What is a Brand? And who is in control of yours?

What is a brand? Is it a logo? A tag line? A website? No, these are all a company's attempts to define the perception people have of their products or services. The brand is how people actually perceive your company, product or service. It used to be that companies were in control of their brand. They could easily attach a set of characteristics and ideals to their offerings that most people would willingly buy in to. Word of mouth of course has been around forever, it's nothing new. But the social web has created an environment of sharing and information exchange that is much more pervasive and influential than ever before. Who's in control of your brand? Individuals are. They have more power and influence than you could ever hope to have amongst your audience.