153. The last hold out

I just read a fascinating article about Facebook, that perpetual social network that is part of my life in so many ways despite not actually being a member. (And despite my fascination of Facebook as a marketing tool and a socialization experiment, I am still, ironically enough, holding out.)

Highlights of the piece:

-already 2.8 million of us, or 8.5% of the entire country, are members of the explosive social networking community.

-Facebook now boasts more than 24 million users, growing at a rate of 3% each week. In Canada, that rate is closer to 5%.

-Members can give each other gifts, and marketers can create branded gifts, like Sony Pictures USA did to promote the release of Spider-Man 3. (The gift was a Spider-Man icon that appeared on the recipient's profile.)

-Toronto radio station 102.1 The Edge recently ran its own Facebook promotion. The Corus Radio station challenged listeners to create the largest possible Facebook group rallying behind any cause. The results: Dozens of groups popped up, with titles like "Help Jane Win $7,000 from 102.1 The Edge." The environment was uncontrolled, so inevitably groups like "F*ck Edge 102.1" also appeared. The winner rallied 10,083 members to send her two-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy to camp.

-Recent developments include "Marketplace," which basically acts as a Craigslist within Facebook, and "Polls," which allows marketers to survey targeted members and receive results in 30 minutes.

-The favourite music of Toronto Facebook users is R&B, music is their number one interest (hockey is 9th) and their favourite all-time movie is Scarface (whereas in Vancouver it's Fight Club).

"The amazing thing about Facebook is that it allows us to know what consumers are thinking in real time," says Brad Robins, head of new ventures at Segal. "We always know exactly who we're talking to and this allows us to accurately measure how the target reacts to any promotion or message."

The article in full resides here: link