Customers battle for brand position

Today, customers position your brand and leave you out of it altogether.

"Super Size Me," the documentary by Morgan Spurlock, positioned McDonald's as stuffing heart-clogging suicide food down America's throat. (Of course, anything you put into your body in the quantities Spurlock did is going to do damage, but that's another conversation.)

Merab Morgan, who didn't like Spurlock's side of the conversation, talked back. She ate nothing but McDonald's for 90 days--and dropped 37 pounds.

Two McDonald's customers. Two vastly different positions. One loud, far-reaching conversation.

And the most amazing thing? McDonald's drops bajillions on mass media advertising, and it didn't affect either's message one iota. People are talking about Sperlock's message. People are talking about Morgan's message. Nobody's talking about McDonald's advertising.