Time to acknowledge the obvious: few things have had as much impact on the fabric of marketing as has the emergence of "Social Media."  In his book - The Chaos Scenario (see video below) - author, AdAge columnist and NPR commentator Bob Garfield goes as far as heralding the end of mass marketing as we know it.

Overstatement?  We are, afterall, hinting at a significant change for some communication innovations that have helped shape our marketing world.  Print, radio, moving pictures, television -- cable news, for crying out loud.

While many organizations (and marketers, for that matter) wrestle with the function and role of Social Media, and more still will debate some or all of Garfield's conclusions, few will argue that things are changing.  Fast.  So, for strategists, marketers and C-suite corporate leaders, here's an abbreviated take on what is changing, and at least part of why Social Media seems to be growing exponentially at the heart of the change.