For many brands, a presence on Facebook is seen as integral to their connection strategy with customers. But what happens when your brand has multiple non-official identities on Facebook?

In Coke’s case, 2 passionate fans from LA established a fan page dedicated to the brand. Within 4 weeks, the page had an astounding 750,000 fans. Their motivation for starting the page was based purely on their love of the brand and wanting to connect with other like-minded individuals.

As momentum took the fan base passed 1 million, Facebook amended its policy so that brand pages must either be authorised or associated with the brand. Coke was given the option of taking over the page or shutting it down.

Now, this is where Coke proved it was a smart brand. It decided to pursue a partnership with the creators, while also rewarding them with a trip to visit Coke HQ in Atlanta.

In doing this, Coke legitimised the existence of the page giving it credibility and technical support while maintaining its grass roots appeal.

Here is a smart example of how a global brand embraced the role everyday individuals play in the brand’s reputation, demonstrating its willingness to involve its customers and engage in meaningful dialogue.

For many brands, what is being said about them in either offline or online conversations cannot be controlled. Where an impact can be made is through reaching out to fans, championing collaboration and creating a true sense of ownership.

Thanks to: Coca Cola, Nick Bryant-Smith, Facebook, KoiFish

As digital media becomes an integral part of society, projects like Google Street View show how useful technology can be when used to merge the on and off-line worlds. Chances are, Google didn’t expect communities to embrace Street View quite like they did in Pittsburgh.

Marching bands and giant chicken sculptures were just some of the events staged, when local artists collaborated with Google Street View to represent their community on the site.

Their actions might have attracted some criticism, but their efforts do provide us with some clues as to how far people will go to celebrate what is important to them. It shows a sense of community, previously intangible, that has been escalated to the masses.

And marketers can learn from this - as web cams, live feeds and GPS become part of people’s everyday life, opportunities are there for brands to use these technologies. The challenge lies in finding a way to enhance the consumer’s lifestyle in the process.

Thanks to: Google Street View

The Twitter phenomenon continues, this time in conjunction with Current TV. As the US election draws to an end, we’ve been watching how they have successfully embraced new media formats and now appeal to a younger audience.

Take the presidential debates - the innovation came when independent cable network, Current TV (Based entirely on user-generated content) co-ordinated Twitter feeds into the debate telecast.

While people could tune in from their home, it also became a public event with hundreds of politically aware hipsters making their way to clubs like the Galapagos Art Space, to watch on a giant screen.

A stream of Tweets ran across the screen during the event, providing an indication of how the candidates were faring in the eyes of everyday American people.

The numbers for this kind of activity may be small, but the effects shouldn’t be underestimated. It shows us all how new media can be embraced in an effort to start a conversation between a brand and a consumer, instantly.

This creates opportunities beyond the arena of politics. The same technology could be used to spark consumer feedback within televised fashion shows, reality TV, music festivals, or sports events.

But be warned, the temptation for the industry to try out these cutting edge social media applications can be fatal for those who do not truly understand how users incorporate new media into their lives – this is not a place for auto response tools.

Thanks to: Current TV, AFP, Twitter, Laughing Squid

Hot off the heals of our first real experience with social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace), a new generation of social networks is emerging, allowing users to access content and profiles on multiple networks through a single account.

Perhaps the most exciting option on the horizon is Google’s rumoured offering, Social Stream. The video above shares some insight into what it might offer.

Then there’s FriendFeed which combines content from sites like Twitter and del.ici.ous into a customised stream similar to Facebook’s ‘News Feed’. Its biggest drawback is that it doesn’t incorporate MySpace or Facebook - yet.

Spokeo is similar but charges a fee – not something high on the list of consumer expectations these days.

All of these sites are stepping stones. The point is, their attempts to break down the barriers between websites and drive content aggregation is where the future lies. As social networking becomes a more integral part of our daily lives, these new networks will re-emphasise the user as the central focus of the experience.

Thanks to: Friendfeed, Spokeo, Social Stream

The power of friends, family and work mates is being harnessed through niche social networking sites like dothegreenthing.com to make positive change.

The charm of ‘Go Green’ is in how it prompts individuals into action – by getting them to take up the challenge (this month it’s ‘Turn off those sucking machines’), to compete and spur each other on. Individuals hold each other accountable by recording activities they have undertaken. They are engaged in ‘people power’, something all brands aspire to.

Activating ‘the people’ is not limited to eco-social organisations alone. Consider how you can activate your consumer tribes, get them to spur each other on, and allow your brand to demonstrate the impact they make.

Thanks to: gogreen.com

We took a walk down to the Apple Store opening last night - here are a couple of shots. True to Apple’s style there was a lot of excitement - film crews, hyped up staff and fans eager to get through the front doors. Not that they were looking to buy anything. Most of the fans (all be it only about 100 of them) were there for the experience. Mingling with fellow Apple groupies, lapping up media attention and taking in the the freebies from surrounding retailers (Cafe Vivo, Haighs Chocolates and Krispy Cremes).

Thanks to: Apple