Jeremy Pepper and I were having a chat yesterday regarding some comments we've been posting on a previous post I made about Ketchum's Personal Media practice. During the chat I told Jeremy my funny analogy. Here it is:

You are a huge fan of a band (insert name of your favorite band here). You've been a fan since the start, like 10-20 years ago.

You have all the albums, all the singles, you've seen them in concert a number of times. When they play all the new stuff in a concert you complain that they didn't play enough 'old stuff' You know the words to most of the songs.

Along comes your rich friend, let's call him Ketch. Ketch says, 'hey I heard this really cool band on the radio. They're coming in concert, you want to go?" You've had tickets since two weeks ago, of course you're going.

You and Ketch go to the concert. Ketch buys the t-shirt and is suddenly the 'biggest' fan of 'your' Band. He doesn't even know the name of the bass player let alone that it's the third bass player the band has had.

But Ketch is very wealthy so he's able to get backstage passes and meet the Band. He throws cash around and parties the night away with the Band. He's got the bass player's cell phone number on speed dial, but he still doesn't know his name.

Ketch and the Band plan to meet up in Ibiza later this summer. Ketch is now their biggest fan.

Where does this leave you? Of course you feel let down to some degree. Ketch, with his money and connections is able to run in the same cirlces as the Band, something that you never could do.

Does it mean that Ketch is 'less' of a fan as you? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Maybe Ketch shares the same passion and enthusiasm about the Band that you do, but since he hasn't been around from the start you feel he's not worthy in some selfish way.

Or maybe six months from now Ketch will find his next 'favorite' band.

Yes it is great the Ketchum has entered the space, in some ways legitimizing it to large corporations who still feel that blogs are the next PointCast. Reputation and experience do mean something but they'll be judged on what they do moving forward.

I would hate to be their first blog client, because that blog is going to be picked over with a fine-toothed comb.

Ketchum just went to the Blogosphere concert and they bought the t-shirt. We'll see what the future holds.

Other reading:
- Neville Hobson - Ketchum Dissected
- Shel Holtz - Ketchum's Iffy Ideas
- Constantin Basturea - Dear Ketchum, welcome to the blogosphere.