Skittles Gets It Right On Facebook With Digital Gifting

As a marketer, one of the aspects of Facebook that I'm currently obsessed with is the whole concept of digital gifting. 

Facebook launched digital gifts earlier this year and by all accounts it's been a huge success for them.  Personally, I think it's brilliant.

In addition to Facebook's own gifting ap, five of the most popular user-created aps on Facebook are all gifting aps.  This indicates that digital gifting is not only a great concept, but also something that people like and want. 

This morning I noticed that Facebook has integrated sponsorship for the first time into their digital gift system. 

Today's new gift on Facebook is Skittles gum, a new product from Masterfoods. 

Skittles and Facebook are extremely smart in how they did this.  By making the gift a "limited edition" with only 250,000 available, the whole concept of scarcity is injected into a world where scarcity doesn't even exist. 

You may ask yourself why in the world would Facebook limit the number of Skittles Gum "gifts", when the gift itself is nothing more than a stupid jpeg?

Because people want to feel like they are getting something that not everybody has, even if it's digital and, in the case of digital gifts, even if it's nothing more than a stupid jpeg. 

People want to be part of something that they think is special. If everyone has it, then it's not special.  Limiting something, even if it is digital, creates scarcity.  Again, scarcity one of the most important driver of most retail sales.  If everyone has it, I don't want it.  But if only the people who I want to identify with have it, then I want it too.

So not only did Skittles launch the gift today, but they connected it with a Sponsored Skittles group on Facebook.  Currently there are now over 5,000 members (myself included)  So while this doesn't sound like a huge number, because each member will be passionate about the product and drive word-of-mouth on a new product, it not only has the potential to move the needle on sales, but will move the needle on sales. From experience, I can almost guarantee it.

The best thing about this promotion: 

Who the hell doesn't love Skittles?

It's because Skittles developed a great brand and a great product before they went on Facebook, and because they're using Facebook in a manner that goes beyond merely buying an ad, they have the potential for huge success. 

I love it.