Quote from StopLoss:
I won't comment on the actual valuation, a lot goes into these numbers. But I think FB is a lot more than a vehicle for ads. It's a marketing gold mine. It's what marketers have been after for years, direct feedback on the ads, on the products and everything else. Without contacting people to survey, you know who "likes" what based on what they click. From that, you have entire profiles of everyone on facebook from age, family size to their likes and dislikes.
Levis Jeans creates a page, people click the "I like" button and now Levis is connected to its consumers. Not to random consumers, to consumers who actually expressed interest AND their friends.
In an entire economy driven by consumption (people waiting in line for the latest iPod, iPhone, Nike kicks, Xbox... need I say more), this has significant value.