CONNECTIONS: Comment - Personal media can only supplement not replace mass media

The 160 million people across China, who network themselves into society via PC and mobile phone interfaces, have given rise to the fastest-growing media phenomena mankind has ever known - personal media - individual promotional messages transmitted by SMS or email to millions of pre-identified consumers. But few of these consumers welcome uninvited advertising messages in their mailbox, and brand marketers using personal media to blast messages to the masses in the hope of catching random consumers' attention will find themselves powering a Magnum 44 pointed the wrong way ... as they slowly, over time, blast their brand reputation to bits.