This is not the first time an apparently random LIKE has caught my attention. Aaron is a friend and social media CMO and I was curious to understand why he would LIKE a brand like Hanes. While he didn't answer the question, yet, I think the question is worth exploring.

So the question may be: "What is a LIKE worth?" I know that's the question my CEO wants to know. And I guess Facebook just purchased a boutique dev shop that has been building a software package that can help them answer just that question.

So some of the other brands that seem to get traction on Facebook for unobvious reason are things like Heinz® Tomato Ketchup, Walmart, Folger's Coffee. I mean, seriously, what does LIKE have to do with these brands? What is the motivation behind clicking on the LIKE button underneath a Folger's ad? Good to the last drop, sure, but why?

I suppose I can look at my random LIKEs. (Since I have not other data available at this time.)

Facebook's Help section on the LIKE button has some clues.

And some non-answers:

Uh oh. What this means is there is nowhere in Zuckerberg's empire that you can go SEE and LIKE or unLIKE your previous choices. So if you DID randomly click on LIKE and Victoria's Secrets and your significant other is pissed that they saw your LIKE in a socially shared AD, well you might be SOL.

I guess I still haven't answered the WHY do people LIKE with abandon. I sure would like to know how we could start sharing our DIS-LIKE with brands and companies about their DUMB ADS. But I'm a little dismayed that there is no way, no page, for me to go see what I have LIKEd and reconsider. It's as if a page or ad has gathered a LIKE and their responsibility to you, or FACEBOOK's responsibility to YOU as the consumer is OVER.

LIKE us. Thank you very much. unLIKE us, um, not so fast there speedy.

So with the question unanswered, I'll toss this post out as a question.

Folks, WHY DO YOU LIKE A BRAND OR AD? (Nike, I get. Hanes, not so much) Enlighten me. And then let's get the UNLIKE button approved. Or the LIKES page, where I can reconsider my VOTES and turn some of them off again. I know Facebook is not listening, but it's fun to make noise about it any way.

@jmacofearth
permalink:  http://uber.la/2011/06/like/

Some other posts you might find entertaining:

• The NEW Facebook DIS-LIKE or UN-LIKE button – available today
• Apple vs Dell: The Summer Promo Deals In Your Inbox
• The Liability of Ignorance: How, Where, and When To Join a Social Community
• Two Stores, Two Boys Shopping; Lesson Learned: Buy Nothing!
• Does "DESIGN" Matter Any More On the Web? Has Content Finally Become King?

NOTE: And please LIKE this post. There's a little button at the bottom of the page. I'd appreciate it. And after you've LIKEd it, you'll have to come back and UNLIKE it, if you reconsider. But don't think about all that, just click that little blue THUMBS UP button for me. Thanks!

And here are a few classics from my BAD FB ADS page. (Sorry, if you're not a "friend" I can't show you the other 100 or so I've collected.)

How did two of the biggest names in social media in Austin Texas associate their brands with Walmart? And does Dave know he's become the posterchild of Walmart? (Turn off social ad sharing in your profile settings, please, you don't need to be adding your FACE to facebook ads!)

I suspect people are LIKEing coffee and not Maxwell House. But this is part of the question I am trying to answer. If you know why you LIKEd this one, tell me. Please, tell me.

How about this. Just LIKE us and win! At least it's straight forward. This very well may be the benchmark for the generic LIKE. I'd like to get some numbers from these folks.

I didn't even know BAN was still out there. I guess this ad has done its work. And how about that Best You Yet APPLICATION. SRSLY? BAN has an app?

And the classic FB LIKE ad. When I saw this about a year ago my first reaction was WHAT? I mean Motz is kinda dated, but Heinz? What's to LIKE about that? What does being a FAN of Heinz Ketchup mean about me as a consumer? What does it say about my willingness to lend my personal BRAND to something like corporate ketchup? Um, not so much. I guess I'm not in the same TRIBE as the 18,684 earlier fans were. I'd love to see how high this number is now. (screen shot anyone?)

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