Meet Woody: TGI Friday’s clever / bizarre entrance into the world of social media… and in particular, Facebook. Woody has his own series of television advertisements and Facebook page (825,000 fans and growing). And Woody is a covert spokesman for TGI Friday’s.

The entire campaign is aimed at getting Woody / TGI Friday’s 1,000,000 Facebook fans; and if that happens, all fans who provided their email address, will get a coupon for a free burger.

It is a fascinating approach for a few reasons:

- first, it is the most obvious Facebook / television campaign – and it is geared specifically around becoming a fan

- second, there is a stated goal of the number of fans: 1,000,000.

- third, the marketing spend (specifically their television campaigns) is aimed at creating long term marketing relationships: email addresses, Facebook fans, etc. This is about engagement and sustained relationships.

- finally, it is a bold move towards free samples and yet another example of consumer goods giveaways on Facebook

Woody’s TV commercials:

More about Woody from Facebook:

About Woody: Woody was born at the stroke of midnight one Thursday-to-Friday morning along the Arizona/California border. From that moment on, he has dedicated his life to spreading his love of T.G.I. Friday’s and all things red-white-and-meaty. Through the years Woody has become one of the leading online flair collectors in the world, and made many friends along the way. His love of Friday’s is second to none, only to his own. And Woody would do anything to prove his passion for his home away from home – T.G.I. Friday’s Restaurants. As luck would have it, someone pretty high up on the totem pole at Friday’s hears of Woody. Long story short, they decide to take Woody up on his claim with a little bet: If Woody can get 500,000 fans on here by September 30th, they can all get a free Jack Daniel’s(R) Burger! In Woody’s words, “It’ll be friggin’ Octo-Burgerfest!’ So become a fan of his, and help make free burger history. It’ll be a dream come true for him.

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