First take on Second Life Advertising and Promotion
In Second Life, there is pretty much nothing that you can’t do. Regardless of your interest or passion, there is going to be some medium for it’s expression on Second Life. With the immense popularity of the game, some big companies have taken notice. Wherever there are a bunch of people congregated, you can make sure that some company will find a way to advertise there. This seems to be the case in Second Life as advertisers are flocking there rapidly. What types of advertising is showing up and does it actually work?
There are numerous ways to advertise or promote creatively in Second Life. Being that it is a virtual world, the only thing that is limiting advertisers is their imaginations and the ability to program what they want done. For example, if your product was something that can be consumed, they can put some sort of animation that takes place after the product is consumed. After you eat the product, the avatar does a little dance or handshake or something. While it may not seem like much, all the advertisers are after is to separate their brand from the others. Anything that can make you remember them is what they’re after.
You’ll also see different characters in the game wearing gear with the logos of their advertisers. You might see a hat that says Pepsi or something like that on one of the avatars. This is just another means to keep their brand in your mind as often as possible. You’ll see clothing or tattoos, or anything else that can be shown off on the avatars. Some of the avatars will actually distribute coupons or notecards with information about the product. It might be a link to their website with info on it about their product. This is a unique way to distribute information that was only a figment of someone’s imagination a few years ago.
You can also find more traditional means of advertising within Second Life such as a billboard or sign. Since there are malls and shopping areas within Second Life, there are undoubtedly going to be advertisements all over the place. You’ll find bulletin boards with notes all over them about different products or services.
There are also a growing number of companies that utilize one-on-one advertising within the game. These avatars will actually go up to people within the game and engage them in conversation. From there, they will tell them about an upcoming event or promotion as well as give them some information. They’ll hand out coupons, or whatever else they can to get the word out. IMAX is one company that has been successful with this form of marketing. There are even some companies that offer this service for other companies. Think of it as a marketing company within Second Life. They will be paid on a per lead basis by the companies that employ them.
Overall, Second Life has developed into an amazing world of technology and imagination. This means that the advertisers will never be far behind. If you’re looking for a way to promote your brand or service, this might be the place to do it.
Image Courtesy: http://image.guardian.co.uk/
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