In this brave new world of TIVO, Hulu and countless others, it’s interesting to see a brand like Nike using the dreaded commercial to double their digital footprint at Facebook  (550,000 fans to well over 1.1 million).

Don’t get me wrong, the ad is great, as many Nike ads are.  But does anyone else find it ironic that people who are on Facebook hanging “socially” with their friends, would actually be prompted to “like” a page because of a cool commercial?  Isn’t this counter to the school of thought than has us employing spam filters and ad blockers as our virtual body guards?

I personally think it’s genius  - using Internet marketing tactics such as “preview” or “scarcity” (be the first!) to be heard in a noisy sea of “pick me, pick me” strategies. Nike is smart to be using the “re-purpose your content” strategy.  This is a made for TV mini-movie-commerical that they are now making “available” to the public at their fan page.

How great is this?

Somehow Nike has found a way to make it cool for anyone to be their “affiliate.”  By liking the page, any updates from Nike will now show up in your stream.  Their hook is exclusive content you can only get from them. In return, they will be able to distribute their sales and promotional content to up to 5000 of your closest “friends”…for free!

I’m curious to know what your favorite brand pages are right now.  And WHY you decided to click on that tantalizing like button.

http://www.insidefacebook.com/2010/05/26/nike-football-doubles-facebook-numbers-with-early-preview-of-latest-soccer-ad-on-its-fan-page

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Summary of Facebook Promotions Guidelines (http://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php last revision:  December 22, 2009)

Disclaimer: This post provides a topline summary of the key points you need to know if you are planning on using Facebook to promote/advertise a contest.  The new guidelines limit the use of Facebook’s built in status update and commenting features in promoting and/or advertising a contest.  You should:  (1) consult the guidelines early in your planning, they will impact your timing and structure; (2) early in the process, apply for a Facebook Account Manager; (3) designate a key person as your primary Facebook Account contact; and (4) draft comprehensive contest rules that follow applicable laws regarding who can participate (age, geographic locations) and what can be promoted and offered as prizes/winnings (the Facebook guidelines offer some direction, but are not comprehensive).

(1)  UNDERSTAND FACEBOOK DEFINITIONS:

Facebook  distinguishes between “publicizing” and “administering”  — you can opt to publicize only or publicize and administer

Publicizing:  promoting, advertising, or referencing a promotion in any way on Facebook or using any part of the Facebook platform

( includes:  mentioning the promotion in Facebook advertising inventory, on a Facebook page, or through a status update)

Administering:  operating any element of the promotion on Facebook or using any part of the Facebook platform

(includes:  collecting entries or submissions, conducting a drawing to select winners, judging entries to select winners, notifying winners)

Facebook categorizes promotions as:

1. Sweepstakes:  Based on chance
2. Contest:  Based on skill
3. Competition:  Based on skill
4. Other similar offering: This has been left open-ended.

(2) UNDERSTAND TOPLINE DOS AND DON’TS

3. PUBLICIZING ONLY:

Things to consider:

1. No prior written approval required if only publicizing using Facebook
2. Can use your Facebook page to advertise or reference promotions
3. Can use advertisements to direct Facebook users to the Company’s website where the promotion is hosted
4. Cannot represent or imply that Facebofrok is a sponsor or administrator of the promotion
5. Cannot mention Facebook in the rules or other materials (expect as may be required for disclaimer purposes)
6. Cannot condition entry upon taking any action on Facebook (including, updating status, posting on a profile or page, or uploading a photo)

4. ADMINISTERTING ONLY:

Things to consider:

1. Can only administer on Facebook with prior written approval
2. Must work with an assigned Facebook Account Manager  – apply on the Facebook website – from the page on guidelines for promotions
3. Must submit materials to be used as part of the promotion to Facebook (Account Manager) at least 7 days prior to launch
4. Can only administer using  a 3^rd party application – on the canvas page of an application or on an application box in a tab on your Facebook page
5. Cannot use Facebook functionality
6. Must provide specific disclaimer language (adjacent to entry fields/in the rules of the contest) indicating that Facebook is not a sponsor
7. Must provide a hold harmless clause releasing Facebook from liability (in your rules)
8. Must provide language directing  all questions regarding the contest should be directed to the Company and not FacebookDFACE

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“If we treated our friends the way advertisers treated us, they’d punch us in the face.”

How can you build a virtual communication strategy that is relevant, engaging and is easy to share (be viral!) but doesn’t piss people off?

By AVOIDING 3 Popular Strategies.

1. The Rain Main Strategy
Posting multiple times in one day to the same link to your blog, landing page or product. The person you are talking to is the same person whether it’s offline or online.  The only difference is the medium!

2. The Sally Fields Strategy
Retweeting when someone RT’s you and gives you props. “You like me, you really like me”. Need I say more?

Don’t act surprised and shout to the world when someone finds you interesting. Test your headlines in your blogs and tweets and if you get mention?  Rinse and repeat.

3. The Red Carpet Strategy

Only following a select few but expecting everyone to listen to you.

Does keeping the little people outside the ropes and not listening to them, even though they are the ones that have “made you what you are today” really leverage the power of the web?

Some of the smartest people I knew aren’t a C level exec.  Most can’t afford to even go to the movies, much less be in one.

Popularity never made you smarter in school, why would it now?  Find the outliers who have the nuggets. Then bring it back to the crowd with a unique style that has relevance and reward the “miner” with a shout out.

The power of the web is to engage with others without having to have a time consuming in depth conversation filled with small talk.  But you have to engage to truly maximize your reach.

The moral of the story?

No one walks into AARP and starts the conversation with, “Tell me about the senior market.”  It’s always a trade where you give them something they want and leave them begging for more.

By understanding what your “target” cares about, you will be able to bring value to them through relevant insights.  Then all you have to do is watch, listen and learn.  Quietly.

A wise man once said, “Speak softly, but carry a big stick.”

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