How do you solve a problem like Vince?

"Brokeback Coalition" was a crude and rather flippant put down *allegedly* by David Davis but it was just the latest in a long line of snide remarks from alienated grassroots members of both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg's senior teams are undoubtedly prepared for these attacks and have so far adopted consistent rebuttals without appearing to worry about them.

What the coalition aren't prepared for at this early stage is off message briefings from the front line. This is exactly what has started to happen with the Lib Dems though whose Ministers seem to be unable to turn down the chance to speak into a microphone without considering the implications first.

From Clegg's attack on Jack Straw at PMQs to Lynne Featherstone's rantings over woman's breasts, the party seems incapable of learning from David Laws' early blunder.

All these issues pale into comparison when compared to Vince Cable.

Vince Cable, the man who could do no wrong is no Vince the feeble, a man choking on his famous 'Mr Bean' criticism of Gordon Brown.

From graduate tax to bank lending (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/7909709/Banks-told-lend-more-or-lose-bonuses.html) Vince is ploughing his own field, the anguish of compromise written all over his face.

This compromise is undermining the coalition's fiscal credibility at a crucial time for the economy. There is no time to play the hard done man, Cable must commit himself to the work of government and designate more briefings or Osborne and Cameron must remove him.

With every mixed message the dissenting party voices will grow bolder. The PM needs to find out if Cable can truly commit to the work ahead and if not he simply must remove him from office before Christmas.

South Africa can look to the World Cup final after successful PR operation - but what next?

Sunday will see a new name on the World Cup as Spain and Holland battle it out but for the host nation, the Public Relations team can breathe a sigh of relief.

A tournament marked by pre-event mutterings of discontent from the Western media didn't get off to the best of starts with steward strikes, as locals saw the opportunity to improve working conditions with a well timed strike: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=660956&cc=5739

Some swift action by the government put the strike down and out of the news agenda and since then most of the media coverage has been focused on the football taking place.

In this respect, South African officials must be relieved. Yet this campaign will be judged by the long term economic impact on the country and no matter how much officials look to control the flow of information the world will expect results.

It seems, however, that the world should not hold its breathe. Only recently a major pay strike amongst construction workers was avoided that could have jeopardised the World Cup final (http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=9&aid=3476&dir=2010/July/Thursday8) and this adds to the sense that once the TV cameras have stopped rolling, the money in the local economy will leave with them.

This is why it is so important to return to South Africa, to find out exactly how the country has developed. From their perspective, they must be open and proactive in giving the world's media the examples of development and increased local prosperity which can drive the legacy of the tournament.

Whether or not these examples exist, we shall see.

BP oil slick shows reputation cannot be driven without action

Ever since the explosion off the Gulf of Mexico, BP has been in a 24/7 battle to rescue its reputation in the wake of an environmental disaster the President of the United States has compared to 9/11.

The BP Chief, Tony Hayward, has famously made several high profile PR gaffes - the most recent visiting a yacht race off the Isle of Wight this week days after a poor performance in front of the Senate http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7840720/US-anger-as-BP-oil-spill-chief-Tony-Hayward-watches-his-yacht-sail-round-the-Isle-of-Wight.html

Despite this, BP are of course no fools when it comes to PR. Of course they aren't. The company has employed a rapid response unit to deal with the constant flow of criticism (excuse the pun) and some of this has been successful - the purchase of Google adwords such as 'oil slick' for example - and the use of video and social media shows the company is using every modern method to try and repair the damage.

So why does the negative PR persist to the extent it does? Firstly, the fact is reputation must be built on actions and trust and until the spill is stopped, BP is always going to be on the back foot. That rule applies to any organisation in the world.

The next problem is that BP seems to be trying to control the messaging, rather than enter in a true dialogue. Web 2.0 techniques falter when used outside a conversation prism, they simply don't work when a business isn't prepared to listen.

So with every Twitter parody forced to admit it isn't part of BP, for every protest video pulled, BP gives the impression that it is trying to silence freedom of speech; thus alienating the local communities affected by the spill, not mentioning the US political elite.

To turn  the situation around the company needs to start listening more and talking less. Mr Hayward simply must use any upcoming appearances to reflect a humility, a sorrow, an empathy with local communities - not just the President.

Most of all, it needs to stop the spill before attempting to turn the tide of publicity, more 'Mea culpa' and less 'it's not me, bruv'.

The Times Paywall

I've been exploring the preview of The Times paywall. A few things have stood out for me.

1. The Times are attempting a 'news plus' model - it isn't trying to sell articles you can get elsewhere for free, it is attempting to sell bespoke digital content

2. It is an extension of the Times membership card scheme and therefore giving readers a feeling of inclusion, and belonging

3. Interactivity will be king. Blogs, discussions, comments are in

4. The use of embedded videos and multimedia galleries will be frequent but will carry a much more artistic feel

5. The Times will attempt to carry the following for their star writers behind the paywall, such as Mike Atherton in sport

Overall, I would be willing to extend my membership when the final  paywall comes down if I can be sure I'm getting fresh, thought provoking content that will allow me to join discussion and debate.

My next question is how this could provide opportunity or threat for PRs? The first points I would make is that it can allow for truly exclusive opportunities.

For example, my brother is an artist and if he could secure an exclusive preview for his shows with The Times then the power of that would be in reaching a niche audience of bespoke minds. For businesses, the editorial team will surely be looking for interviews and opportunities with CEOs that can remain within the paywall and I imagine there will be many businesses happy to discuss this with them.

In terms of marketing creativity, the paywall may also offer a full marketing solution for businesses as the Times will be able to offer data on readers which can in its own way prove as equally as attractive of some of the information sold by social networking sites such as Facebook.

So, interesting times ahead. I'll be looking to refresh my views when the new paywall is up and running properly.

Millibands in Labour leadership battle

The Labour Leadership battle sees the candidates with a unique chance to build relationships with party members using the internet in a way never before possible. David and Ed Milliband are both Twitter users and must engage and invite debate with members in frsh and exciting ways - especially if they are to gain ground over the Union favourite, Ed Balls.

David has a new holding page for his campaign - http://www.davidmiliband.net/ and I imagine he will look to build in some web 2.0 technology in order to promote himself as 'accessible to the people'.

The coalition Government is going to remain top of the news agenda for a long time, so Labour candidates must take their time and use web engagement with Labour members and ordinary voters to build a campaign narrative.

If they are able to do this or not will determine whether or not the former Government can be an effective opposition.

I personally think Ed and David should team up for a 'dream ticket' with David at the head - but that might be some way down the line.

When Cameron met Clegg

The UK now has the most uncertain political climate for decades, as the Conservatives and the Lib Dems continue discussions over a coalition that would see David Cameron enter Number 10 and oust the stubborn Gordon Brown from his role as PM.

Look out for the language coming from both parties, who need to show willing yet ensure party members do not feel their core values are compromised.

For Nick Clegg, he knows he must represent the Statesman, transcending his party's dismal election performance and cementing his place as King-maker supreme.

His statement yesterday was that of a mini manifesto, clearly showing the electorate that the Lib Dems are focused and can be trusted to deliver 'change':

"I'm very keen that the Liberal Democrats should play a constructive role at a time of great economic uncertainty to provide a good government that this country deserves.

"Throughout that we will continue to be guided by the big changes we want - tax reform, improving education for all children, sorting out the banks and building a new economy from the rubble of the old, and extensive fundamental political reform."

The Tories on the other hand must shake hands in public but be careful not to make any public promises to Clegg. This morning. Michael Gove talked about the 'spirit of cooperation' but fell short of promising Cabinet positions for Lib Dems.

It is crucial that Clegg doesn't over reach himself and demand stipulations that will be rejected - his position in the media is stronger than his political bargaining position, despite the Tory desire for a majority.

Cameron must ensure he comes across as a leader, the man who brings the situation to conclusion - not Nick Clegg. By showing strength Cameron can reassure the frail markets and Tory backers, nervous after a disaster of a campaign which failed to secure a majority against one of the most unpopular PMs in many years.

Over the next few days, every statement uttered by Cameron and Clegg will be laced with the language of negotiation, every word filled with subliminal messages to their own parties. 

Language will rarely have been so crucial to either man.

Swing to Tories

As I type there are reports of a 8-9% Tory swing in some key seats such as Kingswood and Basildon South.

This would give Cameron a majority, if replicated across the Country...

Let's see how this plays out.

General Election Exit Poll Results

The one thing about this campaign that has stood out has been the unreliability of polls, especially the You Gov polls, yet the media have continued to push them in order to keep the election fire buring and satisfy the 24 hr coverage. Which is fair enough.

Exit polls are even more unreliable, however, and it will be interesting to see how honest voters are tomorrow after they cast their vote.

If this Populus poll is accurate then the exit polls may tell us that the Tories are on the brink of a majority: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7117385.ece

For my money, the hung parliament is still the most likely outcome but I think that the Lib Dems will fail to make the impact many have predicted.

Bring on tomorrow.

Gordon Brown gaffe: calls old lady a bigot

Gordon Brown has committed the first big leaders' gaffe - calling an old lady a "bigot".

This one will run all day but the choice Labour spin doctors must now make is whether to apologise and apologise again; or try and hang the old lady out to dry; portraying Gordon as a sort of racial equality champion.

Either options spells trouble - Gordon Brown will lose further ground in the polls because of this.

Disaster for Labour.

Election media special: Sophy Ridge, Consumer and Political Correspondent, News of the World

The 2010 General Election has so far stood out for its 24/7 digital media coverage. To find out more, I have spoken to Sophy Ridge, Consumer and Political Correspondent with the News of the World, to find out how the News of the World is using social media to engage its readers in the 2010 General Election. Here's what Sophy had to say:

Q) The News of the World election Blog is noticeable for its social media integration. 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/News-of-the-World-politics/109511402409188 


It seems to be designed to make the election accessible to the voter. Can you tell me a bit more about the decision to cover the election in this way?

People are engaging with politics on many different platforms – whether that’s via Twitter, Facebook, internet blogs or TV debates. We wanted to reach out to a whole different section of politically-active people who may not read newspapers but are still switched on and want to find out more about the election. By linking our coverage on Twitter, Facebook and the News of the World blog – as well as our newspaper coverage – we’re maximising the number of people reading our content. Plus I personally am very excited with the way social media has changed the way people interact with politicians and journalists.

Q) The Mums’ Manifesto is obviously right at the heart of the election campaign. Why has Netmums become so important to politicians?

Every year there is a group of voters identified as the “Holy Grail” who will decide the outcome of the election – whether Mondeo Man or Worcester Woman. This year politicians are scrambling to attract the votes of Britain’s mothers.
They’re the ones who have really felt the brunt of the credit crunch – whether it’s rocketing petrol and supermarket bills or the devastated job market – and they’ve also got big views on things like class sizes.

http://blogs.notw.co.uk/politics/2010/04/calling-all-mums--we-want-to-hear-your-opinions-before-the-general-election--the-political-parties-are---the-news-of-the-w.html

Q) Have you found the Mums to be a tough sell for the politicians? 


 I think politicians often see “mums” in quite a patronising way. Many of them underestimate what Netmums will quiz them about in these webchats – they think it’s all going to be about soft subjects. But actually Netmums members are experts in the complicated benefits system because they are the ones who are pouring over the intricacies of everything from tax credits to the Tory marriage plans – because an extra £40 a month means a lot to how they juggle their bills. So they are an incredibly tough sell and it’s impossible for politicians to pull the wool over their eyes.

Q) You’ve been on the road producing video diaries for Facebook on the campaign. http://blogs.notw.co.uk/politics/2010/04/battleground-britain-video-reports-from-around-the-uk.html
Who, at this stage, has impressed you the most and why?

I think it’s important to stay neutral as a journalist. But as a newspaper, we have decided to back the Tories.

Q) Do you think the TV debates will tell voters anything new?

The important of the TV debates has already been demonstrated –the Lib Dems have taken the lead in the polls for the first time in a century! Everyone thought the TV debates would have some influence, but I don’t think anyone realised quite how much. However, Thursday’s debate could change all that because this time David Cameron and Gordon Brown will be gunning for Nick Clegg. He had an easy ride last time.

Q) Finally, what reaction has the News of the World had to its interactive election coverage? Have your readers responded well? 

Our readers have responded incredibly positively to our interactive coverage. However – best of all – many other people have started engaging with the News of the World’s coverage for the first time.

Twitter and the Leaders' debate

Well, the first Leaders' debate was spellbinding television, a true moment of history. I had the pleasure of spending it with hundreds of people from all sides of the political spectrum on Twitter.

Apparently there were over 100,000 tweets during the debate and this is evidence that for real time media, Twitter is King.

Tweets seemed to verge between the comic and the serious, most people on my feed approaching the debate with a cynical eye on how staged managed it was but, crucially, the response was that the debate was a success.

It's best out of three so no winner, but as this stage (out of 5) I would give: Clegg 3.5, Brown 3 and Cameron 3. All to play for.

50 economists sign letter backing Gordon Brown's economic plans

Apparently 50 economists have signed a letter backing Labour's plans for the economy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7591279/General-Election-2010-Gordon-Brown-finally-finds-experts-to-back-economic-plans.html

This tat for tat game of 'my expert is bigger than yours' is getting rather tiresome. I wonder what impact, if any, it is having on voters?

My guess is they care more about their own family finances and unless politicans can find a way of demonstrating how their policies can ease some of this financial strain, then the game of economic tennis will prove fruitless in the long term context of the election.

Financial Times stikes deal with Foursquare

This week saw the FT strike a deal with Foursquare to allow people to check in and unlock its pay wall

(http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2010/apr/12/foursquare-ft)

For me, this shows how it's not just brands who needs to find a way of operating within exisitng social media platforms, it's the media too.

Although all the major media have a presense on the leading platforms, very few have matched brands in finding innovative ways to engage potential readers (and therefore customers) in the way brands have.

I think media marketing teaams have been lazy in this respect.

If you are the Times, about to get a shiny new paywall, your social media strategy must be geared towards increasing entry into your paywall and boosting revenue streams.

Simply being on Facebook, or having a Twitter feed, isn't enough to deliver new, unique  and paying users; and by new I mean online consumers who would otherwise not think of visitng a website.

By looking to creative partnerships with social media platforms - and even brands - British media can get away from the 'free DVD on Sunday' approach and seek to engage consumers in the same way as the biggest brands have done successfully.

So, well done, FT. Let's see some more of this type of innovation.

General Election 2010 and the Media

We are nearly a week in so I've decided to do a synopsis of some of the main GE2010 coverage to date, and where I think the most innovative journalism is happening.


BBC
The much maligned BBC website continues to strike fear into the heart of newspapers everywhere with a dedicated GE2010 micro site, complete with up to date, minute by minute news feed incorporating tweets. This is a strong addition to the BBC's already excellent blogs, with Nick Robinson and the team blogging with the gusto of a Government in Waiting. Verdict: Excellent start for the Beeb BUT they must not drop the ball with the leaders' debates.

Sky News
Sky has gone for strength in numbers, utilising their large budgets for live camera pieces throughout the day with heavyweights Adam Boulton and Kay Burley working almost 24/7 it would seem. The production is slick but the coverage is, in my opinion, let down by the sensationalism - the yellow 'breaking news' bar is at time cringe worthy. Unlike the BBC and ITV, SKY News has nothing to lose with the leaders' debates and I expect it the production to be the slickest and most American in style.

ITV
The third channel on the remote has struggled to keep pace with the social media integration of BBC and Sky and isn’t leading on many stories at present. The news team needs a big exclusive from the election soon to make up ground.

News International (minus Sky)
The Times has produced the solid coverage you would expect of it but the website remains in a league behind the Telegraph and Guardian. The Sun has already taken the scalp of one Scottish Labour candidate and led the debate on the use of Twitter by politicians. News of the World has produced an excellent series of Facebook videos and a dedicated NOTW GE2010 Facebook fan page. This is making politics more accessible to young voters and the videos are updated on a constant basis. Along with the aforementioned SKY production, there is no arguing with James Murdoch's focus on this election.

The Guardian
Highlight has been the balance of opinion and commentary, emphasised by the excellent GE2010 pull out on the first day of the official campaign. Website combines humour and commentary well and the grand old paper will continue to balance the right wing views of the Mail and company.
The Mail
Middle England's voice has backed Cameron's moves on National Insurance and Marriage Tax Breaks but has also focused on the micro battles of local councils - mainly as a vehicle to discuss the worries of the large swing vote outside London. Within this, they have already launched campaigns on the usual grounds of immigration and expect more of the same from the Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/election/article-1264966/Migrant-citys-help-Anguished-letter-Brown-Cameron-reveals-devastating-toll-immigration.html

Telegraph
Up there with the Guardian for social media and website content, the Telegraph has succeeded with some great blogs from Charles Moore and Robert Moore amongst others. Strongest business coverage outside the FT.

Twittersphere
Twitter has been electric since the start of the campaign, fed by the Tory masters Iain Dale and Tim Montgomerie. Their battle against the many Labour MPs and candidates has been fierce and no holds barred - witness the Labour campaign to #sackgrayling and the sacking of the Scottish Labour candidate who proved too many tweets do make a...

Others
Some excellent tweets and blogs from Paul Waugh have seen the ever improving new look Evening Standard cement its place alongside the nationals. Guido Fawkes has been a consistent thorn in Labour's side - as you would expect. The John Prescott team have taken his traditional battle bus tour and combined it well with social media, epitomised by some very funny tweets and coverage from Aintree racecourse.

This isn't an exhaustive audit but it's clear that the media have embraced the challenge of the 'digital election' and are providing voters with a veritable feast of political news and opinion.

For me, the biggest challenges will now come with the next unknown area and that is, of course, the three leaders' debates on BBC, ITV and Sky. Worries over format and scripts have been voiced and if they are not addressed, the shouts of #stagemangedelection could become louder and cause problems for all three main parties in the latter weeks of the election.

Darling must continue to stand firm over NI

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7555818/Chancellor-Alistair-Darling-attacks-Conservatives-over-National-Insurance.html

The Chancellor has shown impressive resilience over the past 10 days as business leaders, trade unions, journalists and economists have attacked his plan to increase NI contributions for employers and employees alike.

The Government messaging over this period has been consistent; despite the pressure he (Darling) must be under to give the public a carrot to accompany this stick.

When any organisation decides to make a change which could have a negative effect on some of its audiences, it is of vital importance that decisions are made and stuck to. Only then can the conviction behind the messaging penetrate a hostile debate.

In politics, however, it is often all to easy to flip-flop and backtrack. The public are wary of New Labour especially for this - characterised in the genius first episode of The Thick of It.

So, as sceptical voters look for truth behind the spin can the Chancellor's resilience appeal more to voters searching for honest decisions on reducing deficits, than even respected businessmen like Sir Stuart Rose?

If I were the opposition parties I would carefully look at how voters react to the brickbats heading Mr Darling's way as the public are proving difficult to predict in this, the recession election - hence the ever changing polls, as reliable as a builder's free estimate.

Gordon Brown tries to win over women

The Prime Minister was the latest party leader on Woman's Hour today (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/), the latest in a series of attempt by the main parties to sway the female vote.

Swing seats can often hinge on the female vote and the narrowing of the polls is evidence that votes are there to be won.

The key figures have become 'Sam Cam' and Sarah Brown, who have been brought to the fore to soften the campaign and create (in the case of Samantha) a softer element to the party.

It's been a similar story digitally with Netmums given a political prominence it can (probably) scarcely believe.

So how is this phase of the election panning out? Not very well in my eyes. None of the politicans have shown any true connect with the audience and it comes across as rather tokenistic as a result.

Samantha and Sarah's roles are also the subject of hyperbole and although Sarah is a savvy PR operator and emerging digital presence, she has yet to prove that she is able to work her skills on her husband.

I think that this is an experimental phase of the campaign and predict we will see much more negative campaigning before too long as the Conservatives look to go on the offensive.

BBC cuts should not halt diversifcation of content

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/7352167/BBC-staff-revolt-after-spending-cuts-announced.html

Today's BBC cuts, ironically leaked last week in The Times, are remarkable only in that the Corporation has chosen some of its lowest audience but most diverse areas to close.

The Asian network, BBC Switch and 6 music all arguably dared to try something different. The lesson it seems, is that whilst the BBC may want to stop its expansion, it doesn't want to lose its audience share.

That is the dicotomy of a tax payer funded public service broadcaster in 2010 and that's why the licence fee can't survive forever.

It will, however, increase the pressure to restrict BBC online content further and thus open up the competition in the market. This can only be good for a pluralistic democracy but only if other media outlets can finally adapt to a new media age and offer the sort of online content people will be willing to pay for.

The BBC didn't force the rest of the media to fail so miserably at this and it didn't force them to give away their content for free.

Let's see if the BBC backing down (or at least starting to) will signal the beginning of a media resurgence starting with successful pay walls...

There are no PR winners in the Gordon Brown Bullying row

I thought I would share my thoughts on who is winning the media battle over the current Number 10 'bullying' row.

There are currently two sides to the argument.

One, Gordon Brown is a 'bully':

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/23/gordon-brown-bullying-andrew-rawnsley

Two, the Head of the National Bullying Helpline is a  'Tory pawn' and a 'prat':
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/23/gordon-brown-bullying-andrew-rawnsley

This whole ugly mess epitomises the very reason the public are fed up with spin, unfounded allegations and UK politics. The media are also to blame for leading on gossip, non-stories and hearsay; rather than facts and evidence.

From a PR perspective neither party wins as no one is improving their image with voters over this row. Constituents have jobs in which they see this sort of stress and intimidation every day, frankly there is little traction in the debate for either party.

Again, the coverage will leave yet another PR scapegoat in Christine Pratt - although appointing Max Clifford suggests this is more of a 'phone and tell' rather than 'good woman, done-bad' hard luck story:

http://www.prweek.com/news/rss/985842/National-Bullying-Helpline-chief-Christine-Pratt-approaches-Max-Clifford-help/

Again, making this news public is a PR disaster for the Charity which must surely now undergo crisis comms to avoid imploding.

So with the Government, Opposition and a major charity all failing to secure positive coverage, who are the winners from this row?

The answer is nobody, bar Andrew Lawnsley who will no doubt sell some more copies of is book...nice work, Andrew!

I just wish politicians would wake up and realise that politics needs high quality debate right now and this whole story is a nonsense, "The Thick of It" style mess which adds no credence to any party.

P.S. Could it just be a coincedence that this story is keeping the Falklands row out of the main headlines? Perhaps it isn't as silly as it seems...

Microsoft and Yahoo search merger approved

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/7266252/Microsoft-and-Yahoo-search-deal-given-green-light.html

The European Commission has approved the merger of Microsoft and Yahoo's search engines, with Bing now set to power Yahoo search.

Although this is a step in the right direction for Microsoft, they aren't the ones Google is concerned with anymore - that is Facebook.

With Google Buzz and Wave now launched and last year's Facebook acquisiton of FriendFeed (http://blog.friendfeed.com/2009/08/friendfeed-accepts-facebook-friend.html) these two giants are set for a titanic battle in 2010 as they fight for dominence over the updatesphere.

(Twitter of course continues to grow but they are arguably more likely to be acquired than join the arms race in the way the other two have).

In terms of where this leaves Microsoft, they need to ensure their investment in Bing doesn't fail and they need to address the impact mobile technology has on the once untouchable Windows.

Saying that, I'm not a tech expert so I'd love to hear from those in the know on who you think is set to triumph...

Toyota uses Digg to save its reputation

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/commerce/100205/toyota-recall-public-relations-digg

Toyota is attempting to salvage its reputation with customers by using the social media site Digg to discuss the faulty accelerator crisis directly with customers.

This is a last throw of the dice for a company which has seen the news agenda intensify and a feeding frenzy of bad press take huge chunks out of their long standing reputation for consumer confidence.

Some may point out that opening up to social media could expose the company to even more horror stories and negative questioning but what it gives the company is the chance to be transparent - and that speaks volumes.

There's a reason why business leaders like Andy Bond of Asda are obessed with transparency. It says 'we have nothing to hide' and it allows organisations the opportunity to open a direct conversations with their publics.

Social media offers this opportunity in abudence and will allow Toyota to ensure their positive messages move up the google rankings - crucial when worried consumers turn to the internet with their worries.

Time will tell if Toyota can Digg its way out of the biggest crisis in its history but as a strategy 'going social' is the correct move.