Op Fastlane, de weblog van Bob Lutz, vice chairman van General Motors staat: "But the deeper issue is this question of our image, and this perception that nobody’s interested in our products. We can and will do a better job of advertising and communications in the traditional sense, but we need to step up our non-traditional communications and word of mouth, and get our message directly to the people on a grass roots level. This blog is one example, but we need more avenues, and bigger ideas. What do you think?" (via marketingfacts). Merken laten ook hun problemen steeds vaker open zien aan de buitenwereld, of trekken het boetekleed aan en herwinnen zo de sympathie van mensen. Merken beleven een brand coming out, en dit is hier een onderdeel van.