Now here’s some new marketing for you.
Facebook recently announced it’s new advertising model, one that lets you “connect” directly with brands. To paraphrase the process: You can now become a “fan” of a brand (or music group, restaurant, web site, etc.) via your profile. Facebook then lets your friends know, along with a socially targeted ad. For example, If I liked Mahalo (and I do), I could become a “fan” on Facebook, and if you were my friend, you’d hear about it along with a sponsored link to check out Mahalo.
Get it? Doesn’t sound too hard, but there’s a catch.
You have to be cool.
For this ad model to work, you have to be a cool brand, or be a brand with reaallllly loyal fans. Nike probably won’t have a problem, neither will Polo, Starbucks, or Mercedes-Benz. But what about Kraft Macaroni and Cheese? Or Advil, K-Mart, Sure Deodorant, and Bic Pens? Are there enough people on Facebook that are fans of these brands? And if so, will they be proud enough to advertise it?
What do you think? Will this whole thing sink or will there be enough cool brands and people wanting to show off allegiances?
Hey There! My name is Matt J McDonald and I'm a new marketer & Social Media Consultant based in Charleston, SC.
I agree with you, Matt. Only “cool” brands are likely to succeed in this model. Although, never underestimate what people are willing to admit to being a fan of.
Kraft Dinner (aka Mac & Cheese) is a pretty huge thing here in Canada (no, I don’t know why). People love it. When a small town near where I live decided that they were going to help out our troops in Afghanistan by sending them a “taste of home,” they chose to send KD. As many boxes as they possibly could.
The soldiers, of course, loved it.
Little bit late, but this is interesting. It would definitely work for the “cool” brands, but what about on the flip side? Facebook already alerts users when their friends leave groups and removes other add-ons; will it likewise announce when a user is no longer a fan of a brand or product? It seems like this could accelerate the product life cycle, particularly in the later stages, and be very dangerous for the brands in question.