Taken for a ride: The power of social media

People compete for three available places in the car by posting creative phrases on the campaign’s Facebook page. The winning participants then ‘fuel’ the car by generating Facebook interactions around the campaign on the social network.

One ‘like’ earns 10m of travel, and one comment earns 20m. A tablet in the car’s interior counts the Facebook interactions and the mileage. If insufficient interactions take place to achieve the daily mileage target, the ignition is automatically turned off via an app connected to the car.

This is an effective way of making social media interactions tangible in the real world. It’s also a good example of how brands can engage fans via social media in a more social way, creating a sense of dialogue and involvement. For more on how the lines between the virtual and real worlds are blurring, read our inform with Tom Chatfield.