We comb the industry journals and insider blogs to get great ideas for Facebook marketing. Outside ideas that nail the platform are always welcome, because even though a billion or so folks use Facebook all day long, it isn’t always easy getting them excited. Nor are the marketing muckety-mucks always the ones cooking up the fabulous Facebook campaigns. For simple yet brilliant Facebook marketing, perhaps the family up the street is a better place to look.
A few months ago, the Urbano family was a house divided. Seven-year-old Remi and his 3-year-old sister Evelyn desperately wanted a cat, and while their mom Marisa thought it was a good idea, dad Dan wanted the family home to remain cat-free. After some negotiating, dad caved and came up with a compromise. He told the kids that if their cause could get garner 1,000 ‘Likes’ on Facebook, then the family would adopt a cat from a local shelter. A long with some help from mom, the kids posted a photo of them holding a sign with the following message: “Hey Facebook! My sister and I really want a cat. Our papa promises we can get one if we can get 1,000 likes.” The Urbanos expected folks to be touched by the two kids’ plea for a feline friend, but they never expected that the darling duo would get their 1,000 likes in just two hours. The photo went on to collect more than 100,000 likes and the story made national headlines. More importantly, Remi and Evelyn got their kitty and saved a shelter cat’s life.
The amazing thing here is that this family’s Facebook campaign is totally on trend with the things we’ve seen work for big brands. Oreo, Levis and H&M all have had huge success with photo-driven Facebook campaigns. When it comes to brands, the ones that get talked about on Facebook are the ones with memorable images — and the Urbano family nailed it. The photo also garnered thousands of shares. Having your following like something is one thing, but having them like it so much that they share it is the kind of gold Facebook management gurus are eternally hunting for. Lastly, the Urbanos’ campaign knocked it out of the park by including a call to action. People responded to the Urbano kids not only because they’re cute, but because they get followers involved in the post by asking them to do something.
Whether it’s starting a conversation, posting a photo that segues into a “love it or hate it” poll or asking for Likes, photo posts that aren’t just passive live longer lives on Facebook. And in this case, nine of them.
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