Facebook has been under the spotlight ever since the Cambridge Analytica news surfaced.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his team have acknowledged the bad light their brand name has fallen under, not just with data misuse, but with the way people generally view their platform today. In an attempt to rebuild their image and regain the trust of users, Facebook just launched a massive PR campaign: “Here Together”.
Facebook’s campaign message is straightforward:
Facebook wants to go back to the good old days. The social network used to be about relationships, keeping in touch with friends and family, and connecting people with each other; but eventually, things changed. Advertisers, clickbait and a flood of fake news turned users away; users turned to other platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to connect with others. Facebook wants us to know that they recognize this change, but now they want to “get back to what made Facebook good in the first place”.
Watch the video for yourself:
Remember the good old days? Yes, Facebook just played the nostalgia card (a classic marketing tactic), and it works.
They have already started running TV commercials, but expect to see this ad everywhere. Business Insider reports that Facebook will be promoting this message in cinemas and Facebook itself. They’re determined to get this message across.
For us marketers, this isn’t anything groundbreaking. Facebook made an adjustment to their algorithm back in January to focus on “meaningful interactions”. No need to panic. Whatever sort of drop in traffic or engagement you have already seen and dealt with (if any) should remain the same.
This is also interesting given that Facebook reported a 13% increase in users in Q1 of this year. Even though their user base is growing, they are aware that damage has been done to their image, and they are hoping to repair that.
As for us, it’d be our loss to give up on Facebook now. The social network still holds the largest audience of all social platforms and it’s an important place for businesses to be active.