In Chapter 13 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares why participation plays such a key role creating a brand experience. He notes brands are no longer tailored by the advertiser alone. Rather, customers and consumers are now taking ownership of how a brand is communicated online and offline. Participation allows advertisers and marketers a means to engage and support customers, in effect collaborating with them to define a brand and establish the aspirational attractiveness that come with it. Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative. Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut. He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.