Second Life
January 12, 2007
Short note on the Second Life phenomena. We are Second Life members now. Not sure exactly what that means, but I know we are having a lot of fun exploring. So far, the only thing I've noticed is that when you 'arrive' in Second Life, you're naked. Hmmm...
Well, in reading about the trends for 2007, you can't escape mention of this virtual world. The pundits (and no, I don't really know WHO they are, only that they are out there) are saying CMOs will rise in stature. That's Chief Marketing Officers, for the uninitiated. If you're a small business owner, that's you. Along with all the 'other' titles you hold - you are now a Chief Marketing Officer. I hope you know that means paying a lot of attention to marketing to women online.
Over at BtoB Online, they're saying, "Marketers will embrace Web 2.0." Naturally, their example is Second Life. If you aren't part of it yet, get on it. According to BtoB, "Several companies, including Sun Microsystems, ad agency AKQA, Reuters and Wells Fargo have set up online storefronts and identities on Second Life, were they sell products and services..."
Other trends noted are the increase in online video ads - but we all saw that coming, didn't we? And, global expansion - which seems old hat. The exciting news is in "measuring engagement." The IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) says, "By using interactive, marketers can target the audience that really matters to their brand." The quest to "measure effectiveness" seems to be the Holy Grail, these days.
Nielsen BuzzMetrics has been quoted by Forrester as " a Leader in the Brand Monitoring Market. Overall, Forrester "found that the vendor has the strongest strategic vision and currently competes at a scale unmatched by any other competitor." Click here to gain access to their downloadable
report.
One interesting item in the report on trends that surprised me was this one: "Trade shows make a comeback." It seems that the Trade Show Exhibitors Association has a new print publication called The Journal of Face-to-Face Marketing, touted as "an encyclopedia of the events industry." No link was available (though I didn't search very hard).
Instead, I did find THIS great site, which deserves more exploration: About-Face. The site is aimed at improving women's self-image. I think it deserves more press - watch for more information in future posts. Meantime, visit this page and then come back and comment.
In the end, trends are just the stuff of "what-ifs." Reality, like Second Life, is what you make of it. Make women a part of your marketing this year. You'll be glad you did.
Steven, I think you're right. It's good to know there will still be places we can go that are not commercialized. That said, yes, I plan on commercializing our Second Life account. But, I think we still need some places that are sacred - so, kudos to you for keeping us honest.
Posted by: Yvonne DiVita | January 22, 2007 at 12:45 PM
It's funny that even in our fantasy lives, the advertisers wish to appear. Do dream worlds require real businesses to circulate within them?
This is a pivotal question. When my DRaPS (Dream Record and Playback System) is finally available, I will not allow advertising agencies or companies to place ads in the dreams that people view.
Our dreams shall remain non-commercialized as long as I can control the process.
Posted by: vaspers the grate | January 22, 2007 at 09:12 AM
Terri,
Nice to meet you. To try and answer your question - my thoughts on why spirituality has entered the workforce is because so many of us are disillusioned with the old-fashioned idea of the "American Dream." The Internet and digital technology has changed the way we do business - so much so, that we are often grasping at the unknown, to fulfill an empty place inside.
I don't think I can adequately get into it here - in a blog comment. Perhaps I'll attempt a post later this week. You bring up a very good question - which deserves careful thought.
Carrie, I can't say much about BuzzMetrics. The pharmaceutical industry is changing - as are we all. Citizen journalism and user-generated content and all the new, interactive tools available today are scary to those established industries. They need to learn how to embrace customer interaction by more than exchanging emails or newsletters. Don't you think?
Posted by: Yvonne DiVita | January 15, 2007 at 07:46 AM
hi, Yvonne
Glad to read your blog.
For buzzmetrics,as if women industry was not their focus, why?
pharma has been one of their pillar industry,
what do you think about that?
Posted by: Carrie Wang | January 15, 2007 at 05:08 AM
Dear Yvonne -
I am Chief Marketing Officer of a very new business called White Light Communications. Using five holistic, spiritually-based principles, we move small businesses from darkness into the light by providing timely, cost-effective technical, marketing, and training information solutions that consistently exceed client expectations.
A new trend that has emerged over the last few years is the insatiable hunger for non-religiously based spirituality in the workplace to achieve that ever-elusive work-life balance. While one can infer why this is the case, what - in your opinion - is lacking in the workplace that causes this hunger? Conversely, what more can be done in the workplace to satisfy this hunger? I am interested in learning your perspective on this.
Terri Fischette
Chief Marketing Officer
White Light Communications
Posted by: Terri Fischette | January 14, 2007 at 01:23 PM