PayPal emailed me this morning and included a link simply saying “PayPal on Facebook”.

I clicked through to see if magic laid behind it, but sadly it didn’t. They post the occasional articles with exciting titles like, “Are cheques worth fighting for?” (answer, no - they’re also not worth writing articles about).

PayPal also post a lot of deals and offers, but they’re usually just that you can save 20% on this website today if you pay with PayPal. Fairly mild as prompts go, but perhaps worth keeping an eye out to see if a website you’re already intending to buy from pops up.

Having bought booze from them previously, I still receive the occasional email from thedrinkshop.com. This morning I noticed that their email contained a Facebook icon, which I assumed I was meant to click, despite not knowing what I stood to gain from it.

The Facebook page itself is fairly standard. Nothing to get excited about. They occasionally post new products that are available, which could be reasonably interesting if you fancy yourself as a pioneer drinker. Reviews also allow you to be a bit more considered in your alcohol purchases, but frankly there are many better resources online for that sort of thing.

I discovered my 36th Like through a Facebook friend sharing it to their wall.

At first glance it appears to be a page devoted simply to having your name added to a giant wedding card for the Kate and Wills as their big day rapidly approaches. Liking the page ensures that your name will get written in the card, which is fairly exciting if you want to tell your grandkids that you sent the King a card for his wedding. 

After clicking Like, though, the branding is revealed - and it turns out this is a campaign idea for Diageo & Coca-Cola as a follow up to the partnership they forged last summer. Capitalising on the at-home drinking occasion of the Royal Wedding party, they’ve provided inspiration and ideas for mixed drinks to enjoy as you toast the newly-weds. Very nice indeed.

Since posting it has now changed its name to The Great Royal Wedding Card, should you wish to find it.

Back to the less glamorous world of email marketing now - an email from Play.com, telling me about their 1st of April offers, featured a request saying “follow us on” with a Twitter and Facebook icon.

The page itself seems like a good balance between product news, competitions, deals, and other goings on that may be of interest to fans, with plenty of opportunities to click straight through to the website and start shopping.

Having enjoyed the “Good Call” campaign for Foster’s, in which Brad and Dan from Australia answer uptight Brits’ questions about life, the universe and everything, I spotted the Facebook link at the end of the ad and decided to follow it. 

No call to action, which is a shame really, because when you get there - if you’ve enjoyed the ad, or are a fan of the brand - it’s a rewarding experience.

What Foster’s have done is continue the characters of Brad and Dan and allowed further interaction with them. They’ve primarily done it through Twitter, but that account is then housed within the Facebook welcome tab, so that non-twitterers (and let’s face it, that’s 95% of the UK population, whereas non-FB is more like 50%) can still join in. Perfectly on brand tone I’m invited to “baner with Brad and Dan” and can look through some of the previous bits of advice they’ve dished out - their “good calls”.

There’s also a link to download an app called the Vordometer, which will determine how hot your missus is going to be when she grows old. Inspired by the thinking man’s MILF, Carol Vorderman. 

Delving further into the page reveals a tab on the side labelled simply “Funny” which doesn’t really do it justice, because what’s housed here is actually exclusive Alan Partridge content created for Fosters by Steve Coogan and Armando Ianucci.

On the whole, great exclusive content - which would absolutely have driven me to Facebook if the TV ad had in some way alluded to the fact that it could be found there. It’s a shame all they’ve included is a link - because they could have SO many more fans to interact with if they’d name dropped Alan Partridge.

It may be there endline, but I did feel as though Ford were inviting me to Feel The Difference on their Facebook page when they signed off their TV ad thusly:

The Facebook page smoothly transitioned me from the TV ad into social media by continuing the same theme of “Start more than just a car” - clicking through allowed me to enter a competition to be at the “Start More” event.

Following that through, I was presented with a more in-depth look through the car, with separate videos for each shiny new feature. If I was a prospective buyer, this allowed me to get into some of the nooks and crannies of the car and answer some of my unanswered questions. 

The only thing missing for me was the ability to book a test drive, which would’ve taken me very neatly from TV to Social Media to Purchase. 

10 O’Clock Live is the great weekly entertainment show on Channel 4, which takes a satirical look at the week’s news, filled with skits, sketches and angry rants. They’ve done a very good job of keeping the show alive during the week when the programme isn’t on by engaging viewers through Twitter and Facebook with plenty of amusing comments, content and discussions.

At the start of the show I was invited to find them “in all the usual places” - which is actually a very nice way of putting it, because frankly I do now expect my brands to be readily available on any social network that I use - I should perhaps be encouraged to visit them there, but never should need telling that I can find them there. If I can’t find them there I’d be worried.

The page itself doesn’t look much, but is actually a goldmine of witty satire, appearing regularly in your newsfeed and inviting you to get involved with the

show. The tone of voice is carefully managed so that on occasions it does feel like you’re actually speaking to Jimmy Carr or David Mitchell, and that feels good.

They claim to be good with food, but are they good with social media? Let’s find out.

Co-Op didn’t overtly invite me to follow them, find them, like them or any of that jazz, but they did sign off their TV advert with both Facebook and Twitter links and icons.

Now, I love the new Co-Operative Food campaign. I think it’s smart, emotional and insightful - with really clear benefits to shopping at a small convenience format store vs. a big hairy Tesco. So when I landed at their Facebook page I was bitterly disappointed to find out that the campaign wasn’t followed through at all.

Instead of the lovely family from the TV ad, engaging content, recipe ideas and videos, I was greeted with an extremely glib and corporate feeling page. As far as I can tell they occasionally post offers and invitations to join in community projects, but the fact that it feels nothing like the new brand personality they’re putting on TV just leaves me feeling cold.

Another musical spotted on a tube escalator poster. This time a musical about a pig, which I can only assume has blue eyes and is called Betty. Again, no photo due to escalator etiquette.

The poster had no call to action that I could see, only icons for social networks. So, I had to search to find Betty and her lovely blue eyes. The musical wasn’t the top result, however - as Betty Boop fan page and someone whose actual name is apparently Betty Blue Eyes (either really mean parents or just someone lying on Facebook).

Much like the We Will Rock you page, this page does a good job of converting the curious into customers, with all the information you need to buy tickets, information on the story line, photos, videos and all the works.

You can even listen to music from the show to get in the mood or relive the evening - musical theatre seems to have got its social media fairly sussed.

Whilst ascending the escalator at Angel station, I spied a posted for Queen musical We Will Rock You. Unfortunately I was unable to get a photograph due to being on a moving escalator, but you can take my word for it that the poster read:

 ”Join us” along with Facebook and Twitter logos. So I did join them

The page is actually well thought out, with good weighting given to people who have seen the show and want to come and wax lyrical about it, Queen lovers, and prospective customers. 

Behind the scenes videos, photos, trailers, and all the information (and links) you need to buy tickets ensure that this is a Facebook page that can deliver you through to a sale.