All of my “friends” are going to be marketers

Posted by Rob Walker on August 13, 2007
Posted Under: "Social" studies,Backlashing,The Trend Industry

Has anybody started a Facebook backlash yet? I see Newsweek is speculating on whether Facebook can hang onto its “cool.” I’m in no position to judge such things, but I will pass along this one anecdotal observation.

A few months ago, I joined Facebook. This in itself is a bad sign, but then again I’m a journalist who covers consumer culture, and in the course of snooping around on something or other, I basically had to join. I did just enough with my account to make it clear who I was, and why I was there, and then got on with whatever I was working on.

Soon I started to get friend requests. I would accept, log out, and get back to work. That has continued. I think I have 30 friends at this point, but I’d have to log on to check, and I don’t want to bother. Here’s what’s new:

Recently, an increasing number of the friend requests are from marketing people. Consultants, ad agency folk, the like. So far, they’ve mostly been from people who I actually have interviewed or am friends with or have some other connection to. But yesterday I got one from a guy I really don’t know, he’s just a marketer type who has pitched me in the past. I can’t decide whether to accept. I think this is a bad sign.

I guess it’s inevitable that this kind of thing will happen, and that it will happen, in particular, to me. And I have nothing against Facebook, which seems like it might be worth spending time on, if I had any time to spend. (That’s why I can’t decide whether to accept this guy’s “friend”ship, because I’m holding onto the possibility that I may actually find Facebook useful at some point.) And at least Facebook doesn’t give me the same instant, throbbing headache that MySpace did.

But as an observer of marketers, and of trendiness, I would say that there may be a familiar pattern here, following Second Life and MySpace. First there’s an audience. Then the marketers (and the journalists and the trend-watchers) flood in. And then there’s a backlash. Often led by the marketers, the journalists, and the trend-watchers. So we’ll see.

Update: Mike Arauz answers “Yes. The Facebook backlash is now underway. (And like all respectable backlashes these days, I’m sure we will see the backlash-to-the-backlash before most Facebook users have even had a chance to update their status.)” I think is parenthetical point there is good. Here’s his whole post.
And: AdPulp weighs in, and notes earlier chatter of Facebook fatigue.
Plus: More related links in the comments. Thanks all.

Further diversion may be found at MKTG Tumblr, and the Consumed Facebook page.

Reader Comments

Danah Boyd had an interesting entry along the same lines.

#1 
Written By Noah Brier on August 13th, 2007 @ 4:22 pm

Yeah, I think the backlash started yesterday. In the space of 2 days I read these two posts, and now yours.

http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2007/08/10/loss_of_context.html

http://www.noahbrier.com/archives/2007/08/what_do_you_think_of_facebook.php

#2 
Written By Mike Arauz on August 13th, 2007 @ 4:40 pm

I’m always late! Thanks for the links Noah and Mike…

#3 
Written By murketing on August 13th, 2007 @ 4:49 pm

What is tough in the digital age is that if you create a new product then you have to keep re-creating the “Honeymoon” period over and over again to keep up the heat up. Otherwise people get a bored and are on to the next “new thing” because I think now as a technological focused society, we are always waiting for the next best thing.

I can’t figure out what is so special about Facebook in all honesty. My guess is that it is the ability to post as many pictures as you want to, at least for kids who are in my age group. Last Friday I read a story about a guy who ditched Linkedin for Facebook…..what?! Although the layout of Myspace is so PC/1990’s I think they have concept down with the multiple avenues of expression and interaction through content, I really feel like it offers people a great way to express themselves. . . yet I think the functionality is a not as good as Facebook and therefore that is why they are not the media darlings they were a year ago. . .. this will be interesting to watch. . . .

rambling away

#4 
Written By Mitchell on August 13th, 2007 @ 9:07 pm

Mitchell, I apologize for the slow response to your comments, but they’re really good, really thoughtful, and gave me new things to ponder. Thanks!

#5 
Written By murketing on August 21st, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
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