Don't look now, it's a chair!

Facebook advertising - You're doing it wrong

By Kate Doyle

On October 4th 2012, Facebook (the social Media platform that has changed the way gen Y communicates) released it's very first television commercial.
Now ignoring the quality and copy of the ad (more about that later), the biggest question is: Why? Why would Facebook need to spend thousands of dollars to produce and screen a commercial for television when you consider around 15% of the entire worlds population (over 1 billion people) are active users. Surely that is enough users on your website.
Maybe advertising the advertising features of Facebook (i.e. how they make money) would be an effective strategy. Maybe they were trying to improve their branding, and not gain more users.
Consider this for a second, Companies all around the world are introducing social media marketing strategies, using video and on-line platforms for their brand building and generally starting to move away from expensive television real estate (obviously not completely...yet). You would assume that one of the websites pioneering this change in commercial advertising, would use this alternative platform, instead of the traditional television advertising.

But let's not rationalise the methods of a crazy man (have you seen the Social Network?), lets just read what he has to say for himself.

“Celebrating a billion people is very special to me," he said. "It’s a moment to honour the people we serve. For the first time in our history, we've made a brand video to express what our place is on this earth... We belong to a rich tradition of people making things that bring us together."

So it was a branding video, ah it makes sense now... wait, their place in this world? To understand our confusion, maybe you should watch the ad.



So, Facebook's place in the world is for us to sit on, press, walk all over and dance on whilst trying not to get sucked into black holes? Lets analyse line for line.


Chairs. Chairs are made so that people can sit down and take a break. 

Yes, chairs are made for people to park their asses on to relieve the pressure on their feet. Some people also happen to stand on chairs to get a much needed height boost.

 Anyone can sit on a chair and, if the chair is large enough, they can sit down together. And tell jokes. Or make up stories. Or just listen.

You'll also find that if a chair is big enough to sit together on, it becomes a couch, or bench, or really god-damned squish.

Chairs are for people. 
Again, Chairs are for sitting.

And that is why chairs are like Facebook.
Huh?

Doorbells. Airplanes. Bridges. 
Are nothing like chairs, go on...


These are things people use to get together, so they can open up and connect about ideas and music and other things that people share.
Um, Doorbells are for people to let other people know they are on the other side of a solid object that keeps people apart. Airplanes are for people to move long distances in the quickest way they can, much like boats, cars and other vehicles. And bridges are for people to cross bodies of water or to cut from point A to point B easily.
Wait, in my complaining, I have said "such-and-such" is for people.., maybe these advertising hacks are on to something.

Dance floors. Basketball. A great nation. A great nation is something people build so they can have a place where they belong.
How is a great nation like a dance floor?
Sorry that's not a joke, that's a serious question, now I'm thinking they're just putting random words together.

The Universe. It is vast and dark. And it makes us wonder if we are alone. So maybe the reason we make all of these things is to remind us that we are not.
So now you're randomly throwing in the big question, is that what you're doing here? Maybe you should take a long look at that sentence, comparing Facebook to something you say makes you wonder if we are alone. Do you realise Mr. advertising person that there is a massive debate about how social media platforms are causing a form of social-retardation amongst the vulnerable and young.  


Now I wont say that I am an expert in marketing, but I think I know what people want to see in videos. And to be honest this is spot on, most people want to see something they can take the piss out of and parody for their own YouTube view counts.


Bellow are a few examples of parodies people have already made. Do you think the creative genius' in the marketing department knew this was going to happen? It is very possible that this was the plan all along. Create something so bad it's good, have people spread the word for you and become a viral hit! While this is a marketing technique we've seen before, I seriously doubt that was the intent, considering this is a 'branding' video. We can only wait and see where the world will go with this, and to be honest, I'm not sure I really care.