T.G.I. Friday's is exploring new ground with a campaign that drives consumers to a Facebook page for a fictional character named Woody and rewards them with free burgers.
According to the Friday's Facebook page (Facebook.com/fanwoody), if Woody accrues 500,000 fans by Sept. 30, all of those fans will receive free burgers from the restaurant. The campaign includes a series of TV spots that drive consumers to Facebook, not the traditional Friday's website.
Giving away free burgers on Facebook is nothing new -- see Crispin Porter + Bogusky's banned "Whopper Sacrifice" application for Burger King for an example -- but as Ad Age columnist Craig Daitch points out, the Woody campaign is a marked difference for Facebook, which has often stressed authenticity within its community.
The campaign also shows the growing popularity of Facebook pages and a shifting trend toward using social media in lieu of the traditional microsite for a campaign.