Moleskine notebooks are expensive, luxurious… and rather craftily marketed. Proclaimed the notebook used by Hemingway and Van Gogh, they’re the kind of product that attracts a cult following.

In an earlier post, I outlined the ways they brilliantly leveraged the power of engagement marketing, connecting with their readers’ values and passions.

The Moleskinerie Blog; stunning artwork, all working for the brand.

The Moleskinerie blog displays the art work created by Moleskine fanatics — a compelling visual treat that unites the faithful behind the brand. It’s engagement marketing at its best; Moleskine essentially says “we love our notebooks as much as you do.”

Not content to sit still, the Moleskinerie blog is now moving into Social Networks territory; they just unveiled their new Facebook community.

Why a Facebook community? The Moleskinerie blog is an excellent showcase for the brand and engages readers, but a social network site allows the brand to leverage user-generated content far more effectively.

If the Moleskinerie blog had a weakness, it was reader participation; displaying brilliant artwork doesn’t always invite commentary from those with less artistic talent. By contrast, a Facebook community gives a voice to those users who wouldn’t ever make the pages of the blog, but love their Moleskine notebooks anyway.

Some clients ask me about blogs vs social networks. In some cases, combining the two is far more powerful than living with one or the other.

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