Greg Benson of MediocreFilms on YouTube set up an interesting pilot for a reality/prank TV series that involved visiting real life Facebook friends.
Like many people, Benson noticed that he's collected over 2,000 friends on Facebook, including plenty of people he's never even met. In 'Real Life Facebook,' Benson finds where some of his Facebook "friends" live and decides to pay them a visit, in order to determine if he should stay friends with these people.
Throughout this experiment, Benson makes some new friends, but he also encounters some people who won't even open the door for him. However, this is soon made up for when Benson has a supermodel invite him into his castle.
Online Friendship-Testing Stunts
Greg Benson Goes Out to Visit His Real Life Facebook Friends
Trend Themes
1. Real Life Facebook Testing - An emerging trend of visiting real-life Facebook friends for a reality/prank TV series opens up opportunities for innovative content and marketing strategies targeting digital natives.
2. Online-to-offline Experimentation - The Real Life Facebook series contributes to a growing trend of online-to-offline experimentation, presenting innovative opportunities for retail and hospitality industries to enhance their customers' experiences.
3. Social Media Relationship Evaluation - The Real-Life Facebook experiment highlights the need for people to evaluate their social media relationships, opening opportunities for innovative life coaching or counseling services.
Industry Implications
1. Media and Entertainment - The Real-Life Facebook experiment is disruptive innovation in the media industry, as it presents revenue opportunities for reality/prank TV series and YouTube channels.
2. Retail Industry - The Real-Life Facebook experiment presents disruptive opportunities in the retail industry, especially for business models that facilitate online-to-offline experiences for customers.
3. Mental Health Industry - The Real-Life Facebook experiment presents opportunities for innovative mental health services aimed at helping people evaluate and manage their social media relationships.