Flackette

I just recieved an online minute from Media Post reporting that the NYC ad agency suing Maine blogger, Lance Dutson, has withdrawn its lawsuit. Media Post also implies in this article that the agency has gone out of business as a result. The headline, “Puzzling Lawsuit Brings Down Agency,” seems to suggest this, along with the following statement:

“Warner Kremer Paino Advertising, the ad agency that last month filed a puzzling lawsuit against a blogger for having criticized the agency’s online ad efforts, has folded.”

I am curious if this is a reference to the demise of the lawsuit or of the agency. Does anyone know for sure?

If this is true it should be even more of an eye-opener to those who don’t take blogging seriously.

Shel Israel, co-author with Robert Scoble of the revolutionary book on blogging, “Naked Conversations,” published a great and very informative post today about the implications of blogging and new media for our generation. He makes a solid case for the argument that blogging is the way of the future, and you’d better get used to it! His main point: if young people today are using blogs, MySpace, and the Facebook as their communication tools of choice, they will continue to use them as they grow older and enter the workplace. This means that the workplace will have to adapt to this trend or suffer the consequences.

It is amazing to me how many people I know seem to feel that blogs and other new media are just fads that won’t have a discernable effect on the business world. However, as we are already seeing, it is having a profound effect, and this is only the beginning. The smarter companies are adapting to new media and using it to their advantage instead of trying to fight progress.

I just read in AdAge that there is a blogger in Maine, Lance Dutson, getting sued by an NYC ad agency for some unkind words he used in reference to their work for the state’s tourism department. Among other things, he pointed out that an ad draft pulled from the tourism department’s Web site gave an incorrect contact number, which in fact led to a phone sex service.

I wonder what kind of implications this lawsuit will hold for bloggers in general, but it seems as though the blogosphere already has a good track record for coming out on top in these types of situations: the Media Bloggers Association reportedly has won all out of nine such cases defending bloggers (Thanks to B.L. Ochman for that info).

Blogging as a communication force is only getting bigger, and cases like this are just another example of the reach that is possible through blog mediums. Companies that don’t respect the impact blogs have on society, like the ad agency suing Lance, are risking trouble with a capital T.

I personally feel that the ad agency is making the wrong move by trying to sue Dutson, and doing more harm than good. Already many bloggers have said they will contribute to Lance’s cause to help him win the case, and much of the coverage of the controversy is either neutral or slanted in favor of Lance’s side. People are naturally inclined to sympathize with the underdog, whether or not it is right.

This lawsuit does not reflect well on the agency, and they’ll learn fast that the strong arm approach doesn’t always win. As mighty Goliath fell, so can they.