Money Rail: Coca-Cola Hits 50 Million Facebook Likes

Normally I would let a press release like this one go but in the light of a slow news day and our earlier post regarding Facebook’s dislike of fake likes this seemed interesting.

First, in the name of full disclosure I am a total Coca-Cola fanboy. This is the one brand that has struck me as attractive since I was knee-high to a Coke can. It’s not anything that has any particular story to it either. I think most people have brand ‘relationships’ that make no common sense to others and it should just be left at that.

So when I read that Coca-Cola hit 50 million likes on their Facebook page I was interested. The press release reads

If you could rally 50 million of your friends to make the world a happier place, what kind of results do you think you could achieve? Today Coca-Cola announced plans to find out as the 50 millionth Facebook user “Liked” the brand’s page. By harnessing the collective input of its fan base on Facebook, Coca-Cola will be a catalyst in identifying simple ways to make the world a happier place.

“Throughout its history Coca-Cola has always had a role in bringing simple moments of happiness to people around the world every day,” said Joe Tripodi, chief marketing and commercial leadership officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “Today we have an engaged global community more than 50 million strong connected through Facebook. This provides an opportunity to engage our most supportive and enthusiastic fans in a quest to find ways to make the world a happier place.”

This is where my question comes in. 50 million engaged in the global community? That’s as bold a statement as the taste of an ice-cold Coca-Cola. How can’t you start a ‘quality over quantity’ discussion after that statement?

The release continues and gets about as syrupy as one of those cans filled with high fructose happiness.

Coca-Cola will identify individuals developing ideas that enable people to become more active, give to others, be social or engage in other activities associated with increased happiness. These creators will then collaborate with Coca-Cola and its Facebook community to develop ideas that help spread happiness around the world.

Through a new application on Coca-Cola’s Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/cocacola, fans can declare their commitment to help spread happiness and be a part of this global effort at http://CokeURL.com/50MM.

All in all this a great idea and I would rather not let my sarcasm taint it. The only trouble I have is the timing. Coke used a milestone that most will take a second look at because 50 million of anything is a lot. The trouble is that the number is SO big that you have to wonder if this indeed ‘the real thing’.

Are you impressed by big numbers on Facebook? Should we be the ever present skeptic or see through the ‘size matters’ facade and concentrate on what the brand is trying to accomplish with this promotion around this big number?