Consumer Research on Life Support?

Online chatter is becoming more important, but classical methods of consumer research do still allow you to shape the kind of knowledge you are trying to get. So both are important and should be integrated in new ways.

From AdAge:

" ... After issuing dire warnings about the future of consumer surveys, the two biggest advertisers and buyers of market research in the world -- Procter & Gamble and Unilever -- are linking with the Advertising Research Foundation for an industry effort to embrace online chatter and other naturally occurring feedback like never before...