All of the leading retailers have tried to spruce up their online act during the downturn, but few have done as well as start-ups such as Gilt Groupe, which uses social networking to carry out discounted sales of designer-label clothes and homeware, and luxury holidays.

ECONOMIST: America's shoppers

With its commitment to social media, MLB is transforming its equity from a sport label to an entertainment brand.

FORBES: Baseball Hits A Home Run By Integrating Social Media With Content And Art

Today the independent label is home to four bands that share their talent with Broken Social Scene.

NPR: Broken Social Scene: Indie Rock Originals

The company is building out a social platform for brands to push coupons through Facebook and Twitter and also provides white-label coupons for the websites of supermarkets and drug stores.

FORBES: Coupons.com Nabs $200 Million, Moves Toward Mobile Coupons

From the perspective of someone who recognizes the very high payoff to innovation in the social sector, I can only be delighted with the outcomes of the program regardless of how we label it.

FORBES: CSR or Marketing at PepsiCo?

Paul Wicks, a co-author of the paper, said social network-run studies may be most useful for testing efficacy of so-called off-label or off-patent compounds that patients are using but are unlikely to ever attract pharmaceutical company interest.

WSJ: ALS Study Falls Short, But Use of Social Media Holds Promise

While just entering the realm of social media was considered a success for this Pope, the next pope will have to do more for the same label.

FORBES: Next Pope Will Inherit An Established Social Media Presence With Room To Grow