(12 November 2007 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: US broadcaster CBS is using the social networking platform to promote its show The Amazing Race.

It has opted for advertising on Facebook to tap into an online community of its reality show fans while attracting new viewers through targeted outreach, word-of-mouth referrals, and viral campaigns aimed at enabling fans to introduce the show to their friends, and their friends' friends.

In India The Amazing Race airs on AXN.

The building of the online community around The Amazing Race will be done via The Amazing Race Facebook Page which will include interactive content tied to the program. The programmes 12th edition opened to the largest premiere audience (13.8 million viewers) ever in the show's history.

CBS Marketing Group president George Schweitzer says, "We look forward to using this new initiative to build an active community around The Amazing Race. Facebook is all about connecting people and sharing information via word of mouth which perfectly compliments the spirit of this show.

"We want to tap into fans of the program, their friends and those who are predisposed to the show's premise either because they enjoy travel, hiking, or perhaps are from the same hometown of a contestant. We see this as a great way of exposing The Amazing Race to new views while adding a new level of online engagement for those who have been enjoying it for years."

The Amazing Race Facebook Page will include many interactive components such as maps, show trivia, contestant travel logs, and opportunities to virtually compete against past The Amazing Race winners. There will also be a 'Where I've Been' application allowing users to view a map of the routes from all past 11 seasons of the show and navigate through these routes virtually.

Users will also receive messages that they can sign up to win a roundtrip vacation for two anywhere in the world by visiting these Race applications.

Facebook Ads is a recently launched ad system designed for businesses to connect with users by targeting the exact people they want. With Facebook Ads, businesses spread information virally through the social graph and can connect and communicate with their audience in completely new ways. Facebook Ads also allows businesses to build pages on Facebook to interact and cultivate a relationship directly with users.