No. I didn't coin that phrase. Neither did Scott McNealy or Jonathan Schwartz. This phrase is a subtitle on an interesting blog, The Social Customer Manifesto, authored by Christopher Carfi, co-founder of Cerado, Inc.

I was intrigued first by Christopher's commentary here and here on the emerging VRM movement. Then I was caught by the title and subtitle of his blog.

First, the main title: "The Social Customer Manifesto." This sounds a bit militant, but rings true. Consumers in the participation age have the access to information that puts them in control. We individually can choose what we buy - when, where and how. Declaring independence from the chains of big, bad, oppressive vendors seems like a logical conclusion when consumers are armed with information and the means to exploit it.

Second, the subtitle: "There are no spectators anymore. Participate." This is more a challenge than a current reality. Some may choose not to participate, but they will be doomed to languish on the sidelines of a changing world.

Technorati Tags: Identity, Digital Identity, Identity Management, Participation Age, VRM