Author: Melissa Fiorenza

This time last year, asking your Facebook fans to comment on your page for a chance to win X, Y or Z was virtually a social sin when it came to abiding by the network’s strict promotion guidelines. But just as it’s wont to do, Facebook is changing its tune. On the heels of an announcement that the ad creation process will be simpler, Facebook updated its Pages Terms to make running promotions a lot easier, too. A lot easier. One change in particular – how fans can enter contests – is perfect for brands looking to engage with and reward their audiences in a simple, cost-effective way.

We stumbled upon what might just be the cutest delivery box for a cookie company. Take a look at your own packaging materials and let us know: Could they be better?

A controversial statement made by Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has resurfaced alongside new claims that the retailer refuses to make plus sizes for women... and consumers have taken notice. One protested with a controversial statement of his own, and voiced it on social media. Will Abercrombie & Fitch respond?

It's never too late for a refresher (or reminder) course. Is your business doing all five things below? 1. Cross-promote your links. No matter how many social platforms your business has, you should cross-promote them as much as possible. Your Twitter bio should include links to your Facebook and Pinterest pages. Your Facebook page should link to Pinterest and Twitter, and so on…  Why? Because why not? Your likers should know where they can connect with you elsewhere. The worst that could happen is they don’t click. Otherwise, they do. New fans!

It’s really a brilliant idea: Pitch a ridiculously cool prize and have your entrants not just ‘share’ it, but spread the word socially day in and day out as a means to keep their entries alive. Essentially, they do your job for you, Survivor-style. The latest promotion received the award for "Best Use of Social Media for Sports" at the 4^th Annual Shorty Awards, and it has drummed up more than 300 million social media impressions since the start.

These kinds of commercials are truly my favorite. The ones that tell a story. That touch upon emotions or events relatable to nearly everyone. And the ones that relegate the product or brand at hand to merely a supporting role instead of in-your-face hero.

The first 5 people to comment score a pair of shoes! Fill in the blank to enter to win a $50 gift card! ‘Like’ this post and you might win! Facebook wall promotions: They’re easy to set up and enter, in-the-moment and exciting to participate in, which are undoubtedly a few of the reasons why many brands continue to coordinate them. Unfortunately, they also completely disregard Facebook’s promotions guidelines and run the risk of page termination at any moment.

Since my colleagues have already proven Media Logic to be home to a bunch of cupcake fiends, I’ll leave @magnoliabakery off my list (its guest appearance in #4 doesn’t count). Here are the five that made my cut...

I think it’s obvious how a glossy’s editorial content translates well to Twitter; from giveaways to quick snippets of articles alongside links, they’re a natural fit for the information-feeding social stream. What piques my interest is something Folio pointed out: “Twitter also helps brands punch way above their weight class. Good came in at #16 (up from #17 in January), eclipsing household names such as Rolling Stone (#19) and Vanity Fair (#39),” they noted. So, which do you think would be more popular on Twitter: Food & Wine or Scientific American? O, The Oprah Magazine or Discover? In both cases, the latter reigned supreme.

These days, even city dwellers can harvest crops, breed animals in a cow pasture and decorate a lighthouse all in a day’s work—from their cubicles. It’s all thanks to Zynga— the San Francisco-based social network game developer whose resume includes FarmVille, CityVille, FrontierVille, Words With Friends and Mafia Wars, among others. You may know them as the root of all those status updates from your Facebook friends who boast their bovine purchases at every turn, or perhaps you’re a digital denizen yourself? Whatever the fascination of thriving in a virtual world, it amounts to success. Available on multiple platforms such as Facebook, MySpace, the iPad, smart phones and Yahoo, Zynga’s games reel in more than 230 million monthly active users. That’s a lot of faux fruit! But lately Zynga and its following aren’t the only ones cashing in on the crop of games. Make way for the era of social gaming as a hot marketing platform.