There's no doubt that the internet has changed the world in the past 20 years. Leboff's proposition here is that while most of us benefit from that transformation, too many businesses and marketers are stuck in "old world" ways of thinking and behaving.

If businesses are to thrive, says Leboff, they need to recognise that successful marketing techniques from the past—characterised here as "shouting messages at customers"—no longer work. Shouted messages must be replaced by a focus on building relationships and customer engagement. Customers seek information from other users and want to engage in a meaningful dialogue with potential suppliers.

Leboff robustly questions the effectiveness of many old marketing techniques, but he is less clear on exactly how companies should do it instead. He is right that engaging customers is key and that social media will play a big role in marketing strategy. But precisely what this means for marketers and marketing departments is unclear.