Mobile marketing companies and physical world connection players have been trying to tap into the huge audience at FaceBook.
Can you envision how quickly FaceBook generates revenues and builds a database for mobile marketing campaigns with this?
Packaged goods giant Mars will become the first advertiser to sell actual products on Facebook, a move aimed at building the commercial credentials of the social network.
Called Celebrate, the service will launch on Valentine's Day and enable users to buy actual Mars gifts which can be redeemed at participating stores through the use of a scanable, unique mobile voucher ID.
A user on the Celebrate application will be able to select, for example, a virtual box of Maltesers and send it to a friend on Facebook. When this message is opened, the user will be asked to enter his or her mobile number and an SMS barcode will be sent. That user can then go into a participating store, pick up a box of Maltesers, have the mobile code scanned and then leave with the goods.
How long before other brands realize this is a fantastic viral marketing idea AND they can build a database for future mobile marketing campaigns?
