Month: June 2007

Excellent virtual world consultancy Kzero have a site with some interesting content. They are the people behind the Second Life Brand Map:

They’ve got some interesting case-studies and population demographics of Second Life that seem pretty accurate, though I don’t know how they determined that information. (Most female avatars are actually real life males!) I sent them a query but haven’t heard back from them yet. Anyway, they have started a series of posts about what they call ‘metabrands’.

A Metabrand is a brand that is created to exist solely in a virtual space. It lives only on servers, is powered by electricity, experienced only on a computer screen and serves to provide a service, solution or product to avatars living in a metaverse. A Metabrand satisfies a demand that exists purely on a virtual basis.

Post explaining metabrands: http://www.kzero.co.uk/blog/?p=717

First metabrand case-study: http://www.kzero.co.uk/blog/?p=752

Here are some new sites or sites that now have blogs that readers of this site may find interesting:

• Ian Bogost’s blog

Well known serious game designer at Persuasive Games, co-editor of serious game site Water Cooler Games and ludologist Ian Bogost has started his own personal blog. Indeed, it is part of a full-blown personal site aggregating his writing, books, teaching etc. Good stuff.

• Evan Jones’ blog

I’ve mentioned alternate reality game designer Evan Jones’ site Stitch Media before. Previously, however, you could just signup for a mailing list. Now Evan has a blog where he comments on the latest happenings in the TV, alternate reality gaming, extended entertainment etc sectors.

• Propagating Media

We are John Hartley, Jean Burgess and John Banks, a research team working on an ARC-funded project called The Uses of Multimedia. The main purpose of that project is to explore the extent to which new media allow for wider participation in creative innovation, and thence in the growth of knowledge.

Enjoy!

I’m so behind with all my blog posts, but rather than work until 4am posting I’ll just share something that’ll give you a laugh. Well, only those that have been inside the online virtual world Second Life will understand. Enjoy!

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It looks like it is a ‘viral campaign’ to announce agency Draftfcb entering Second Life. I think they’ve done a great job as they’ve created a peice of content that stands on its own, they’re willing to be noobs, it shows they understand the foilbles of SL (they’re not all starry-eyed about it) and they’re giving to the SL community already.

Heads up from Sloz.