Levi’s Uses Events Marketing for Sales Promotions [Updated]
Levi’s has begun to use some interesting event marketing on Facebook to promote sales on its web site, as well as its stores via its Facebook Page and profile advertisements.
As we’ve noted previously, Levi’s has been particularly active on Facebook, working with the company to premiere the social plugins on its web site and using the Facebook to promote its presence at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin earlier this year.
The profile advertisements ask users to RSVP to a sale, for example a recent ad read: “RSVP ‘Yes’ for 30% off at Levi’s Castro Store this Thursday (7/15) – Sunday (7/18) only! Plenty of street parking.” There’s also an option to Like the ad.
Visiting the event’s landing page reveals that thousands of people have responded to the ads, which apparently aim to convert Facebook fans into brick and mortar customers. The page includes obvious information — such as time, location and sale information — but also a Wall, a list of people attending (with thumbnails) and maps with store locations. On the Wall Facebook users discuss their favorite products, give thanks for the sale or just generally enthuse about the promotion.
Levi’s is also advertising Internet-only sales on its Facebook Page. Links provided on status updates and Wall posts take users to the company’s web site, which also implements Facebook social plugins.
So, conceivably, it’s possible to participate in the entire cycle of Levi’s Facebook marketing by responding to the event advertisement, which appears in the activity feed, then responding to a status update or Wall post and Liking something on the web site, which also appears in the news feed.
What’s not included in this campaign is a location-based service tied to advertising, like what you services like Foursquare providing — some sort of way for users to “check in” to Levi’s using a mobile device and share that information back with friends. Perhaps we’ll see something like that, soon? Facebook is already working with McDonald’s on something similar as part of its forthcoming location-based service.
[Update: Per questions, below, we asked Facebook how this fits in with its Promotions Guidelines managing “sweepstakes, contest, competition or other similar offerings.” Facebook tells us that “since this is a coupon and not a promotion, it doesn’t fall under our Promotions Guidelines at this time.”
July 19th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Please note that this promotion violates Facebook’s guidelines.
http://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php
Specifically:
“You cannot: Condition entry in the promotion upon a user providing content on Facebook, such as making a post on a profile or Page, status comment or photo upload.”
An RSVP to an event counts as providing content.
However, Facebook does not and never has cared. Despite their harsh language, Levi’s now joins IKEA, Gillette, QDoba, and Wired as major national companies whose promotions have violated Facebook’s guidelines without Facebook doing anything about it.
Still, Insidefacebook should note this in case other marketers are inspired by this post to create prohibited contests.
July 19th, 2010 at 10:52 am
Thanks for the comment, we’re asking Facebook for a response. We’ll update once we get one.
July 19th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Thanks Eric. I’m not suggesting that Facebook should shut them down, but rather that they should either back off the restrictions or have someone available to answer questions about what is or is not allowed (or at least detail what the consequences may be).
July 19th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
We got an answer from Facebook, and I’ve updated the article. Basically, coupons are not defined by Facebook to be part of the Promotions Guidelines, so Levi’s is not in violation.
July 19th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Thanks for the update Eric. I was thinking just about the same (coupons vs promotion; no mandatory content creation)
It would be great if you could do a post on the current status of promotion guidelines. Kind like: You can do this – you can’t do this. Here’s a good example / here’s a bad practice. Or here’s a story of ceased account for not paying attention to promotion guidelines.
Or we’ll just wait for Facebook to clear their messed up guidelines.
July 20th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Thank you for the follow up! Armando, I agree, and would be amazed to hear if there were any companies who were ceased for violations. Eric et al., would this be possible to find out?
July 27th, 2010 at 2:20 am
[...] voit fleurir les onglets FBML personnalisés sur la quasi-totalité des pages de marques, Levi’s a décidé d’exploiter l’une des fonctionnalités les plus simples de Faceb…. L’idée consiste à inviter les fans de la page à RSVP un évènement promotionnel, lequel [...]
July 30th, 2010 at 12:03 am
jeremy
You are absolutley right coupons Vs promotions should be clearly defined. we dont expect a brand like Levis violating but this becomes the opportunity of many other unreputed brands to take the advatneg and make use of facebook just to promte their products , which in turn would also affect on the brand positioning of FACEBOOK.