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Facebook Cafés from Lebanon to Bulgaria using Huge Online Brands to Promote Offline Business

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Facebook Cafe

I have wrote a post back  to 2008 about a Famous Facebook Café in Lebanon, it was the first offline Facebook Café ever, basically it’s an internet cafe, it’s an example for using Huge Brands like Facebook to promote offline business, and it’s another effect of social media and social networking in our life!

I got a comment on the First Face book on Lebanon post on MyLifeThinking blog yesterday from Boyan, here is a quote of his comment:

“We have the same in Plovdiv, Bulgaria since Dec. ‘09 – FacebookCafe. Apart from using the name of Facebook, this cafe will detect who is attending it at any given moment and will publish that on it’s website, as well as Facebook. This is one of many ideas that we will see soon”.

facebook_cafe_lebanon
The Menu they pay on the wall at Facebook Cafe - Lebanon

Facebook Cafe sign - Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Facebook Cafe sign - Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Credits: There are a few more Facebook Cafe photos at Boyan’s blog.

I like the idea of publishing about people who attend to the Cafe,  of course I assume they respect their clients privacy if they don’t want to be mentioned on Facebook not to spread the word about where they are at the moment! but it could be very useful for friends and  groups that hang out together so this gives them the ability to check who is on the cafe before heading to there to get the company!

I was wondering if there is a similar ideas on your country! Share with us what you think about this way of promotion using brands by giving your opinion or a story!

Do you agree or disagree?

About

I create websites with WordPress, and I develop Schema Plugins to help SEOs. I am a social network lover. I am also the night creature who works hard to keep this project up. Owner and founder of the Famous Blog.

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{ 24 Responses }

  1. Bob says:
    "The legal aspect indeed a bit arguable. Technically, the Facebook trademark is not registered for offline usage, so altering it as the Bulgarian Cafe did makes it legal." No it's not you fucking dumbass. You can't still somebodies registered trademark logo no matter what they registered it for. But in Bulgaria it's ok to steal anything I understand.
  2. Boyan Yurukov says:
    The legal aspect indeed a bit arguable. Technically, the Facebook trademark is not registered for offline usage, so altering it as the Bulgarian Cafe did makes it legal. Also, they are not simply exploiting the trademark of Facebook, but trying to bridge the gap between offline and online presence. Of course the privacy of the cafe card holders will be respected and only those who wish will be put on the wall. Interacting with their online personalities however has a great potential and brings something extra to the simple act of hanging out in a cafe.
    • Bob says:
      No it's not you unbelievable dumbass. This is blatant outright theft of a logo. Just because they didn't "register it for offline" usage doesn't mean you can steal their logo. How can you be so stupid? I understand it's ok to steal everything in Bulgaria but now that Bulgaria is in the EU they might have to start behaving like a real country and respecting laws and intellectual property. "The legal aspect indeed a bit arguable. Technically, the Facebook trademark is not registered for offline usage, so altering it as the Bulgarian Cafe did makes it legal. Also, they are not simply exploiting the trademark of Facebook, but trying to bridge the gap between offline and online presence. Of course the privacy of the cafe card holders will be respected and only those who wish will be put on the wall. Interacting with their online personalities however has a great potential and brings something extra to the simple act of hanging out in a cafe."
  3. Latief says:
    Great Idea, I think I should follow the Idea and I'll called my next Internet Cafe as Famous Bloggers. What do you think? .-= Latief@AnotherBlogger´s last blog ..How To Import Your Blogger Blog To WordPress? =-.
  4. Dennis Edell says:
    "Anyways, if I am the Facebook owner this will not annoy me, because they are promoting my biz!" Tell that to the HUNDREDS of websites eBay and others have shut down for using the name. ;) .-= Dennis Edell´s last blog ..I’m Unsubscribing From Your Blog…..Again =-.
  5. MItko says:
    I myself am Bulgarian as well. The legal aspect is quite arguable here! For example, even if Facebook press charges, thos cafes can modify the logo just a little bit, and then use a Cyrillic "e" in Facebook for example. Once that's done it's a totally "different" name and logo :) although they look 99.9% the same. So I don't think Facebook would even wanna bother starting any legal actions. .-= MItko´s last blog ..Juventus v Milan 0:3 Video Highlights =-.
  6. Gordon says:
    This is a great way to steal some cream from the Facebook profit cake. Nice job who ever though it up. I'm just waiting to see a Twitter strip-club or something like that ;D Great post Hesham! .-= Gordon´s last blog ..Getting Your First Traffic Spike =-.
  7. Dana says:
    It seems great idea to use big brand facebook in a business. I do not find it yet , here, in indonesia so i think i can start it. :lol: .-= Dana @ Blogging Update´s last blog ..Having Killer Content for Blog Easily =-.
    • Hesham says:
      LOL! yeah you can be the first on that :)
  8. Holly Jahangiri says:
    I assume they licensed the trademarked name and logo from Facebook? I love the menu. "I'll have a Super Poke, and make it a double. Okay, bub, keep your hands to yourself - I meant the drink!" Funny. I do think it's slightly creepy and could possibly encourage stalkers, this idea of broadcasting who's there. It's fine if the customers all know and can "opt out." But I see people tweeting their GPS coordinates and can't help but wonder "Why??" .-= Holly Jahangiri´s last blog ..Double-check Those Nutrition “Facts”! =-.
    • Hesham says:
      They don't know about the invention called "license" yet, they don't even have laws there in Lebanon :) just kidding! The thing is they can not use the name "Facebook" while they can simply add another word to it to be "Facebook Cafe" for example, and this is the way to get any license, so maybe the problem here is with the logo! but not the name... Anyways, if I am the Facebook owner this will not annoy me, because they are promoting my biz! When people tweet their GPS coordinates they mean to share it with their followers to tell where they are.. I think they don't this randomly as maybe they expect to meet someone! mmm I actually don't like this and I also don't like to tell the world where I am drinking my coffee now :)
      • Holly Jahangiri says:
        You might be delighted, as the owner - or not. Depends, maybe, on whether you were already in negotiations for a similar idea. But you are probably right - it's only the logo that's a problem, since "online site" and "physical cafe" are not in the same class of business. The confusion arises if someone thinks that the cafe is run by the same people who run facebook, or assume that it is endorsed by them. The first time someone gets food poisoning, it's a free-for-all. .-= Holly Jahangiri´s last blog ..Double-check Those Nutrition “Facts”! =-.
        • Holly Jahangiri says:
          Also, this cafe looks lovely, modern, clean - so yes, the tie in probably does help both businesses. But what if it was truly a nasty hole in the wall? You think the owners of Facebook (the site) would be happy then? .-= Holly Jahangiri´s last blog ..Double-check Those Nutrition “Facts”! =-.
          • Hesham says:
            Of course they will be not happy with that! I like the look also, mmmm.. maybe one day we will have one hear in Texas, and we can have coffee and share some sandwiches with our offline friends :)
          • Holly Jahangiri says:
            That would be fun! We might have to make do with Panera and their wi-fi connection. ;) .-= Holly Jahangiri´s last blog ..Double-check Those Nutrition “Facts”! =-.
  9. Deepika says:
    Its really a nice idea. Its very useful to publish a band,blog or our friends gang. I have not seen any ideas yet. Its a good idea to implement .-= Deepika´s last blog ..Contest @FamousBloggers: Win Prizes worth $500 =-.
    • Hesham says:
      This ideas could help on promoting the biz, it works some how!
  10. lawmacs says:
    Wonder if i could get my site mentioned there this is about harnessing the power of socail networking to its fullest by the way hesham is that your car parked outside smile just a thought .-= lawmacs´s last blog ..The latest Contest On FamousBloggers For 2010 =-.
    • Hesham says:
      You can just a head to the blog and contact with Boyan, he seem to be a nice guy! nope! it's not my car.. well .. I never been to Bulgaria before :)
  11. Yogesh Mankani says:
    Oh great..What a great idea to promote any online brand in offline ways..This is clear cut example of exploring the financial potential of a successful brand like facebook. Would love to see if they come in franchising model because it can be highly lucrative ways to exploit the brand and broadening its exposure. .-= Yogesh Mankani´s last blog ..Windows Desktop Application (BumpTop) – Make your desktop alive =-.
    • Hesham says:
      I don't think they ask for a legal permission to use Facebook brand, but if the papers are good then everything should be great :) it's a very nice idea to promote offline biz!