Clarion Content

The internet, it is not just for sale!

Or so one might hope. Corporations continue to view the internet as an extension of their marketing arms. Despite individual attempts to innovate and to resist this trend, the news continues to get bleaker.

The Clarion Content has long believed it is self-evident that Facebook is a sales tool. Numerous violations of common law standards of privacy have laid bare Facebook's purpose; to mine data that allows it to closely track what you do, what you like, who you are and what you buy, and then to sell that information onward to the highest bidder.

Some of Facebook's maneuvers to do this are more obvious than others. In many, folks have to opt-in to willingly allow their data to be shared. Sheep to the slaughter, they are happy to do so.

One example is the Facebook "Like" button. Facebook users are given the opportunity to click and say they like something. Big brands have been especially crafty about using this marketing tool. Previously Facebook "Likes" used to be called "Fans." Quite probably, it was more obvious to the consumer that by becoming "Fans" of something, they were glomming on to corporate cultural brainwashing. Hence the name change, and has it ever been, effective.

According to the website Mashable, Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most recognized brands, had 800 Facebook "Fans" in November 2007. It has 16.5 million "Likes" now. This list of customers, voluntarily offered up, is an invaluable sales tool.

Check out this graphic history of how some of the world's biggest brand names use Facebook to market.

Labels: Economy, Pop Culture, technology