Another aspect that has gotten more attention from the media is marketing, or branding.
By owning a virtual branch in Second Life, many companies expect positive outcomes for
image and awareness. Since other advertising models become less and less effective, a
virtual world where people spend time to have fun and engage heavily with their
surroundings seems like a dream for any psychologically ambitioned marketer. Adidas and
American Apparel own shops in Second Life and sell virtual clothes to the Second Life
inhabitants. Mercedes have built a whole island, give away racing suits for free and let
people drive cars on their racing circuit. So do Sony, Coca Cola, IBM, Nissan, BMW and so
13
<a href="http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=19927&hed=Second+Life%25e2%2580%2599s+Firs">http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=19927&hed=Second+Life%25e2%2580%2599s+Firs</a>
t+Millionaire
14
<a href="http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/04/0416_richlist/index_01.htm?chan=technology_specia">http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/04/0416_richlist/index_01.htm?chan=technology_specia</a>
l+report+--+virtual+life_virtual+life
15 numbers from Secondlife.com
Virtual Worlds – A Second Life Beginners Guide
UOC Summer University Course 2007 26
on. They all try to build interactive spaces that are fun and where people like to hang out.
Especially the car companies have a big advantage: They offer virtual cars that people ride
on special circuits.
Moreover, brands hope to meet a very open and innovative crowd in Second Life, one that
can multiply the brand messages by passing it on to their own social networks. And being
in Second Life does not only create a rich experience with virtual worlds in general, but it is
also a conversation starter – a fact proven by the heavy press coverage about brands like
Adidas or American Apparel, who were among the first to enter Second Life with virtual
shops.
For media companies, Second Life is an
opportunity to create a community around
products like movies or TV series. One of the
most popular places in Second Life is MTV’s
Laguna Beach, the virtual extension of the TV
show, with events and avatars who represent the
actors.
But selling and creating engaging brand spaces is
not everything big companies are interested in in
Second Life. There are also scenarios like
prototyping for products and architecture that
people (focus groups) can try out and give
feedback on long before real prototypes are
made. Starwood hotels, for instance, offered a
new type of hotel to try out in Second Life, and
the company claims to use the user feedback for
the actual hotel which is about to be built16.
Mass customization is another way how value can be added to products in Second Life, and
the produced goods are sold to the customer in real life. The traditional American mail
order shop Sears is trying this right now with kitchens17 (with poor results still, but it is
merely an experiment). For instance, there are companies who look for cool clothes in
Second Life to produce them for real life. In that case, Second Life serves as a tool for
digital trend and market research.
So, while companies try to engage potential customers in their brand spaces, ordinary
people try to make a living by designing clothes and tools, develop land, play music in a
club or work as escorts. Despite the criticism, the economy in Second Life is probably just
fun for most of its users: Just like playing monopoly.
Suggested activities:
- Write a business plan! No matter if you sell your expertise and consulting skills for
marketing managers or use your in-game skills to develop land or tools to sell. Write
down a concept of one or two pages, sketching out your main idea, the required
resources including staff, a timeline with milestones and expected cash flows.
- Alternatively: Make some cash. Look for an easy job in Second Life like sitting on chair. It
will get you some L$ you can spend for e.g. clothes.