This collection examines a key new development in the contemporary marketing landscape, the relationship between the informal exchange of information and advice among consumers - known as word of mouth (WOM) - and emerging social media. Whereas WOM has been around since as long as people have engaged in conversations, its transmission is no longer limited to face-to-face interactions over the clothesline and across backyard fences. Today, the dissemination of WOM through online channels such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube channels, blogs, and consumer forums has significantly altered...