Is the New Facebook Design the "New Coke" of the 21st Century?

(from the blog, BrooklynBodega.com)

"Reports from various sources indicate that not only is Facebook not planning to change the new layout but also there is a rumor that CEO/Wunderkind Mark Zuckerberg has advised FB employees that it is not smart to listen to your customers. From Gawker:

A tipster tells us that Zuckerberg sent an email to Facebook staff reacting to criticism of the changes: “He said something like ‘the most disruptive companies don’t listen to their customers.’” Another tipster who has seen the email says Zuckerberg implied that companies were “stupid” for “listening to their customers.”

Zuckerberg and FB’s less than subtle launch of the new layout (ever heard of Beta?) and their stubbornness in listening to their customers may highlight the weakness of Digital Age billion dollar businesses. You may be leading us into this brave new world but there is a lot to be learned from your history. Just because you deal in html code and group sourcing and not caramel coloring and tin does not mean you are immune to an all out customer revolt a la New Coke back in the 80’s.

The lesson here? Do not underestimate your customer’s attachment to your product.
Do not underestimate how your competitors will pounce on this weakness. Coke lost significant market share to Pepsi. It still has not regained all of it."

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Comments

[Elissa Moise]

I actually like the new Facebook design. Seems easier to read.