What is Buzz Marketing?

I just returned from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association's Word of Mouth Basic Training (or WOMMA WOMBAT, for the acronym inclined). It seems that everyone involved in this industry is using somewhat different terms to describe and define, well, whatever, "this" is.

For the purposes of this blog, I'd define Buzz Marketing as what happens when content is produced and/or distributed by consumers for other consumers, using an online medium.

Do what?

Okay, in concrete terms, Buzz Marketing is what happens when a bunch of kids mix Mentos and Diet Coke to engineer homemade rockets, make videos of the results and distribute the video across the Internet. It's what happens when a reader reviews a book on Amazon. Or when you forwarded those brilliant European commercials to your contact list.

It's what happens in discussion forums about digital cameras. Or blogs about Hondas. Or personal websites about Gibson guitars.

It's what happens every time you refer a friend, forward a link, or post to Wikipedia. It's what happens when you visit any URL that has the syntax of www.<insertcompanynamehere>sucks.com.

It's what happens when the message is not approved by your lawyers, your product manager, or the head of marketing. It's what happens when there is no project documents, product plan or meeting minutes.

It's what happens when consumers use their own time and resources to create, distribute and consume information about your brand.

And it matters because your brand identity is not established in a boardroom. It's established by your consumers, across the Internet. Right now.