OMMA Social Panel: Looking Beyond Facebook: The New Places for Advertisers to Unleash Apps

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Image by sitmonkeysupreme via FlickrModerator: Derek Leedy, VP, Account Director, Mediasmith
David Vanderpoel, Principal, Strategy and Marketing, North Highland
Sebastian Gard, Manager of Ditial Marketing and Social Media, Microsoft
Chris Cunningham, Founder and CEO, AppSavvy
Kevin Barenblat, Co-Founder, Context Optional

Chris: The social media definition has gotten out of hand. It's really simple. It's really about locations where people are engaged around their interests and content with their friends.

David: When we were talking about search engines, we kept looking for the next search engine and the market share settled out to where it is now. That's happening with social networks.

Kevin: With Facebook Connect and other sites, we can bring those experiences throughout the web more generally.

QImage by daveynin via Flickr: Is it all about Facebook?

Sebastian: Facebook is the top priority for us. We put 70% of our effort in getting Facebook right. The Obama campaign attempted to create a social majority within social networks. Conversations take place within social networks and get amplified. 

Chris: Is anyone here not on Facebook? [No one raises his hand.] Facebook is there to communicate. It's more about consolidating habits now. It's less about Fandango now - it's about Flixster. These apps are premised on your interests, not making money.

Kevin: It's about providing value and bringing out the best ways to tie brand messages into that.

Q: We see the top 20 social networks. comScore still has Geocities on there. With unleashing apps, we're saying Facebook is a great place to get it right. Is there a new place to unleash them? Do people leave to try other places?

Sebastian: It's important to think about Facebook Connect. Look at the Doghouse promotion from JC Penney. They got 4 million visitors.

Chris: The iPhone's the one thing that rivals it.

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Sebastian: Marketers should look at emerging platforms and try to add value there, like TripIt does with LinkedIn, and TripIt is sponsored by Hertz. It's a way to get in on the ground floor. [TripIt is one of my favorite travel tools. You just email your travel confirmations to plans@tripit.com and it creates an intinerary for you. Connect with me there.]