Second Life: A New Era of Advertising

Many claim that Second Life will revolutionize advertising by providing its users with a completely interactive service in which users can visit an ever-growing amount of businesses via their avatar (simulated game character). Users in Second Life can purchase LindeX -the official currency of Second Life- with US dollars in order to pay for the virtual items and do business in this virtual world. Although the LindeX is relatively invaluable, it has its own exchange rate, comparable to the US dollar. Companies such as Adidas and American Apparel have already taken advantage of this virtual economy by displaying their products in 3D virtual stores which display their current products. At these stores users can outfit their avatars in the latest styles or peruse the store's products for items that they may want to purchase in reality. Other stores are using websites like amazon.com to insert yet another aspect into this virtual marketplace; that of being able to purchase item from stores and have them delivered to your house in real life.

Another feature of Second Life which I found to be quite interesting was the ability for companies to showcase concept items in order to see if the concept product would be worth it based upon Second Life user response. One such company that has utilized this facet of Second Life is Adidas.

Austin and I were fortunate enough to have attended an informational and interactive presentation on Second Life at the Ann Arbor IT Zone. Believe it or not, there is a Harvard class which is experimenting with the Second Life technology through holding discussion groups in the virtual world. One of the men at this presentation was even pursuing the prospect of creating his own virtual library via Second Life.

Although the program has not gone error free, its programmers are slowly perfecting the technology and building up protection against hackers. Since its opening to the public in 2003, Second Life has acquired 2,337,620 residents and a great deal of excitement.
-KH