My profession is advertising/marketing/PR so it’s not that I don’t like advertising, it’s that I recognize that we need to do things differently. I’m willing to let go. Advertising is just communicating information, so if we’re changing the way we communicate, we must change the way organizations communicate as well. And as Shirky says, when we change the way we communicate we change the way we’re organized.

So to answer your question, I think a small business would promote their brand in the same way that I suggest above. Start by thinking of ways of participating in a larger movement that you believe in, and create content that speaks to that. Share your beliefs + vision. e.g. what drives you to develop your product or service? What is the need you are solving? And find connect with people that share that belief (this is both offline and online!)

Thanks for your comment!