For a lot of people, Facebook is a convenient way to keep in touch with others. But Zach Wade also suspected that an equal amount of users use their Facebook profile to project "an ideal image of themselves". In other words, they want the most friends, they want the most wall posts and they want to look like they are a 'somebody'.
To exploit this particular niche, Zach established an intentionally divisive and possibly controversial application known as Club One. http://apps.facebook.com/clubone/
A Club One membership "guarantees you exclusive access to a hidden network of peers at your caliber. Among them are movers and shakers that will be or already are the powerbrokers, celebrity, or wealth of the online world. Club One provides a secret venue for communication among this select community". Zach notes that the club's actual purpose is simply to connect cool people.
To become a part of the club you must apply to a waitlist where your Facebook profile is "reviewed". You can also add Zach as a friend so he can personally review your profile. And the more people you invite to the club, the faster your review process will be.
Since its launch, Zach has received dozens of hate mail, dozens of flatterers lobbying to get in and dozens of impatient messages demanding to know if people have made the cut.
As Zach notes, "sociologically, it is an interesting phenomenon. People's curiosity drives them to apply, but even more powerful a motivation are people's egos".
Elitism on Facebook
Cool Enough For ClubOne?
Trend Themes
1. Exclusive Social Clubs - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating exclusive social clubs on other social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter
2. Anti-elitist Social Networks - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating anti-elitist social networks that aim to connect and bring together individuals and groups of all backgrounds and interests
3. Virtual Status Symbols - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating virtual status symbols and badges for users to display on their profiles, based on their engagement, activity, and influence within a social network
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the social media industry by creating new features promoting inclusivity, such as mandatory profile reviews and verification checks
2. Brand Partnerships - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the brand partnerships industry by collaborating with exclusive social clubs to reach a highly targeted and engaged audience
3. Online Reputation Management - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the online reputation management industry by offering services to help individuals and businesses present a more authentic and transparent image on social media