Fear of a Virtual Planet
It’s an interesting time for corporate builds in Second Life. The days of the buzz chasing, PR focused campaign are gone, and now marketers have to really dive in and discover what virtual worlds are really about.
Unfortunately, much of the conversation in the advertising industry to date is just arguing over the merits of Second Life by holding it to the same standards as traditional mass media platforms like TV and print. It’s far more productive, and interesting to examine how these virtual worlds offer entirely new ways of connecting with people.
Besides, most of the arguments are simply rehashes of the arguments against Internet and web marketing in the nineties. I prefer to think about what these new platforms offer over the traditional channels, and how that should change our entire thought process about marketing in these spaces.
Virtual World platforms, right now, are the worst they will ever be. With each new development — faster bandwidth via advancements such as Verizon’s FiOS network, more powerful computer processors, and better user interfaces — virtual worlds will only become stronger, drawing more and more people to them.
On the flip side, TV, print, radio, and other static, disruptive channels have already seen their best days and continue delivering diminishing returns. The same technological advancements pushing virtual worlds into mainstream usage are also responsible for chipping away at the value of those once dominant platforms.
But the key difference is that virtual worlds, while constantly changing, are persistent. Most marketers think in terms of limited engagement campaigns, but the real power of virtual worlds is in a sustained, long-term engagement. I’m talking years, not months. Long after that hugely expensive TV buy has been spent, and your 30 second spot has left the airwaves (and consumers’ memories) for good, your virtual world campaign, if done right, will still be there, engaging people, growing, and adding value. It is a Long Tail strategy. Of course in order to get there, you have to stop applying both the old rules and the old measurements to the new platform. You can’t just market to virtual worlds, you have to join them.
Since I’m more a practitioner than theorist, (and theory follows practice anyhow), Monday I’m going to post about our approach, in collaboration with Leo Burnett Detroit and Second Life development company Millions of Us, in bringing Pontiac to the virtual world platform of Second Life, and how it was (and still is) significantly different from other brand initiatives in the virtual world.
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:29 pm
May 3rd, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Amen!
May 3rd, 2007 at 7:38 pm
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:47 pm
this is a great post, i have to say, as a resident of SL for almost 2 years, i was THIRLLED, am THRILLED and hope to stay THRILLED by my involvment with Pontiac and motorati. i was approached by many RL companies for involvement before pontiac came on the scene, which i declined, as i didn’t feel they had a grasp on what SL was about… and when i somehow stumbled upon the Motorati site, or heard about pontiac, i was so excited to be involved. my vision for what i origninally hoped for is happening, and it’s been so exciting to invite friends, (who are AGAINST big business in SL) and share with them about how pontiac has/is doing it… many were nay sayers, however now after my involvement for sometime, even the most hard core “i hate big business” person i know in SL is excited to work with me on a little thing for pontiac. so i KNOW you guys are doing something right. i feel honored and very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with you all. i believe it’s only going to get bigger and better, more influencial, and spill back out into RL in a huge way.
thanks for the post and letting me be a part.
respectfully,
caLLie cLine
(the girl who does motorati girlz)
May 5th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
caLLie cLine ruLes