The document discusses the rise of influencer marketing and its impact on traditional business models. It notes that social, mobile, and open technologies have disrupted traditional top-down advertising approaches. Instead of broadcast messaging to target audiences, influencer marketing focuses on cultivating customer intimacy by identifying trusted influencers and optimizing content for their followers. Rather than targeting large audiences, it focuses on engaging customers through advocates who have narrow but deep reach. The document suggests that companies need to identify the right influencers based on their activity, interests, and resonance in order to respond effectively to these changes in how customers receive information and make purchasing decisions.