Core reason why brands don't do the right thing on Facebook

Let's take a look at 2 examples of Facebook groups. One that works and one that doesn't:

Berocca Energy
My old agency in Australia put this little doozy together. Berocca is a vitamin drink, infamous for being a great hangover cure. You buy it in the supermarket and it ain't cheap.
Why this page sucks? They take themselves way too seriously with too much pack and product information. They even put pack shots in the photos!!
It's meant to be a page encouraging some competition, but the page has no added impact to the challenge and once you participate once in the group, there is no drive or reason to go back and participate again.
I can also guarantee that most of the 300 group members are from the agency or Bayer.

May look boring, but a very fun fizzy drink.

If the Pillsbury Doughboy had a facebook, I'd poke him 24/7
A fan group with 13,000 members. Just a fun cute site, enjoying the benefits that the doughboy has to offer. Nothing too crazy, nothing against the brand, just pure lighthearted fun.
There's lots of interaction and people are continually joining.

Look how cute he is. I'd also want to poke him 24/7.

Putting money where my mouth is
Spending time on any social network, particularly Facebook or mySpace, is a leisure activity. Do you need me to say that again?
LEISURE.

A user participates in these spaces to connect with friends/family, to socialise and simply to play.

Many brands fall down in these spaces (and can't get up) because they forget why consumers are there in the first place. This is why you’ll find consumer generated groups on Facebook are more successful than their official counterparts. They leave out the marketing spiel and cut to the fun and joy of why they love a brand.