Facebook is boasting of a new interactive ad unit. That’s according to Leo Burnett Worldwide, the prominent name in advertising taking credit for Facebook’s eighth ad unit in total.
The company says Facebook’s new ad unit will help companies and both new and established brands initiate conversations with consumers by posting photos, videos, links and status updates onto the social network giant’s platform.
“We’re moving to ad units that generate more stories and spark conversations,” says Elisabeth Diana, manager of corporate communications at Facebook. “We liked ‘comment’ because it allowed an advertiser to spark a conversation among consumers and link to page posts that an advertiser posts on its page.”
Although she said the unit will not likely enable data collection, she believes it can serve as a digital focus group or a way for fans to provide product feedback.
Direct Marketing News has learned that Leo Burnett clients will have two months (roughly 60 days) of exclusive use of the unit. Several fortunate Burnett will be among the first to enjoy the spoils of the new feature. Such brands include Allstate Insurance Co., Buick, Hallmark Cards, Samsung and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Diana says working with Leo Burnett speaks to Facebook’s commitment to developing “on-going collaboration with agencies.”
“They’re close to their clients and know what their clients’ needs are,” she admitted. “We help agencies understand the platform and they come up with innovations.”