We’re all scrambling to understand the layout and functionality of the new Facebook pages before they become mandatory by March 30. A summary of some of the bigger changes.

Facebook regs prohibit any sort of promotion, urls, or product descriptions in the new 851 x 315  cover photo. Cover photos are meant to be strictly visual, with little or no text. Examples of how some big (and small) brands are handling this:

http://www.facebook.com/cocacola
http://www.facebook.com/nytimes
http://www.facebook.com/livestrong
http://www.facebook.com/gudmestadyoga

Milestones.
There is now a Milestone feature that allows you to post News that is significant and can make Facebook operate more like a website that users return to. What might an appropriate milestone?A new product

Pin to Top.
This option is available on each post – it allows you to “pin” a post to the top of your page, and it will remain there for 7 days. Seehttp://www.facebook.com/livestrong the “Open For Fighting” post that has been pinned to the top left side of their page. This is good when running contests or for upcoming events.

Messages.
Did you notice the Messages Icon on the top of the page. People who have grievances can message the Admin rather than sending an email. Brands are beginning to use this for Customer Service.  As customers get more used to this it could be a way to direct interactions to get them off the page.

Negative comments.
You can now view and approve comments before they are posted. We can hide comments once they have been dealt with. The comment would still be on the users timeline but not visible on your company Facebook page. On the “About” page or an Facebook App (they used to be called “Tabs”) users can be directed to send a “Message” if they have a question or Customer Service issue.

Seeking guidance in the brave new world of public relations in the Internet age?InfluenceWave can help.

Along with several other timely Father's Day stories, I've got something to say. But it's more of a question.

Why is the ad industry taking all of the heat for portraying dads in a bad light?

Don't get me wrong, I can't agree more with Adweek's "The Demise of the Doofus Dad in Ads."  Ads have made Dad's out as incompetent. But the ads are getting better.

Thank You Mom, Here's to Dad!
This progress was made clear to me after wondering aloud why I kept seeing P&G's "Thank You Mom" campaign so close to Father's Day. This campaign is P&G's biggest ever and it will run across TV and Facebook, amongst other platforms, through the Olympic Games. And it's an awesome ad. 

LOVE the P&G/Mom/Olympics commercial. But as it runs closer to Father's Day, I'm wondering...didn't Dad help them win those medals too?

— Kevin Dugan (@prblog) June 14, 2012

But it was quickly, and accurately, pointed out to me that there's a companion ad and perhaps my family and I were simply watching the wrong TV shows. So "Here's to Dad."

TV as a Whole Should Get "Credit"
As the ad industry makes progress, Dad comes off as an even bigger joke across a variety of TV shows. From popular comedies like Modern Family and long-running shows like Two & A Half Men toquickly cancelled shows and even Disney shows like Good Luck Charlie. This doesn't even consider animated shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad.

My point is there are plenty of examples throughout mainstream media and popular culture that reinforce these stereotypes. Movements like the Dad 2.0 Summit have their work cut out for them as we see progress in just one facet of the doofus Dad syndrome.

Family Unit Morphing
Brands and TV should take the lead of other industries that are responding to a much broader issue. The definition of family has changed and it continues to change. As a result, consumer needs are also changing and our industry needs to change with it.

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