The Business Journals around the country are heading up a new kind of contest. Social Madness is a challenge that measures the growth of a company's social media presence.

"Social media is like a bus; you're either driving it, riding it or getting run over by it," said Charlotte Business Journal President and Publisher Kevin Pitts.

The first phase was a local open competition. Now, the top eight companies in each category--small, medium and large--in more than 40 cities around the country are competing in the bracket round. After that, they will compete with the winners from all the cities nationally to be crowned social madness champions.