Company Identity in Second Life

Our task in Audience Research was to run around in Second Life (SL) for a class period, completing a scavenger hunt of sorts. Very cool. We were directed to teleport our way around, but specifically to a few locations: Leo Burnett, Paper Couture and Kawaii Ku. We were asked to give insight into our impressions of these locales.

Leo Burnett
Leo Burnett Worldwide is a Chicago-based advertising agency, according to Source Watch. Their website in real life is fun and interactive, based around the concept of "the big black pencil" which translates to "big ideas." This concept of creativity really hit me upon visiting their island in second life. This island and its "storefronts" are nothing like what you would expect in the real world. Leo Burnett took full advantage of the capabilities of SL to create a fantastical island where their conference room is located in the trunk of a giant tree and glowing orbs dance around you when you are outside. The tree at different levels of the trunk has different rooms: a library and a gallery to name a few. Another tree house looking building has spaces and rooms that are off limits to the snooping avatar without access.

The purpose of the island and spaces seems to be to excite, inspire, impress, and most of all, house employees and clients form around the globe. Its auditorium can hold conferences and meetings, and the other spaces can be used to meet, generate ideas and interact. I liked the island because it was very different and demonstrated the level of creative freedom that the planners enjoyed. The Leo Burnett island looks as if the employees were allowed to just go wild and create. As an advertising agency, I'd say that it is in the best interest of the company to look to wow a potential client with a far out space. That creative freedom and emphasis on new ideas would sound great to someone wanting an innovative campaign.

Paper Couture
This is one of the leading fashion shoppes in SL, and boy could I feel it upon teleporting in. The space is chic to the extreme, with single outfits, purses, shoes, etc. placed on the racks in sparse boutique fashion. I clicked on a purse and it was over a hundred Lindon dollars, but only a dollar in U.S. dollars. I must say, I was tempted. It was such a strange experience to covet clothes and items for my avatar, this second self. An ornate spiral staircase led to an even more exclusive upstairs.

The purpose of this site, as I perceived it, is to provide clothes for those fashion conscious consumers in SL. Or, on the other hand, their clothes could be for those unfashionables in real life, seeking and able to afford a fashionable persona in SL. It also seems to try to bring SL a little closer to being real. This is more than a video game where you are limited to certain outfits and colors. In SL, if you want to invest and personalize your avatar, you certainly can.

I really liked the site particularly because of my emotional reaction to it. What's funny is that, just as in real life, I felt awkward going into this store. It was very exclusive looking and expensive. I looked at my own prefabricated clothes from orientation island and felt inadequate. When I interact or look at avatars with ornate and personalized clothes/hair/shoes, I feel like I am obviously an outsider and uncool. If my feelings are similar to what others are experiencing in SL, then this truly is a marketer's paradise.

Kuwaii Ku
Kuwaii Ku appears to be an anime inspired site. Now, I am not very knowledgeable about anime, but the three parts of the island looked like it represented the different types of anime; one part was of the Hello Kitty, pop variety, another focused on feudal anime, and finally the last on more of a edgy, urban anime. It was interesting to look around and I liked the bright colors. It was fun to see my classmates romping around here and the tunnel for the train is neat to walk through.

I came back to this spot at night, and turned on the sound for the first time in SL. It was a much more intimate feeling and more real. I heard the sounds of birds, the wind and the trees. I have come to realize that deserted places in SL make one strangely lonely. Very interesting.

Analysis
After our recent experience of holding a lecture in SL, having class in SL, and looking at a variety of locations, I think I have an answer for the prompt "If your company was going to come into SL, what would you tell them?"

First, I would have them listen to this edition of CC Chapman's podcast, and I would echo the sentiments expressed in this podcast, to not be afraid to really give SL a try. And by really giving it a try, I mean embrace the capabilities of SL and not be limited by the typical restraints of the real world. I would encourage Pinkberry to consider experimental and fabulous designs with plenty of space for clients and employees to interact.

Each member of the company, from corporate to frozen yogurt server, should get an avatar to roam around a bit to get a feel for what is out there and for what they find enjoyable on different islands. On the Scion island, for example, I really enjoyed interacting with the cars. Adding interactive components or freebies make a site memorable and cause avatars to come back. Maybe free frozen yogurt, advergames, and interacting with topics somehow would be good. Also, there is a Pinkberry song now, so it could be fun for avatars to make their own ode to Pinkberry.

Finally, I would tell them to make sure to hold company events and public events as much as possible to get employees involved and a name made in world. Pinkberry could offer conferences on healthy living to go along with their pure + simple focus, as well as host concerts with artists that are associated with relaxation and refreshment. An opening of a photo gallery of people's favorite topping/frozen yogurt combinations could be interesting as well.