The Internet has upended how (we) engage with brands. It is transforming the economics of marketing and making obsolete many of the function's traditional strategies and structures. For marketers the old way of doing business is unsustainable.
The changes buffeting marketers in the digital era are not incremental, they are fundamental. Perception of a brand during the decision journey has always been important, but the phenomenal reach, speed, and interactivity of digital touch points makes close attention to the brand experience essential, and requires an executive-level steward.
From Branding In The Digital Age, by David C. Edelman; HBR December 2010