In today’s day and age it is hard to believe that just 10 years ago computers, the Internet and cell phones were something that were not commonplace. It was an age where advertisers used every angle possible to draw customers in and get them consuming their products. With that in mind imagine the ads that we would have seen if Facebook had been invented and living back in the 80’s – or the apps for that matter.
As a child of the 80’s and 90’s for that matter, there are two distinct ad campaigns that have stuck with me, both from cigarette companies. While I don’t smoke, and never have, I do remember two things that probably helped hook my friends.
The Marlboro Man was a bad ass and Joe Camel was cool.
They were both larger than life and drew kids and adults in with their aura. Imagine if these ads had taken place in the realm of Facebook or a similar interactive platform.
Shoot pool in the Camel lounge, earn points for cigarettes and cigarette paraphernalia. Collect E-Marlboro Miles and 
redeem them for your exclusive Marlboro Gear. How about share a smoke with your friends on their 18th birthday?
With the built in age settings on Facebook, these companies could simply target their ads to the young generation without spending advertising dollars where they had a mixed bag of viewers.
While this What If is purely fiction, imagine that with Facebook’s demographics, advertisers can build up similar targeted ads. Just think with the amount of info available on you with the social breadcrumbs that you leave, don’t be surprised if you wind up seeing ads for some specialized ads for items that you might not realize people can find you need. Kind of scary, but it is some opportunistic marketing.
And now a brief commercial break to a simpler time…