Second Life marketing: still strong

by Brenda Holloway on May 25th 2008 6:30PM

Business models, Second Life, Virtual worlds

Two years ago, BusinessWeek did a cover story on Second Life and sparked an explosion of interest in marketing in virtual worlds. Many of the early efforts to market in Second Life were little more than unimaginative billboards copying real-world advertising. Despite downbeat reports, more than a dozen advertising agencies are actively developing advertising campaigns within Second Life.

BusinessWeek looks back on how successful ad agencies have used the particular strengths of the virtual world to get their messages across. Second Life users are intensely devoted to their world. Advertisers who identify the various sub-communities and narrow their focus can put the power of a dedicated fan community to work for them. Secondly, using online space to mimic real world advertising, such as putting goods in a virtual shopping mall, actively rejects the very things that make advertising in virtual worlds so effective. Lastly, use the brands the virtual worlds brings to the table, such as Playboy encouraging third-party brands to sell virtual versions of their goods on their Playboy Island.

Publishing your brochure unchanged in a virtual world won't entice anyone. Put your products on display in a creative, interactive way, let your customers enjoy virtual versions of your products, and know your community, and your virtual world money will be well-spent.

[Via Virtual Worlds News]

Source

Tags: business-models, businessweek, playboy, second-life, sl, virtual-worlds

Reader Comments (1)

Targeting content is becoming more essential not only in second life. Sex and the City, the movie, is being highly criticised and even ostracised for overdoing the product placement. On the other hand, the comedy show 30 Rock did a funny episode critquing product/brand placement while "placing" a lot of Snapple in the show as a gag and actual product placement. In one scene in 30 Rock, two of the main characters are complaining about the misuse of their creativity to sell products in their "art" (they are variety show writers). Both characters are standing in an elevator in front of a man dressed in a Snapple outfit. His presence is never explained.
I use these examples to show how product placement can be effective in movies and television without offending/treating the viewer as less intelligent. The same goes with clever Second Life ads and product placement.