Unilever should hope so. The company’s Klondike brand recently introduced a new line of ice cream bars that boast 25 percent more coating, and according to a recent Brand Week article, interactive media will play a large role in marketing the product. Current plans include a Facebook app (to be released next month) that allows users to test the thickness of their friends’ “shells” through tough questions.
The use of social networking sites like Facebook isn’t new to the marketing world. Although success has yet to be proven, Facebook’s step toward organization looks promising for brands like Klondike, which before risked being lost among a slew of other applications. Now, with new categories that include a Business & Finance section, Facebook seems to be opening itself to more marketing possibilities. In addition to the “fan page,” many brands may pursue applications as a new form of interactive marketing.
The centralization of Facebook’s apps could allow for a more organized marketing platform, but time will only tell whether Klondike’s campaign--which also includes a new, interactive web site--will benefit the sales of its new line. Unilever’s reliance on interactive media and social networking sites makes consumers responsible for marketing the brand through their interactions with each other. This multi-level communication may prove helpful for Klondike’s sales--word of mouth is a powerful tool indeed--but it may mean a slow start for the ice cream brand.
How do you think the new Application Directory will affect brands like Klondike? Is this new format useful for businesses, or will the Facebook marketing well run dry?
--Guest Contributor: Megan Baker, Medill Undergraduate Student
