Sunday, February 24, 2008

Second Life: Networking and Marketing

In the life we are familiar with, companies go where the consumers are likely to be found to market themselves. In the life we are familiar with, marketing academics study existing trends. However, in Second Life the world operates upside down and it troubles me!

How is it that a company that was established so long ago suddenly gained popularity? It had been launched before, why did its use peak now?

Skip.

I am a graduate student in France, the second most popular location for Second Life, and the first time I heard about this “world” was through a teacher intrigued about this new scope of retail and finance possibilities. No, that’s not my main concern. What puzzles me is that I since heard a lot about Second Life, only it always came through academics! 100% of the Second Life users I know are either teachers or encouraged by their teachers to open an account; and I can’t help but wonder why.

Why is it that so many reputable universities and big renowned companies jumped on board an online application that has yet to prove itself? Why is it that the teachers are studying a “consumer” phenomenon when the consumer is not there yet? Why is it that the most important part of the equation is left out? …Is this part of a marketing strategy scheme?

What is this application that even my brand new Apple cannot support its graphics? How do they expect it to catch on, when it requires so much effort from the part of the user? All the new internet successes focus on ease of use, simplicity, speed and accessibility. The world is moving away from downloads and installation. Video games are now played live online. Movies are viewed directly… Everything is live and requires minimal effort from the user… and while the internet is undergoing such a movement, those big names disregard the possible failure of Second Life. Thus I got curious!

I wanted to know who was behind it. Searched the creator. His history. His life. Could he be part of some network that encompass all those powerful company leaders? I am thinking free masonry…. I don’t know what I am thinking. I found no clues.

However what I did find was the CEO of Second Life on Facebook and LinkedIn; and my thoughts drifted away from my problem: If I was to contact him through a conventional company medium, it would be almost impossible… while in this new world, everyone’s only one click away.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Just keep writing...About nothing and everything...You simply make everything interesting!