NASCAR: one brand leveraging the tool

To gauge how drivers, sponsors and teams are faring in the digital world, one company is seeking to quantify online chatter, reports The Washington Post.

The company, Buzz Manager, positions its product as a means for navigating tricky word-of-mouth waters. As consumers become more influenced by peers and less by traditional advertising, it's increasingly important for brand managers to know what's being said online.

The solution takes mentions of a given topic from blogs, podcasts and even old-school message boards, then converts the data into a Buzz Rating. With the rating, clients can gauge the online audience's response to them.

Buzz Manager has developed its applications for all forms of sports but NASCAR, with a wide range of sponsorships, ownerships and other deals, provides fertile ground for testing the program.