Porsche extends deadline for 1 mln fans on Facebook celebration

German automaker, Porsche has extended the deadline for people to be part of its 1,000,000 fans celebration on its official Facebook page till January 15, 2011.

Earlier, in November, company officials had announced that over one million people worldwide have extended their support for Porsche on one of the world's most popular social networking websites. The official page attained this social media landmark on November 15, 2010.

As part of their continued celebration, fans can sign-up via Facebook to have their name inscribed on a special Porsche model. This vehicle will then be displayed as part of a unique exhibit at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany starting February.

Although we are witness to passionate customers and fans every day, it is neat to set another Porsche milestone by growing to over 1,000,000 strong on Facebook. It's an excellent opportunity to help us connect with our fan-base, and we thank them all for sharing our passion, stated Josh Cherfoli, Online Relationship and Marketing Manager for Porsche Cars North America.

The official Porsche Facebook fan page holds many interactive features for its members.

Fans can view original images, stream video and read and discuss the latest news on Porsche products, motorsports victories, and events on the site's wall.

Additionally, several Facebook tabs point to other interactive social media Porsche has produced.

One such tab links to the Porsche Family Tree website, where visitors can post their own history with the Porsche brand on an intricate family tree, created to denote the lineage between Porsche owners and fans and their beloved cars. Currently there are more than 3,500 unique Porsche stories on the Family Tree site.

This initiative by Porsche is a great example of how social media and networking sites are changing the concepts of marketing and branding.

Porsche, however, is not the only automotive manufacturer who is utilizing strategies to promote via social sites. A similar strategy has been employed by another German auto-manufacturer, Audi, who have crossed over 2.8 million fans on its official Facebook page.

The current (as of December 22, 2010) approximate numbers of Facebook fans of luxury automakers are: