If you’re confused because your Facebook News Feed is filled with women saying that they “like it on” the floor or the kitchen counter, you’re not alone. It’s all part of a new Internet meme that has gone viral on Facebook to raise awareness for breast cancer.

First thing’s first, though: these women are actually referring to where they like to place their purses, not to their favorite places to make love. Of course, part of the reason this meme has gone viral is due to its heavy sexual connotations.

The reason for all of these “I like it on” status updates is simple: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of women are using this meme as a rallying cry to raise awareness for cancer research. The status updates naturally get their friends to ask them about their commentary, which is exactly the point of this meme.

Like any social platform, Facebook is susceptible to rapidly-spreading memes. In January bra color status updates started dominating newsfeeds worldwide, again to raise awareness for breast cancer.

While we don’t know where the campaign originated from, it’s cute, fun and generating some buzz (especially useful, as the commenters point out, for getting women to go in for their medical examinations). Still, we can’t forget that this is a disease that will kill 10 million women in the next 25 years, so we also implore you to donate to breast cancer research if you can.

Finding a niche market and working to develop a following requires an exchange of mutual value.  You as the brand must convey something of value to the consumer.  Ideally, this information should be of sharable quality.  If it is then your consumer will be driven to share your information with their network which then increases your marketing net exponentially.

In Chicago, Flirty Cupcakes on Wheels has a loyal, local following for their gourmet cupcakes.  To find these one of a kind confections one has to follow the company on Facebook or Twitter.  By providing residents with their route schedule they build anticipation for their treats.  Like children waiting and watching for an ice cream truck, adults are glued to the route for a taste of these one of a kind snacks traveling by cupcake truck.  This exchange is genius.

Because the flavors are unique and succulent people are then compelled to discuss the find with others in their network creating ‘buzz’ or conversations about the product.  This results in essentially free advertising.  The mutual exchange provides value for both the consumer and the company allowing each to meet their needs.

This success has been documented by increased media coverage including being named to Chicago Red-Eye’s list of things to do in Chicago during the summer.  This Social Media Marketing strategy and integration of marketing has been so successful because the brand understood their market: young professionals working in the city with a sweet tooth and a sense of whimsy.  As this client base are the most plugged in to social media as a way of connecting and interacting with other individuals the extension to utilizing social marketing as an advertising vehicle was a natural leap.

It’s always been an uphill battle to bring social media to larger companies and organizations. In the case of Dilbert’s company, that uphill battle is more like a mountain.

Our favorite white-collared comic strip has taken on Twitter and tackled the lost iPhone 4 prototype, but Scott Adams has made the subject of today’s comic the strict and sometimes-arcane restrictions big corporations have on social media use in the workplace.

Beth, the company’s new social media marketing manager, has her work cut out for her, though. How is she going to promote the company when Facebook () and Twitter () are banned at work — via Friendster ()? At least she isn’t banned from blogging, though we’re pretty sure it wouldn’t take long for the company to block that too.

What kind of rules for social media do you have at your office?

Chris Brogan wrote a post this morning about his technology “blinders,” which made me question my own dependence on technology.  I am very rarely without my laptop & iphone, and I have gotten in to the unfortunate habit of checking every ping, beet, or tweet… Chris talks about how he shuts down all those “update” alerts, and instead focuses on his priorities…Very inspiring!  Read on for the article… Read more

In my experience I have found that organizations take a few different routes in developing their social media policy.  Some organizations clearly publicize their social media policies – for the world to see – clearly comfortable with the new required transparency, while other organizations adopt social media policy as the needs arise – with ever changing technologies, flexibility is a strong component in any social media policy. Read more