During the last decade, the rush of excitement and empowerment that has come with blogging has led to an increase in choice fatigue. The challenge? Who to believe in all the clutter. But that’s changing.A recent post on Adweek.com entitled "The New Brand Ambassadors" discusses the trend in "hired consumers," aggregate groups who are passionate about a brand or product. These groups are empowered by company marketing organizations to help spread the word. Companies like Sony, Unilever, Microsoft, McDonald's and JetBlue are some examples.The individuals in these groups – let's call them online brand ambassadors – are credible sources, with a high online I.Q. They’re articulate and skilled in the art of editing, filtering, tagging, digg-ing and posting. They are likely working professionals, with relevant life experiences and certified chops to walk their talk.And, like it or not, they’re impacting your company's marketing efforts, for better or worse. As a matter of fact, the chances are high that an online dialogue is taking place right now about your industry, company, and/or your products and services.Want to find out? Take a deep breath and type your company name in the search box at Technorati.com or Google.com.The bottom line: Increasingly, you’ll have to surrender more branding control to online "experts."Are you ready for that?Source – AdWeek.com post by Joan Voight, Dec. 31, 2007, The New Brand Ambassadors