Inside Facebook

Gas prices are falling, but that’s no reason to spend more than you have to. Now, with the Chevy Fuel Finder app, you can search for the least expensive gas in your region using, of all things, Facebook. Enter in your zip code and the Chevy Fuel Finder will give you a list of gas stations with addresses, gas prices, and an interactive map in case you don’t know where you’re going.

This is a branded app bulit by Buddy Media to market Chevrolet cars. Surprisingly, the ads inside the app don’t feel like ads at all and come in the form of more discreet features that allow you to analyze and compare the fuel efficiencies of different Chevy cars. Instead of trying to win your attention, the app lets you seek out the utility you actually want. The app makes use of the social graph as well, allowing you to compare your local gas prices to those of your Facebook friends.

Overall, this is a great branded app. Its simplicity allows for easy engagement, and the advertising is so relevant to the content in the app that it actually ceases to “feel like an ad.” We’d be happy to see more companies do more branded apps like this this year.