The internet is helping level the playing field between consumers and large corporate companies. A strongly-worded letter used to be the preferred way to respond to bad customer service, but now the internet is empowering the little guy to take on the big guy.
It has been over two years since Jenny Suo found fame as one of the 'Ribena girls'. What started as a school science project about vitamin C content ended up in court, embarrassing global giant Glaxosmithkline, who were fined $230,000.
"It's just amazing that a couple of schoolgirls - we were 17, 14 when we did the experiment - that we could go and do something like that, that we could go head-to-head with a multi-national corporation and win," says Ms Suo.
Confectionary giant Cadbury has been under the spotlight recently for changes to its chocolate. A Facebook group protesting its use of palm oil has over 2500 members. Cadbury claims things are still sweet, but Kiwi rival Whittaker says its sales are up.
Adam Good, director of digital innovation at ad agency Clemenger says companies need to embrace new media.
"The time when you could outspend a competitor is gone," he says. "I think the little guy now can certainly compete very effectively with big business and use these channels quite effectively."
Overseas, a Canadian musician who had his guitar damaged by United Airlines took his frustration online. Dave Carroll's song about the incident has become a smash hit on YouTube, viewed over 3.5 million times.
United's share price plummeted, but now the company now wants to use the video for staff training, and is finally talking to Carroll - proving people-power has momentum in the online world.
"People are actually smart now and they're informed about their decisions, so I think companies can't just push down a message," says Mr Good.
It is a lesson big companies are quickly learning.
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