(Based on a true story)

Dad recently took grandma gambling for her birthday (typical destination for an 88-year-old woman).

A couple days later, I'm out and about in the car they took casino-hopping, and as I peer into the car's designated catch-all of items, my eyes immediately lock in on a promo item. It's a small, blue piece of plastic with a key-ring and cap. Expecting a USB-type gadget, I rip off the cap.

Only to discover it's a screw driver with the casino's information neatly printed on the side.

Perplexed, I holler at Mom, "Do you find it appropriate that the casino purchased screw drivers for promo items?"

"Very appropriate since they're screwing old ladies out of their money."

Good point.

Perhaps a coin purse would've been a better choice.

According to CNN, airlines are grasping the benefits of social networks. Some of the more progressive carriers are actually reaching out to disgruntled travelers – in an effort to diffuse grumpy passengers who are using tweets and status updates to smear the brand.

Some of these folks are even getting discounts.

Wouldn't you love to see the look on someone's face when they realize they just got an immediate reply to their 140-character rant – from a representative of the airline they just ripped a new one?

Who says words don't work anymore?

Nothing sets the mood like a rich metaphor.

Everyone is ripe for the seduction of suggestive allegory.

Words put you in your place, which is exactly where you want to be.

Tanqueray is hitting their latest campaign out the park – with long-form copy that is becoming a mantra for metro hipness.

Sure, you can say this work is eerily similar to Ketel One's latest efforts. But Tanqueray is creating a unique brand culture without pandering to an overt manliness that makes the Gentlemen campaign a touch too limiting.

Worried about how to engage your customers in this new world of Facebook and Twitter? You're not alone. Everyone is concerned about the ominous predictions of how social media will reinvent marketing as we know it:

- "You don't own your brand anymore. Your customers do."

- "One social media slip-up can tarnish your brand forever."

- "Your customers will ignore you unless you make it worth their while."

- "If you don't have innovative content, you won't have loyal customers."

There's truth to each of those predictions. Well, kind of. Ultimately, control over your brand still starts and ends with you. Take a look at the Air Force's new "counter-blogging" flow chart as an example. This foolproof guide gives military bloggers the tools to maintain a positive impression of the Air Force despite any type of online adversary. Trollers and ragers beware. The Air Force has an answer to your rant.

Now we're not saying this is the right approach for you. Just that being proactive and deliberate about your online efforts can pay dividends. Everyone will have critics. It's how well you handle criticism that can make a difference. Otherwise, you might feel the wrath of customer fury. (Just take a look at some of the comments in response to AT&T's latest attempt to jump into social media. Not for the queasy, for sure.)