Ever since I saw the first of these "Friends" posters plastered across Farringdon tube station, I have been half expecting to hear the loud thud of a pig flying into my window! You may think that I am over reacting, but what segment of the market haven't Facebook tapped into? I mean, even my Grandma has Facebook! So why has the social network which boasts 1.3bn global users decided that now is the time to launch its first TV and outdoor marketing campaign? Well, its seems to be more about Facebook's brand image and position, rather than brand awareness. Social media is developing at an extremely fast rate, there is a new platform every year. Nowadays, my Facebook account can sit dormant for days at a time. Three years ago it was my primary means of checking up on my ex's latest escapade, but now I just use Snapchat or Instagram to do that! But in all seriousness, Facebook's dominance is increasingly being challenged by its usurping offspring (Twitter,Instagram and Snapchat), which are much more fun and cooler than their 11 year old father. So what did Facebook do in an effort to turn back the time?
Facebook revamp is Brand image and position
Facebook were right to reevaluate their position in the market. When new competitors enter into the market place it's important to establish a distinctive position for oneself in order to stand out and stave off the competition. So Facebook wanted to revamp its brand image, our current view of the social network, to change our perception of it in relation to say Twitter or Instagram, (brand position). Therefore, the new 'Friends' was set out to do two things; change the companies brand image and reposition itself in the market place. The two are often intertwined as once you change a company's brand image you inadvertently change how we view it against similar products. But for clarity's sake, let's first discuss how Facebook sought to change its image. A Facebook spokesman explained the concept behind the adverts;
"Facebook is a place where friends go to make meaningful connections. This regional campaign celebrates connections and the different kinds of friendships that enrich our lives both on and off Facebook.."
Indeed, the adverts are more brand than product focused. Although trademark Facebook vernacular is used in the TV ads such as "friendship requests", "shares'' and "likes", the adverts are more about shaping our beliefs about Facebook. Adopting a content marketing approach, the three thirty second ads from in-house agency The Factory, follows the story of different friendships. Using a British narrator to abstractly, but poetically describe the unfolding events on screen, the agency wanted to communicate Facebook's pivotal role in creating and sustaining meaningful bonds between two individuals. Facebook wants us users to associate its social network with 'true friendship'. This might seem very basic or even obvious given it is a "social" network, but we are completely honest with ourselves how many real "friends" do we have on Facebook? I would say most of my 350 friends are made up of mostly associates or distant family members. Facebook want to make a fresh start whereby the words "friend request" truly means you want to build a lasting, meaningful relationship with that person. But aforementioned Facebook doesn't want us to update our perception of the brand in isolation, they want us to do so in relation to the other social networks. In other words, Facebook want to use this new brand image in order to re-position itself in the marketplace.
As I have already explained what a brand position is, I bet you can already guess what re-positioning is, but just for more my own clarity I will explain anyway *wink*. The term traditional refers to a dramatic change in a target market's understanding of the product relative to its immediate competitors. However, Facebook are not seeking to exact any major changes to the position, just a slight alteration. They simply want us to think of Facebook as a place where you go to make friends in comparison to Twitter and Snapchat where you go to socialise. Subtle difference I know, but this change is important at a time when Facebook is fast becoming just another social network. Mark Zuckerberg and co hope this repositioning will take their company back to a time when it was The social network (pardon the pun), reestablishing itself at the top of the social media food chain. Take a look at the ads below and let me know what you think. Did it work? Leave a comment in the section below!
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