Is blogging truly as American as apple pie? Some might argue this, others… not so much.

Corporations are growing increasingly conscious of the power, and potential pitfalls, of blogging. A favorable review from an influential blogger can help generate the kind of buzz around a new product that traditional advertising struggles to achieve. A negative write-up can help doom a product before it even hits the market.

Now many American brands, and some brands in other countries, are starting to include blogs in their marketing plans, and are catering to them at a much earlier stage. By the time of its official introduction, a product may already have been in the hands of bloggers for several months. Feedback from their online discussions with other devotees can help inform a marketer’s subsequent advertising and media strategy… [Source: nytimes.com]