3 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 2 ." ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁release ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Columbia ▁Records ▁execut ives ▁used ▁social ▁media ▁to ▁shape ▁its ▁market ing ▁campaign . ▁Columbia ▁Records ▁co - ch air man ▁Steve ▁Bar nett ▁and ▁his ▁team ▁decided ▁to ▁reverse ▁the ▁usual ▁pattern ▁of ▁re le asing ▁a ▁single ▁on ▁the ▁radio . ▁Instead , ▁the ▁label ▁mounted ▁a ▁four - month ▁market ing ▁campaign ▁aim ed ▁at ▁building ▁a ▁fan ▁base ▁through ▁social ▁media ▁before ▁a ▁single ▁was ▁ever ▁released ▁or ▁played ▁on ▁the ▁radio . ▁The ▁social ▁media ▁campaign ▁asked ▁fans ▁to ▁sign ▁pet itions ▁and ▁to ▁enter ▁video ▁compet itions ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁concert ▁in ▁their ▁town . ▁The ▁campaign ▁was ▁a ▁success ▁as ▁One ▁D irection ' s ▁Facebook ▁follow ers ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁rose ▁from ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁" What ▁M akes ▁You ▁Beautiful " ▁sold ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 3 1 , 0 0 0 ▁copies ▁in ▁its ▁first ▁week , ▁even ▁though ▁it ▁had ▁yet ▁to ▁be ▁played ▁on ▁the ▁radio . ▁Radio ▁program mers ▁were ▁flo oded ▁with ▁calls ▁from ▁fans . ▁Johnny ▁Wright , ▁who ▁managed ▁New ▁K ids ▁on ▁the ▁Block , ▁Back street ▁Boys ▁and ▁' N ▁S ync , ▁said : ▁" Now ▁they ▁are ▁calling ▁the ▁radio ▁station , ▁and ▁the ▁radio ▁station ▁is ▁scratch ing ▁its ▁head , ▁saying