Dean Burri (left), by being smart, patient, and playful got the ear of Continental CEO Larry Kellner. Kellner, demonstrating curiosity and considerable listening as well as political skills, showered an audience of purchase influencers (members of the FlyerTalk online community) with recognition. And what the Cluetrain Manifesto calls "marketing as conversation" took a big step forward.

The Continental VP of Marketing, Mark Bergsrud, says they often listen at the online message boards and use what they learn to improve service, but Continental is shy of posting themselves. Over at Starwood, they have William Sanders participate as Starwood Lurker. At first he looked like an outsider, charging in with all the answers, but now he has recognized that other members of the community also know some answers and he has really become a member of the community, sharing his interests outside Starwood as well.

Both these companies desire kudos, as well as Dean Burri, for speaking up.

NY Times: On Board the Message Board by Susan Stellin

Early in April, Continental Airlines played host at a gathering in Houston for members of FlyerTalk.com, a travel Web site best known for its message boards where travelers discuss, dissect and often complain about pretty much anything related to travel, but mostly airlines and their frequent-flier programs. The event grew out of a bet made by Dean Burri, a FlyerTalk regular (screen name: Cigarman) and Lawrence W. Kellner, Continental’s chief executive. …

The bet? If Mr. Burri could get more than 60 of the site’s members to fly to Houston, paying for their own airfare and hotels, Continental would give them a behind-the-scenes tour of the airport and a dinner, and Mr. Kellner would give them a talk and take questions from an audience not accustomed to pitching softballs.

A lot more than 60 showed up – 274, in fact – putting faces to screen names like Flyzabit, MileCrazy and UpgradeFreak and engaging in a give-and-take with Mr. Kellner and other senior Continental executives that Mr. Burri described as "like Oprah."