Social media is radically reshaping how companies and organisations handle their crisis communications. At our recent #SMI11 conference, crisis communications experts Neil Chapman and Chris Reed offered a fascinating insight into the ways BP and Eurostar, among other companies, have learned from social media fallout.

If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no-one around to hear it, does it make a sound? Indeed, does it make any tangible difference to the way we lead our lives? Not really. What about the announcement of hugely ambitious environmental targets by a multi-billion dollar corporation? If there’s no-one around to hear that, does it make any difference to, well… anything?

With more social media screw ups than points scored, it’s no surprise many coaches and managers ban their players from Twitter and Facebook. Oklahoma State University, however, is using these online platforms in a ground-breaking way.

America’s Deep South is no stranger to typecasting, and fast food sandwich chain Subway has capitalized on this beer-swilling, ho-down, redneck stereotype to promote its new Smokin’ BBQ Chicken Temptation Sub. And it’s taking the message to its social media channels.

Hot on the heels of Facebook Places, foursquare and Groupon Now, telecoms giant O2 has launched its own location-based cloud voucher scheme in the UK, and despite some sloppy promotion, has stormed the download charts.

…it goes to the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, the Motor City’s perennial ice hockey power who tried to whip up a bit of fan excitement in early April for their eventual failed Stanley Cup run this year with a car give-away. What’s not to like there?

Long favored as the gamers’ snack of choice, it’s fitting that Doritos has launched its own video game to complement its latest marketing campaign.

Earlier this week, geo-based social networking site Foursquare announced it surpassed 500,000 merchants. That’s over half a million businesses reaching out to the mobile-savvy generation, gleaning valuable market research and raising awareness of their brand. But this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s top dog in the mobile/social commerce sector.

The new Transformers film blew away the box office competition this weekend, bringing in $372 million around the globe, the third-biggest take ever for a summer blockbuster opening. It’s hard to know what part the barrage of #Transformers Tweets played in the success of TF3, but one thing is clear: the dark art of piggybacking on the success of a buzz-worthy Hollywood flick is alive and well.

The ROI debate still hangs over every social media budgeting discussion, it seems, but the camp of believers is growing larger and more impressive every day. One such believer is Unilever’s Selina Sykes, who handles digital and social media marketing for Lynx, the UK’s top-selling deodorant brand for men.