All the social networking sites these days are about one thing and that is Friends… Without them there would be no impetus to join, and no sustainable interest in remaining a member. Depending on the network, users add friends.
A Canadian telecommunications company named Telus launched an application on Facebook. It is supposed to be the best sponsored application on Facebook.
Last month, they introduced a new cell phone application called My Faves, which allows users to pick five friends – regardless of their own carrier – with whom they can receive unlimited talk and text services. With a target market of high school and university students, and an objective to raise awareness of the new service, social networks were the ideal venue through which to inform and educate consumers about the plan.
Telus looked to
Facebook has found, 27 percent of its Canadian audience is under the age of 18 and 56 percent is between 18 and 24. Earlier this year, the site's traffic surpassed that of MySpace, making it the leading social network in
Telus' advertising application’s incorporates animals. The company is known for employing "spokes critters" and nature-based themes in its campaigns, both to differentiate itself from competing wireless carriers and to cleverly highlight different aspects of its services.
In My Faves' case, the critter of choice is fish. The application takes the form of a fishbowl, to which Facebook members can add to their Profile page. To occupy the bowl, they select up to five Facebook friends, each of whom is represented by a different variety of fish. Users can also add famous Canadian landmarks to their fishbowls, including the CN Tower and the famed Sudbury Nickel.
The language used throughout the process is consistent with the Telus brand and references the product it's ultimately intended to promote. While customizing the application, Facebook users receive the message: "What crowd do you swim with? Tell the world with your own customized virtual fishbowl for your profile."
After creating a fish to represent the user, Telus delivers the message: "You look lonely. You should always swim with a buddy or five. Let's start adding your faves." When friends are added, they receive an e-mail notification that references the Telus My Faves plan:
Check out a custom fishbowl that I built for us to hang out in. Then build your own to show the world who you call a fave! My Faves is a great new plan from TELUS that gives you unlimited local talking and texting to any 5 numbers, on any network, anytime.
Once the customization process is completed, users are provided with access to the code to add to their personal blogs or other social networking sites.
The application, seamless in its execution, isn't unlike the Top Friends widget that's been making the rounds of Facebook of late. Where it differs is in its relevance to Telus' latest offering. There's an intuitive connection between the idea of hosting a virtual gathering for critter friends in a Facebook fishbowl and the five friends calling plan. Whether Facebook users who download it are Telus subscribers or not, they can enjoy the concept behind the tool.
Since launching in late July, the My Faves application has received over 7,500 downloads on Facebook. The company also sponsored a news feed targeting every Facebook user within its student demographic. Most recently, a Telus-sponsored Facebook Group was formed to generate feedback on the application. A My Faves representative is actively involved in monitoring discussions and responding to consumer comments.
From concept to ad buy, it's a prime example of how social sites can be effectively used to go beyond branding to increase awareness of -- and interest in -- a new product.
So add the application and start building your own fish bowl!!!
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