Facebook Holidays: AT&T's 'Black Wednesday' Ads and Other Big Brands

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People who gripe about holiday marketing starting too early probably won't like this Facebook campaign: AT&T has been running "Black Wednesday" ads this week.

In one example the telecom giant used this ad copy: "On Black Wednesday, Nov. 24, get up to $50 off most phones. 'Like' AT&T for this exclusive offer for New York AT&T fans." The landing page read: "Why wait until Black Friday, when you can start early on Black Wednesday?"

AT&T is not alone in using Facebook for yule-themed ad campaigns in the last few days. Sears ran an ad for its "Wish Together" initiative. The effort centers on a "group-liking" concept: After visitors "like" the Sears brand, they can then start "liking" specific deals that will become unlocked once a certain number of people follow suit.

For instance, a Dyson DC25 Animal vacuum cleaner appeared as a deal on Tuesday with the original price of $438 and a deal price of $399. Five-hundred people had to "like" the deal in less than four days before it would become available to Facebook users. Some "Wish Together" products are of limited availability, and some deals expire if the required number of "likes" is not met within a certain timeframe. In one case, a Harmony TV remote control was priced at $100 off on Tuesday until the deal ran out. It drew only 133 "likes," falling short of the 500-like threshold. No deal for Facebook shoppers.

Starbucks Continues Facebook Emphasis With "12 Days" Effort

With 18 million Facebook "likers," it's not surprising to see Starbucks promote its "12 Days of Sharing" holidays campaign on the social site. One ad was laid out as an event invite, with several thousand people expressing that they planned to go by tapping the "attend" button. Overall, the "12 Days" program offers exclusive offers daily via digital channels like mobile and social media from Dec. 1 through Dec. 12.

Starbucks is also employing Facebook Places in a campaign ending on Dec. 31. The coffee retailer's Facebook page has a "Check In" tab/app, where click-throughs can lead to virtual rewards such as a Starbucks icon for certain beverages. Two quick examples: People checking in between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. can get a Caramel Brulee Latte virtual gift; and those that include the word "eggnog" in their check-in will get an Eggnog Latte virtual gift. In keeping with the "Sharing" theme, those who check in via Places are encouraged to share their check-ins with Facebook friends.

Lastly, Charmin has been running Facebook.com ads to push its second-annual "Enjoy The Go" initiative in New York. Viewers clicking through one of the ads have seen a Facebook landing page, where they could learn about 15 Charmin-branded temporary restrooms in Times Square. The page includes a link to a micro-site for viewers to see various pieces of information, such as that the restrooms are open daily through the end of the year. The tourist-targeted promo also offered the chance to win tickets to the Jingle Ball, a Dec. 10 music event at Madison Square Garden featuring singers Katy Perry and Selena Gomez.