Facebook Gifts: It’s all about safety
Friday, February 9th, 2007Facebook just announced “gifts,” which are little pictures that you can post on someone’s profile. The pictures are small icons designed by Susan Kare, who designed some of Apple’s original set of icons in the early 80’s. Each one costs a dollar to give, and the net proceeds go to breast cancer research.
This is a brilliant idea, and is another example of Facebook really understanding the type of communication that their network fosters. It extends the idea of poking, which was the start of a new “safe” method of contacting someone. In other words, if I want to contact someone, a poke is risk free. I don’t have to commit to a phone call (where my voice is on the line), I don’t have to commit to an email (where my words are on the line), and I don’t have to commit to a text message (where my message needs to be justified). To many Facebookers, a poke is the most casual way to let someone know that you’re thinking about them… until now.
‘Gifts’ give the users an excuse to get in touch with someone. They’re a reason for sending a message. A reason to remind someone of your existence. Calling someone you haven’t spoken with since high school is much harder than sending them a little sticker in the name of charity.
And speaking of charity, I think this is a great example of marketing for good. Social networks have a great deal of untapped potential energy, and this is a great way to harness communication itself for the good of breast cancer research!
