Grey Poupon’s Facebook Page Will Turn You Away if You’re Not Worthy
Way back in the 1980’s, the most effective way to prove to other rich folk that you enjoyed life’s finer pleasures was to roll up next to them in your ‘Royce and ask, “Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?”
In today’s fast-paced, technological age, all you have to do is be a member of Grey Poupon’s exclusive Facebook page.
Yes, Grey Poupon has quietly implemented a unique, seemingly counter-intuitive marketing campaign that focuses on denying users the opportunity to be ‘fans’ of them on Facebook. When a user wishes to ‘like’ Grey Poupon on Facebook, they are required to apply for a membership with ‘The Society of Good Taste’. The company then does a quick scan of your writing, friends, and interests to determine whether or not you are worthy of being associated with the Grey Poupon name.
“It is definitely counter-intuitive, but it came from a place of seeing a lot of very cliched brand pages on Facebook that all kind of look the same and are desperate for fans,” explained Tom Markham, the executive creative director for the firm that manages the Facebook page.
It’s an intriguing concept, for sure. The campaign’s viral potential, as well as its focus on making the ‘chosen’ users feel like they’re a part of an exclusive group, could result in renewed public interest in the brand. But how well does the software that judges users actually work?
In order to find out, I decided to check out this Society of Good Taste for myself. Honestly, as interesting a concept as it may be, I’m a little disappointed by how low Grey Poupon seems to be setting the bar for entry.
Although I noticed some negative feedback on Grey Poupon’s page from the riff-raff who were denied the privilege of ‘liking’ the page, I was accepted into the Society of Good Taste – despite the fact that I unabashedly have exceptionally poor taste. In fact, the ‘judges’ even considered my appreciation of Nine Inch Nails ‘eclectic’, and my certificate in business from a local community college to be ‘most impressive’.
Members of the Society will be eligible for a number of ‘Tasteful Rewards’, the first of which will be revealed tomorrow. If the rewards are good enough, I wouldn’t doubt that Grey Poupon will be receiving some more news coverage in the coming days.
