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