WEDNESDAY 19 SEP 2012 2:22 PM

GREY POUPON'S MEMBERS-ONLY FACEBOOK PAGE DISCOURAGES LIKES

‘Would you have any Grey Poupon?’ said the now-famous 1980s advert. This week, the question for the world’s classiest mustard producer is if Grey Poupon’s Facebook page has any unrefined fans.

The Facebook app, which debuted last week, is dubbed ‘The Society of Good Taste’ and only accepts fans who pass a taste test. And not of mustard. The app trawls through a fan’s Facebook page, past posts and interests to determine if they ‘cut the mustard.’ And do not be fooled, fans will be turned away if they fail the test. With a website solely hosted by Pinterest, the 235-year-old mustard is amping up its social media presence.

Good PR via social media calls for consumer engagement. A few weeks ago, Samsung was lauded for its humour and personal attention when it sent an upset customer a customised free phone. On the other hand, Nokia was lambasted after its advert inadvertently contradicted the message of the marketing campaign.

Companies clamour for Facebook fans and retweets galore, but few differentiate their pitch as distinctly as Grey Poupon has with its members-only club. The Facebook app encourages engagement from fans that do make it into the exclusive club. Social media has made customers ever harder to please and increasingly easier to reach. The main challenge is to use it effectively.