Grown Up Thinking

I am so excited about the potential of Facebook’s open graph that I want to look further into its driving force: the “Like” button. The popularity and recognition of this little button is what propels the web’s social function, and the reason brands will see the results.

Many moons ago, when Facebook first created the “Like” button, there were skeptics. But, as with all good social media developments, users began to accept the “Like” button and it has since started a new trend in communication.

The phenomenon of the Facebook “Like” button is that it has become part of our daily expression. Online (and offline) it reigns.

It started when I received a letter in the mail (you know, with a stamp and everything) with a drawing of a Facebook “Like” button on the envelope. Then, I stumbled across this gem by Nation, which we’ve already started using in the Mr Youth office. You can also wear, send, or peel and stick a tangible button.

What other words could Facebook have chosen for this task? You “love” this. You “approve” this. You “concur”. You “agree”.  You “think this is the shiznit”.

Definitely not. Nothing else works! “Like” is the word. (I suppose Eisenhower had it right.)

Though this isn’t the first instance of web speak going face-to-face (OMG!), it is funny and realistic (more so than this). Facebook has turned a single word into everything we need to say; created such a strong need for this simple piece of feedback that we’ve asked for it to exist everywhere.

Now we need buttons for the rest of our emotional range.

I guess to sum it up, I “Like” this. Do you?

Tags: Consumer Insight, facebook, like button

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 12:03 pm and is filed under Consumer Insight, social media, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.