Brand Karma is an online community with lofty goals. The basic premise is that by separating the “good brands” from the “bad ones” we can make the world a better place. By publicly rewarding companies who aim to improve the world, consumers have incentivized charitable work. PR professionals, advertisers, and marketers alike agree that it is time for brands to focus their communications strategies on giving back to and helping the communities that support them.

What does Brand Karma add to the table? Will it take off? Will it inspire brands to do good in the world? Some pros and cons:

Pros:

• Brand Karma creates a forum for those passionate about brands to make the world a little bit better, and separates folks with loftier brand goals from those who merely want better cell reception in their garage.

• Allows companies to monitor reputation among influentials and identify passionate brand ambassadors:

Emerging media channels have created an environment where many customers feel both entitled and warranted to comment on the direction of their favorite company or product. Because of this, those companies that are customer focused have harnessed the power of  customer generated content and feedback to grow and improve their business. But what happens when much of that feedback is unhelpful?

• What can a company really do with a tweet that says “I hate my x product?” While it may be good business to respond to every customer service issue, turning complaints into actionable change requires insightful commentary. Insightful commentary will come from a platform that elevates customer feedback in a way that is both helpful for the person leaving the comment and the brand. Is Brand Karma that platform? When it comes to customer feedback will Brand Karma separate the signal from the noise ?

Cons:

• Cause marketing is effective, but at the end of the day, companies are still looking to make money. Are we really making the world a better place if Pepsi (or some other brand) donates $1,000 to charity in order to sell x number of products? Some would argue yes. Some would argue that to truly impact the world in a positive fashion we need to change the way we consume products. Regardless of your stance, Brand Karma paints itself in a very lofty light, but I wonder: Is it really the key to solving complex global issues?

Would love your feedback on Brand Karma. Is it an effective way for brands to monitor conversation and create value for current and potential customers? Will this platform make the world a better place?

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