I wrote a blog piece back in February highlighting a trend I’d noticed. It seemed to me that Facebook terminology and imagery was beginning to be used more and more by consumers and brands as the platform becomes an integral part of more lives. I thought it was worth posting an update that since then, I’ve noticed a fair few more examples from both a consumer and brand perspective.

You can now buy Facebook stamps for example, that allow you to ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ anything in the real world. Looking at the user comments at the online store where you can buy them, they seem to have proved immensely popular. I haven’t seen an example of their use though, so if you have then please post below.

Another example in high demand from consumers is this tongue in cheek t-shirt.

From a brand perspective, this brilliant Wonderbra ad has been around a while and is a nice play on Facebook friend requests. Other brands have referenced the social network a little less successfully – like this Vileda ad from Ecuador. That took me a while to figure out, but I’m sure I don’t need to spell it out, you’re probably cleverer than me.

It also seems that more brands are mentioning their Facebook pages as part of their offline executions. We did it for Skinny Cow last year and After Eight have done it here.

With the launch of Facebook’s Open Graph and the forthcoming September roll out of Facebook Credits set to further strengthen Facebook’s permeation across the digital world, it seems inevitable that these releases will also drive their further presence in the offline world.

If you see any other examples, please post below…

People are using ‘Facebook terminology’ more and more in general conversation so it’s not that surprising that a ‘Facebook verb’ was named as The New Oxford American Dictionary’s ‘word of the year’ last year.

Brands are always keen to talk to consumers in ‘their language’ so many of them are starting to harness this trend and make use of ‘Facebook terminology’ in their ads as a result. In fact, Skive were involved in one such campaign last year for Nestlé Skinny Cow.

I’ve noticed that some brands are now taking this a step further by including what appears to be a very clear visual reference to the Facebook ‘like’ or ‘thumbs up’ in their ads. The ad below for First Direct is one such example (pardon the bad photo, but you get the idea) and I saw a supermarket (I think maybe Sainsbury’s) use a similar reference in an ad just before Christmas.

Obviously people have been using the ‘thumbs up’ sign for years as it has very old origins, but it seems that some advertisers now feel it resonates more with audiences given its use as part of the current Facebook experience.

I’m going to be Social Media’s answer to Jeremy Kyle, Kilroy or maybe Trisha. I will be chairing an event at the IAB for the Social Media Council and I will do my best to uphold the humble British tradition of chat-show host.

In July 2008 the IAB launched the Social Media Council – a group comprising all the UK’s major players in this space, established to help advertisers fully understand the formats available, and how to use them.

The IAB holds regular panel discussions to work through in an open forum the pressing issues and how to make most of opportunities and to work out the best way to provide value through social media.

As part of Social Media Week the IAB will be holding a discussion entitled…

The importance of picking your battles online: when, where and why should brands respond to consumers in social media?

“Years ago if consumers were dissatisfied with a product, service or particular brand, they simply told a friend, wrote a letter to Which? magazine or participated in a ‘That’s Life’ phone-in. Now, in a digital era dominated by online reviews, blogs, Facebook groups and Twitter feeds, the consumer voice is louder than ever, and brands are being discussed (behind their backs) at length.

Our panel of experts will provide case studies and practical guidance, encourage debate and answer questions on when we should listen to unhappy customers online, when we should get them involved in our brand campaigns and whether the noise of a few vocal, unhappy customers makes any difference to the bottom line.”

The panel will consist of:

• James Turnbull, senior marketing manager, British Gas
• Ronnie Brown, marketing director, Outside Line
• Robin Grant, managing director, we are social
• Iain MacMillan, CEO, RMM
• James Bromley, Managing Director, Mail Online
• Cheryl Calverley, Senior Global Brand Manager, Axe Skin

I’d like your suggestions on which classic British chat-show host to emulate and I’m also keen to hear your the questions that you’d like to level at the panel.

tom@skive.co.uk

@ale_2point0

Skive was commissioned by AMV BBDO to produce an interactive Facebook application to launch the new Nicorette Icy White gum flavour.

Users can feed their friends to a set of 3D animated lips and watch them react with variation of expressions. The app features a progress monitor, allowing you to enter your ‘quit date’ and follow your progress.

» Check it out here
» View the rich media here