Facebook to roll out local marketing advisory boards
Cannes Lions 2013: Facebook intends to roll out marketing advisory boards around the world following the introduction of an initiative in the UK.
Speaking to Marketing Week at Cannes Lions, Carolyn Everson, Facebook vice president of global marketing solutions said the UK marketing advisory council, which formed in April, is a way to drive local market insights about what’s important for advertisers in the region.
Theintention is to address specific nuances and differences faced by marketers in each market and help the development of advertising products to help brands build equity and increase sales.
While there are no specific plans or territories in mind at present, Everson said it’s important to embrace the different dynamics in local markets saying: “We would absolutely love to have those [advisory boards] in as many markets as we can.”
Senior marketers including Coca-Cola GB’s general manager Jon Woods and Tesco CMO Matt Atkinson sit on the UK board and meet quarterly.
Its setup followed the creation of a global client council in 2011 which invited senior marketers and agencies to tell Facebook how it could better serve them.
The global council met at Cannes this year to discuss Facebook’s perception in the market, its “simplification” strategy to reduce the number of ad units it offers and the site’s growth in emerging markets.
Everson added: “The reason we exist is to drive business for our clients, to move product off the shelf and increase brand equity. Their next 1 billion consumers and our next 1 billion members will come from emerging markets.”
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