As shown in the Metro example, one negative opinion of your brand can create an online storm that includes both an aspect of opinion and emotion. Regardless, it can be quite difficult to recover from, even if expertly managed by the best of PR teams. This is because of the ability of a negative tweet, for example, to go viral within a few minutes.
By using sentiment analysis tools to monitor how your audience feels, your organisation can control the emotions and conversations around your brand more effectively. Also, this way you won't be responding reactively by trying to douse the flames at short notice. The fact remains, consumer opinions are crucial to how you represent your brand in the media and strategise for more effective relationships with your customers.