ered, how can the mar­ket­ing, adver­tis­ing and com­mu­ni­ca­tions firms that com­pa­nies use to pro­mote their prod­ucts hope to get their mes­sages across? And what does it mean for media busi­nesses rely­ing on adver­tis­ing rev­enue, the tra­di­tional chan­nels for reach­ing this increas­ingly elu­sive audi­ence? .… only those firms ready and able to serve these new cus­tomers will sur­vive.”

The Econ­o­mist is not about hype, right? So get it. Read it. And act on it. The rules changed in the last two years … don’t be left behind!