Facebook Ads: Fan vs. Like

You've all probably formed opinions of your own now that Facebook has officially rolled out the switch from "Become a Fan" to "Like" for subscribing to Page updates. So besides "WTF, Facebook?!" here's something I've noticed that I haven't seen many people talking about.

When setting up a Facebook social ad campaign, you can choose to "advertise something I have on Facebook" or "advertise a web page". Before the switch, it was clear which ads would keep you on Facebook when clicking and which ones were for external websites.

Now that everything is "Like", all the ads look the same. One of the advantages with the "Become a Fan" ad feature was that people could scope out your page knowing they'd stay within Facebook. All ads look the same now, website or not. It's no longer clear whether your click on "Like" will end up with a "you like this ad" or "you like this page". And it's not clear whether a headline click will take you to the Fan Page or to MyFreeCrazyPage4U.biz

So, out of these ads can you tell which ones are linking to websites or to properties within Facebook? Sort of like Facebook ad roulette, no?

Next on MTV: The 'SAC

Rumors are swirling this morning about AAF president James Edmund Datri's remarks to turn NSAC into a reality TV show.  Its impact on perceptions of the ad industry is debatable, but there are only two ways it could affect NSAC students:

SUPER AWESOME

• Potential employers would see the blood, sweat, and tears students pour into the campaign and would take NSAC seriously when considering job applicants.
  
  
• Speaking of taking NSAC seriously--the case for AIM referred to NSAC as an "exercise," and sometimes I feel like the AAF wants NSAC to exist in its own make-believe world as something "those kids" are working on.  I know NSAC is different from real industry work, but I hope the AAF would realize that NSAC participants view their campaigns in the context of real-world advertising, not just a paper assignment.
  

TOTAL DESTRUCTION

• I don't know about other schools, but the University of Minnesota's NSAC team has seen its fair share of drama that I wouldn't enjoy being broadcast.
  
  
• Teams once comprised of geeky ad kids could morph into attention-seeking actors.  Nothing could be worse for the perception of the ad industry.
  

Of course, selling an NSAC sponsorship as a reality TV tie-in will also attract certain sponsors and deter others.  Any brand to sign on will be bold and unafraid to try new things, which would be fun for students to work on, but not representative of real-world advertising.  Also, the past three campaigns have been targeted to Gen Y consumers, and I don't see this trend shifting if a TV element is added.

I sure wouldn't have minded having my ideas showcased on national TV for agencies around the country to see, though...

McDonald's Needs an Advertising Bailout

Many of you have fallen victim to a subprime coffee crisis...you're drinking subprime coffee, but still paying $5 a cup! McDonald's is proposing a coffee bailout...thank you, McDonald's, for helping me get back on my feet.

I heard this radio commercial twice today (transcribed as best I can remember) on my way to and from the mall. With Christmas shopping at its peak, everyone is thinking about credit card bills and mortgage payments, so of course a price comparison could be effective. But should McD's really make light of a recession that is costing millions of Americans their homes? Call me hypersensitive, but I think McDonald's is wasting an opportunity to be relevant to penny-pinchers and instead offending actual victims of something larger than a "subprime coffee crisis."

The First Banner Ad I've Clicked On In Recent Memory

Seen on Creativity for The Now Corporation. Love it for sheer WTF value.

(Ed note: The video for this ad has since been taken down by the ad server, but it was a visual of a mouse slicing random objects like a cantaloupe. Part of the loop can be seen here.)

The Interwebs Are Watching

So I'm taking a brain break this afternoon and surfing for concert tickets (the spending freeze is making me lust after entertainment). I clicked on the "email to friend" link for Metro Station next Monday (anybody? anybody?) and instead of an email form, this pops up:

WTF?!

What do you think?
1) IT is playing an amazing joke
2) The Epic nightclub website detected I was behind a work firewall and decided to strike some terror into my heart
3) Fail Tuesday continues