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Reckitt Benckheiser is taking social media seriously enough to start joint business planning with Facebook, according to AdAge:

Reckitt Benckiser, like other packaged-goods players, has long done business planning with major retailers such as Walmart and Target, where it maps out long-term promotional products and marketing programs. Now, RB is applying the concept to Facebook.

The company, which owns consumer packaged goods brands like Finish and AirWick,  wants to avoid “fake social media” and shows a restless – and understandable – dissatisfaction with the current state of social media marketing metrics. It can see there there is value here, but people can’t yet quantify it or measure it satisfactorily:

The move is an outgrowth of comments Laurent Faracci, general manager-U.S. marketing, kept hearing from RB marketers — that while Facebook has many measures, such as Lysol’s 1.1 million brand fans — none of those answers the big question: Does it have an impact on sales?

Joint business planning at a group level looks like a strong, strategic approach to social media marketing to me – a long way from short-term campaign mentality. RB sees social as something that warrants leadership, investment and commitment to the long term.

Definitely worth keeping an eye on this company’s approach to marketing it’s brands in social media…