The knock on Facebook is often that it doesn’t have its ad strategy figured out. That might be, but the company courted advertisers pretty much from the get-go.
As captured in “The Social Network,” Facebook’s then-CFO Eduardo Saverin was in New York City right after the launch of TheFacebook, as it was then called, to sell ads. One of those who met with Saverin in April 2004 saved Facebook’s first media kit, which was provided to Digiday.
TheFacebook was a far cry from the global behemoth it is today. Just a bit over two months old, the media kit details its 70,000 users at 20 major colleges. But Facebook’s grand plans are evident in its projections, which include launching in 200 colleges in six months.
Facebook’s original pitch was a bit different than the message it bring to marketers today. For one, Facebook wasn’t urging them to use social ads but instead offered to run IAB standard ad units. Yet Saverin was already emphasizing Facebook’s unique (and personal) data, explaining that marketer’s could target by sexual orientation or even by dorm.
Below is the media kit Saverin was using to pitch potential advertisers that spring, obtained from a New York-based marketer he met with personally. Saverin was asking for ad commitments of around $80,000 for targeted display ad placements that would reach “thousands” of users.
More in Media
‘I’m never going to be able to retire:’ Gen Xers cast doubts on life after work
According to Randstad’s recent WorkMonitor report, which surveyed 27,000 workers, only 50% of workers thought they would retire before 65.
What platforms, brands and agencies hope to get out of the Possible conference in year 2
Year two of Possible is once again being held in Miami Beach, and it will take place from April 15-17 with 3,000 attendees expected to listen to another 200 or so speakers, including Snap’s Colleen DeCourcy, Uber Ads’ Megan Ramm and UM Worldwide’s Matthew Smith.
Brave browser brings new AI reading features to its privacy-focused chatbot
The Brave browser has added more ways for its AI assistant “Leo” to help users read PDFs, analyze Google Drive files and transcribe YouTube videos.