“Through our online Customer Advisory Board, we have a new platform to engage our customers in two-way dialogue so we can harness their insights and vehicle dreams as we move quickly to develop and refine technologies and products,” said Deborah Meyer, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Chrysler LLC. “Chrysler designers and engineers have always had a pulse on the market to deliver segment-leading products, but the launch of the Customer Advisory Board gives us a new way to connect with our customers to be even more responsive and innovative.”

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Chrysler this week is launching a new program that aims to bring consumers--some 2,000 of them--into the boardroom, virtually. The industry's first online Customer Advisory Board (CAB) will have consumers offering their takes on product features, designs and technology.

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Automaker to Recruit Online Consumer Advisory Panel.

Chrysler will begin recruiting U.S. residents in the next few weeks to participate in closed, online dialogues to gather insights for the automaker's marketing, product development, vehicle features and engineering.

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The automaker plans an online "customer advisory board." The goal is "to establish a two-way dialogue" to glean consumer insights, chief marketing officer Deborah Meyer says.

Discussion won't be limited to cup-holder placement or the design merits of side vents. She says participants will be asked about everything from safety issues to environmental concerns to opinions on Chrysler's ads. Folks interested in joining can apply at chryslerlistens.com ” where they'll have to answer questions such as, "Do you own or have you considered owning a Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle?"

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Networks embrace viewers online, giving them input into what we see on the tube

ABC Entertainment relaunched an online community group it refers to as The Inner Circle late last year. Initially created three years ago as a marketing tool, it was brought back to life with the help of social-networking software enabler Passenger. The company built an online community that allows ABC to engage with select users in several ways, such as asking for feedback on previews of shows, promos and how they feel about the network as a brand.

Michael Benson, evp of marketing for ABC Entertainment, explained, "It started out as a marketing tool and became a research tool. Now it's kind of a combination of both." The conversation it creates between users and the network, he added, directly impacts marketing strategies. For instance, ABC learned about the Internet habits of some of Lost's biggest fans. "That helped us design much more rich and robust marketing strategies on multiple platforms for that show," he said.

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Dow Jones VentureWire's Web Ventures Conference Redwood City, CA March 18-19, 2008

It’s becoming increasingly easier to launch a Web business with little capital and reach a built-in audience of millions “ thanks in part to Google’s OpenSocial and Facebook opening up its platform for application deployment. But what are the companies, technologies and applications that will profit with a more open and connected Web? What does it really mean for Web start-ups? Beyond social networking, what other Web markets will benefit in the coming years?

At this year’s Web Ventures conference, I'll be presenting a session on customer collaboration and describe how companies can gain insight, drive innovation and build advocacy. I'll also address how brands need to harness the collective intelligence of their customers in order to design better customer experiences, make more informed business decisions and keep up with the evolving marketplace.