Now, this is pretty funny. Forbes magazine (which is such a rag, I cancelled my free subscription), has an article telling businesses how to attack bloggers who criticize their products:

“Bloggers are more of a threat than people realize, and they are only going to get more toxic. This is the new reality,” says Peter Blackshaw, chief marketing officer at Intelliseek, a Cincinnati firm that sifts through millions of blogs to provide watch-your-back service to 75 clients, including Procter & Gamble and Ford.

Peter Blackshaw, Peter Blackshaw. Now how do I know that name? Oh, this Peter Blackshaw:

Cincinnati’s Pete Blackshaw seems like a very nice guy. And, you’ve just got to feel for him. Now, give him credit - reading several entries throughout the archives (from day one to the end), he did not lose his sense of humor about the whole experience. [...]

The entire blog is a study in anthropology (the culture of early adopters) to sociology and psychology (how the public reacts and how he reacts to the public) and more. It is also a very interesting marketing experience because both Pete and his wife are marketers.

As the car fails to live up the marketing/advertising hype of Honda, Pete begins to blog his (and his wife’s) dissatisfaction. Well, maybe Pete didn’t realize just how many people were reading his blog at first, but he learned that as he complained - people took notice. And he makes an observation that we should all note - “dissatisfaction is ‘viral’” - the next thing you know, CBS News is doing a story on HIM and HIS CAR!

His first month with the car (and blog) Pete made 10 posts. Then, the car wasn’t living up to his dreams. For whatever reason, the blog posts dropped off. One post in November, none in December and one in January were all he could muster. Then, in February, a fire was lit (around the 24th). He posts his ‘plan of attack’ to get answers from Honda. He discusses his attempts to communicate with Honda. During the ordeal, Pete has written his Congressman, Rob Portman, too.

Wouldn’t it be, you know, ironic if Honda took his advice?