Minneapolis-based tech start-up 8thBridge Inc. on Tuesday launched a new Facebook marketing tool that allows consumers to go beyond clicking the "like" button on products.
The new tool, called Graphite, lets customers use new verbs such as "want," "need," or "have" to describe their relationships to various brands. For example, if a customer viewing a dress on American Apparel selects the "want" button next to the item, it will post on that customer's Facebook page that she wanted that dress, which could cause friends to buy it for her.
Already, 8thBridge said more than a dozen retailers will use the new marketing tool, including American Apparel, Hallmark Cards Inc. and Oscar de la Renta. Each brand will be able to customize their own verbs. For example, Hallmark will use buttons that say "Smile," "Love," and "LOL."
"We believe Graphite will usher in a new era of social commerce by making it easy to integrate social shopping capabilities in existing channels," said Wade Gerten, CEO of 8thBridge.
8thBridge is entering a growing $7.7 billion social media ad revenue market, according to data analytics firm eMarketer Inc. Most of that revenue comes from Facebook.
