2019考研英語閱讀題源文章解析：文本-on-the-Street

2019考研英語閱讀題源文章解析：WordontheStreetFromTIMEByBarbaraKiviatApr.23,2007WordontheStreetPsst...yourfriendsmaybeshillingforasoapcompany.Whypeoplelovemarketingbywordofmonth.Thenexttimesomeoneyouknowravesaboutadishdetergentormotoroil,considerthis：youmightbeonthereceivingendofamarketingcampaign.It'sanewworldforpeoplewhosejobitistosellyouthings,whatwithconsumers'digitalvideorecorder-enabledabilitytoskipoveradstheydon'twanttosee,andtheirInternet-empoweredfreedomtofindoutallthestuffleftoutofa30-sec.TVspot.That'sdrivingmarketerstoallsortsofnewplaces,includingyourcircleoffriends.Procter&Gamble,apioneerinthefield,hasbeenfocusingonwordofmouthfoxsixyearsthroughitsTremordivision,whichhasenlisted255,000teenagersintheUS.totelltheirfriendsaboutbrandslikeHerbalEssencesandOldSpice.Lastyear,P&Gsignedup500,000adultvolunteers,allmothers,forVocalpoint,aprograminwhichthemomsevangelizeaboutpetfood,papertowelsandhaircolor.P&Ggivesthewomenmarketingmaterialsandcoupons,buttheyarefreetosaywhatevertheylike(ornothingatall)abouttheproducts.BzzAgent,afirmthatspecializesinword-of-mouthmarketing,hasits260,000volunteerssubmitdetailedprofilesabouttheirhabitsandinterests,whichBzzAgentusestomatchthemtoword-of-mouthcampaignsforproductsmadebycompaniessuchasNestle,Arby's,Philips,KraftandBP.Thisunscriptedstrategymightsoundlikeabigrisk,butdespitetheconventionalwisdomthatconsumersaremuchmorelikelytovoicecomplaintsthanpraise,recentresearchfindstheopposite.Inonestudy,AndreaWojnicki,anassistantprofessorattheUniversityofToronto,lookedatself-styledexpertsandfoundthattheywerelikelytokeepnegativeexperiencestothemselves,lesttheirskill-at,say,pickingarestaurant-becalledintoquestion.Andwhyarethesecitizenmarketerssowillingtoshillforfree?Insideaccesstoproductsandthefeelingthatcompaniescareaboutwhatyouandyourfriendsthinkaresuchstrongmotivatingforcesthatotherformsofcompensationpaleincomparison.BzzAgent'smembersearnrewardpoints,whichtheycancashinforprizeslikeDVDsandbooks—yet87%ofthemneverdo.Wordofmouthhasbeenaroundforages-"Trytheapple,"saidEve-anditcontinuestoproveresilient.AconsultancycalledtheKelleyFayGroupfoundthat18%ofword-of-mouthmarketingtookplaceonthephone,and72%facetoface,despitetheubiquityofelectroniccommunication.Orperhapsbecauseofit.“Inundatedbyads,”saysTremorCEOSteveKnox,"Consumershavegonebacktotheirmosttrustedsource-familyandfriends."Naturally,somepeoplearen'thappyaboutmarketers'followingthemthere.In2005theadvocacygroupCommercialAlertaskedtheFederalTradeCommissiontoinvestigatecompany-fedwordofmouthandotherbuzztactics,whichthegroupsaystakeauthenticrelationshipsandundulycommercializethem.Notallfirmsaskwordofmoutherstodisclosetheircorporateconnection,buttheWordofMouthMarketingAssociationrequiresits400-oddmemberstodosoaspartofitsethicscode.Theremightalsobeabusinesscasefordisclosure.Wordofmouthisbuiltontrust,explainsGeraldZaltman,asociologistandprofessoremeritusatHarvardBusinessSchool.Fessingupreinforcesthat.Butperhapsthebiggestlessoncompaniescanlearnfromwordofmouthersisthatthere'sanunmetsocialneedamongconsumerstofeelthattheiropinionsmatter."Theycarewhatyouhav