Everything To Everyone (Or A Quick Look At The slow-motion trainwreck called Facebook)
So Facebook, is expanding into the corporate market.
A few months ago it expanded to high schools.
And a few months from now it will be worthless.
Some people seem to think this expansion is a great idea.
They are wrong.
Do you know why people love Facebook?
Not because of any feature it has.
We live in an age where any feature can be copied anyway.
It's because of exclusivity.
It's who they keep out.
By only allowing folks in with domain specific email addresses it makes the place exclusive.
You feel special.
But if you have a brand built on exclusivity then you have to be sure you don't water it down.
And adding high schools and corporations so quickly does just that.
Is the Facebook brand powerful enough to be expanding? Or is there still time for someone else to do the same thing?
Is it really that strong of a brand?
I say of course not.
I think they are taking away the very thing that made it special.
If you treat your brand like it's McDonald's then your customers will,too.
WTF does Facebook stand for?
Here's what they say:Facebook is an online directory that connects people through social networks.
Think anyone can copy that?
The most important thing facebook has is it's name.
The brand.
The list of folks who diluted their brand to their own peril is long.
Add Facebook to the list.
(flickr uploaders listed below)
Explore posts in the same categories: Army Of One, big business, branding, chartreuse (beta), DEAD, facebook, hot water, money, new media, social media, young peopleThis entry was posted on April 27, 2006 at 2:11 pm and is filed under Army Of One, big business, branding, chartreuse (beta), DEAD, facebook, hot water, money, new media, social media, young people. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
April 27, 2006 at 2:28 pm
I dunno man… I think they still have the exclusivity thing going. Each group still has a barrier to entry, whether it be enrollment or employment.
April 27, 2006 at 2:41 pm
Do a search for facebook and highschool and see how many facebook members complained. You are going to see more complaining about the corporate thing as well.
No college kid wants to be associated with the same brand as their little brother.
The only thing keeping facebook afloat is the lack of competition. Once that happens they will fall. Fast.
Watch.
April 27, 2006 at 3:07 pm
OK.
April 27, 2006 at 4:02 pm
The only value facebook has to an advertiser is the spot on demographic. MySpace is a huge 800 pound cluster****. At least with Facebook you knew you could advertise student loan consolidation or student credit cards and get a nice return.
niche, niche, niche, that’s where the above-average returns are.
watering down is exactly right.
April 27, 2006 at 6:12 pm
Andy, that’s what I was telling Mr. Chartreuse earlier today by email.
So, I guess I agree with you both, and myself, when you put it that way.
April 27, 2006 at 8:18 pm
i love the style you blog with photoes:)
April 28, 2006 at 12:07 am
I’m gonna agree with Char on this one, being a member of Facebook, if they allow cross enterance, why the hell would I want some pimple faced shmuck with no degree and an amazon email to see my profile.
Soon, it will just turn into a “members only” myspace.
April 28, 2006 at 1:59 am
This is exactly why if I ever see Richard Branson I’m going to punch him. Numbnut made it popular for a brand to be like a celebrity being famous for being famous.
April 28, 2006 at 7:45 am
Agree. What about myspace? It’s already McDonald’s.
April 28, 2006 at 3:34 pm
MySpace=McDonalds
good one.
May 2, 2006 at 12:36 am
Andy I think you are wrong there. Although an annoying moron, don’t think that the ass behind Facebook (enemy of a mutual friend of Andy and Me) isn’t smart enough to do targeted advertising sortable by age demographics, or for that matter sex or whatever else an advertiser wants based upon the demographics entered earlier.
So Facebook doesn’t water down the product they offer (audience targeted ads) by offering the product to a wider audience. Rather, Chartruese had it right when pointing to the pertinent watering down as the ‘hipness’ of the Facebook name for college circles and thus only indirectly related to its ad revenues.