Second Look At Second Life
I've already confessed my skepticism about Second Life's value to marketers, and it's puzzling that the marketing community that "wouldn't be caught dead" on somewhere like MySpace would be so enthusiastic about Second Life. The conventional wisdom about advertising against user-generated content is that UGC has a lot of viewership, but advertisers don't want to get caught with their brands next to bum fights, racism, child porn, dictator execution videos, or what have you.
Second Life provides the same--or worse--pitfalls, but with a tiny, tiny fraction of the audience offered by social media like MySpace and YouTube. I'm sure some blue-chip advertisers would be mortified if their ads turned up next to the racy party pics of a twenty-something on MySpace, but much more offensive things can happen in front of a brand name in the virtual world. Take CNET as an example. In December, when the publication interviewed controversial Second Life businesswoman Anshe Chung, their theater--bedecked with CNET branding--was attacked by griefers who bombarded Chung with flying, animated penises. Here's a link to the video on YouTube, for the curious.
CNET handled the event with admirable good humor, but it's doubtful that other brands would feel the same way. And just as it was in vogue last year to send reporters into Second Life to bring back tales of the wondrous virtual world, in 2007, editors will be looking for stories of the violent, the sordid, and the homicidal. Makes MySpace look pretty tame, no?
Recent Gaming Insider Articles
-
May The Force Be With EA May 10, 12:11 a.m.
With the “Star Wars” holiday of May 4th right behind us, it seems a fitting time ...
-
How to Use Gamification For Mainstream Consumers, Not Geeks Jan. 25, 4:51 p.m.
The idea of “gamification” has rumbled loud and long throughout the marketing and branding echo chamber ...
-
Contests Powered By Play Dec. 28, 3:07 p.m.
Whether it’s a coupon, a giveaway, a white paper or an app, the competition for consumer ...
-
Gamification Ate My PowerPoint Oct. 12, 3:53 p.m.
At some point in your career, your brain probably experienced death by PowerPoint. I'm sure you ...
-
Gaming 24/7: Reaching Your Audience Day & Night Aug. 3, 3:18 p.m.
If you're paying attention to digital marketing, by now you've heard that gamification can improve engagement ...
-
Creating Games That Maximize Cross-Platform Potential July 13, 5:52 a.m.
With the global game industry expected to grow from $52 billion in 2011 to $70 billion ...
-
Five Ways To Gamify Your Facebook Marketing July 6, 1:49 p.m.
Whether or not you “like” marketing your business on Facebook, your users want to do much ...
-
Gaming For The Greater Good June 1, 1:48 p.m.
Whether from aliens, traitors, mutants or disease, it can be argued the classic video game narrative ...
-
Feeling Special April 27, 1:15 p.m.
Every day, social games are enabling players to express themselves in subtle but powerful ways. By ...
-
Bored With Board Games, Toymakers Go Digital April 6, 10:37 a.m.
Timeless as they may be, classic toys aren’t immune to today’s digital trends. A new age ...
Be the first to comment on "Second Look At Second Life"
Leave a Comment