Hard to believe, but this time last year Facebook and MySpace were even-steven. My how quickly things have changed.

2009 has turned out to be a monumental year for Facebook, a social networking powerhouse that garnered over 200 million new users and raised $200 million. This year, Facebook was the most visited site in the U.S. on Christmas and Christmas Eve. And let’s not forget that “unfriend” was recently given the distinction of word of the year by the New Oxford American Dictionary.

Facebook has quickly infiltrated virtually ever corner of the modern zeitgeist. We’re anxious to see what’s in store for 2010 and beyond, but in the meantime, we tip our hats to you, Facebook. It’s been quite a year.

The wildly successful ElfYourself campaign from Office Max has become a holiday mainstay over the last few years. Something you can count on… like egg nog and shopping mall brawls.

Office Max and JibJab have just launched the 2009 edition, complete with a Facebook Connect component AND a flash mob.

So be sure to get elfed this year. Now, with more social media!

 

Are you a beautiful and unique snowflake or just another cog in the machine?

Experience the mayhem firsthand, using Facebook Connect and this amazing site experience that asks: if you wake up at a different time and in a different place, could you wake up as a different person? In celebration of the 10th anniversary Blu-Ray edition of Fight Club, you get to channel your inner anarchist and immerse yourself in the Fight Club experience.

First rule, though, is to tell everyone to experience the mayhem.

“Paranormal Activity” might just be the latest anti-blockbuster not coming to your city.

Taking a page from the Blair Witch playbook, DreamWorks and Paramount are taking a grass-roots approach to marketing their latest horror flick, relying heavily on the assumption that social networking will do the rest.

“Paranormal Activity” opened last week in very limited release (seven select cities), and also released an Internet trailer asking viewers to demand the movie come to their local cinema. The studio is not only hoping social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter will build buzz for the film, but are using feedback to determine where to screen next.

Read more about the marketing tactics here, here and here.

Meerkat. Cravat-wearer. Internet Icon.

VCCP has launched a viral campaign starring this Russian-inflected meerkat. Everyone’s favorite mongoose has gotten quite a large share of the spotlight lately, starting with the Discovery channel’s popular show, Meerkat Manor.

But can the popularity of meerkats be leveraged into success for a website about market comparison?

It would appear so, initially, judging by his 570,000+ Facebook fans. And you know you’re famous when you have your own blooper reel.

Read more about this charming meerkat here, here, and here.

 

The @ symbol got a lot of online ink yesterday with the news that Facebook is planning to add @ mentions in status updates. In the ongoing “war” between the two social networking heavyweights, this is considered a big advantage for Facebook.

According to this note, you’ll be able to tag a friend simply by typing the @ symbol at which point you’ll be prompted to choose your friend (event, page, or application) from a drop down menu.

While this is most notably a direct attack (or rip-off—call it as you see it) on Twitter, we must admit this will bring Facebook to a whole new level. Facebook heretofore has not been able to provide users (and marketers!) with an open discussion forum. Until now. Look for this feature to be rolled out in the next few weeks.

Read more about it here.

CNN released an interesting, highly-investigative report today on the “12 most annoying types of Facebookers,” breaking them down into different categories of users.



Sure, we all know a “Self-Promoter,” a “Bad Grammarian,” even a “Lurker” or two. But is the author merely bitter because he has less than 300 friends? Or perhaps on the receiving end of some not-so-flattering photo tags? Either way, he seems to be in on the joke. And so are we.

Wanna win a makeover trip to NYC? Um, yeah. How ’bout getting exclusive new Gossip Girl content like a music video, iPhone wallpapers, buddy icons, badges, and screensavers? Not bad, eh?

Check out the Warner Bros. Facebook Makeover Takeover app we created here.

Gossip Girl Facebook Makeover Takeover App

We love it! XOXO

NBC has made quite a fuss in the blogosphere for tapping none other than Facebook for a first look at its much hyped new show, Community. Using an application created by (you guessed it!) us, users who become fans of the show can watch the pilot in its entirety before the September 17 premiere.

Community on Facebook

Read more about the press it’s getting on NewTeeVee, EW PopWatch, Flixster, /Film, Hedgehogs, TV by the Numbers, and Examiner.com.

You may think that shark week is every week here in Los Angeles, but according to the Discovery Channel, it’s this week! Perhaps even more exciting for us social media geeks is the Frenzied Waters experience which utilizes Facebook Connect. Click on My Story to get in on the action. It was nice knowing you.

Discovery Channel's Shark Week