Mentos 3D Marketing

From all the Mentos campaigns ever launched my favorite remains the viral marketing videos with the Diet Coke bottles exploding with Mentos. (Who can argue against this?!)

I'd say that the "there's nothing like a mentos kiss" campaign is a big FAIL; but that's just me... and then there's the whole 3D products, that got me thinking how can a gum be 3 dimensional. I was encouraged by a friend to check out the Facebook "Mentos Arabia" page, it was only then that I understood. (Ok, there's actually a message behind it, but I still don't like the name).

It does not cost much to gather fans for a Facebook page, but getting them to interact with the brand is priceless... and Mentos seems to have it going on. They've gone over a notch in the side bar tabs, and uselessly so, as the tabs offer nothing interesting - pure disappointment there. Yet, the wall is very lively with daily competitions - yeyy for that!

I hear that a good competition will be launched soon on their Mentos Arabia website - yes, it seems there's a website just for this region! - Let's wait and see what they have in store.

Facebook Competitions in Lebanon

Marketers are diving more and more into the social media world in Lebanon... But are they doing it right?

• Sayfco Holding reached more than 50,000 fans by granting anyone who likes their Sayfco Holding Facebook page the automatic entry to a sweep stake that would allow him to "WIN a $1m apartment"; and other similar offers "The fan with the most friends on Sayfco Holding page before 28th Feb 2011 will WIN $10000".

• B2B launched a "Be the first to tag an item's picture and win it". For that of course, you will need to like the B2B Facebook page. A cost-effective intiative, I may say. They also used a QR code on their posters to link to the page. 

• Sony World is offering you a chance to win a Sony Vaio C laptop on the Sony World Lebanon Facebook Page, granted, you need to like their page, to be able to upload a picture "where you feel like you shine" (to match their current advertising campaign) and get the highest amount of likes on it; i.e. get your friends to like their page too.

• Citi Furniture has created an "ugliest couch contest" on the Citi Furniture Facebook page , a creative initiative, not the first of its kind globally, but cute nonetheless.

That, just to name a few Facebook competitions taking place in Lebanon.

...And finally here's what Facebook would have to say about all those campaigns; here's a summary exerpt from Facebook Promotions Guidelines : "You must not use Facebook features or functionality, such as the Like button, as a voting mechanism for a promotion."

But we all know Lebanese never read guidelines or any other sort of user manuals for that matter! 

Were you really expecting anything different?