One thing I like about writing is the opportunity to discuss wildly different topics, but still try to semi-coherently bind them together. It’s like pattern matching: there is always a common denominator in the articles I read; I just have to find it. This time it all started with the latest issue of Edge, in which there’s an article about how Wells Fargo has bought an island in Second Life.

Wells Fargo was just an example in the Edge article; it really discussed advertising – online advertising in particular, and how different methods is required to placate and interest the online population. People are used to in-your-face advertising in real life: commercial breaks, large ads everywhere and so on. Online, the same thing is true when it comes to popups and ads on larger sites; it’s a necessary evil to pay for the bandwidth. But when advertising rears its ugly head in online communitites, people say stop.

“We ain’t havin’ any o’ that here! This is our private space!”

Apparently, the first experiments with advertising in Second Life met protests akin to that – quite understandably. What I find annoying is that in-your-face advertising is so accepted in other situations; personally I think that the same outcry ought to be presented over ads on buses and buildings, and commercial breaks. I don’t watch TV; commercials is only a tiny bit of the reason for that, but it’s certainly a reason nonetheless. I try to boycott sites that use popups or unnecessary signup for services. But alas! I’m just a single person in a world full of sheep. And I have to agree that advertising inside a community is a bit different compared to TV commercials: it’s more personal; an invasion of a private meeting place.

Wells Fargo noticed this and took care when they started their Second Life campaign: they didn’t push information to people. Instead they made an invite-only island where young people can learn about economic responsibility. (Well, to be honest, the advertising company that Wells Fargo hired did.) I have to applaud this. They provide a good service, and they also made it private. The last bit ought to attract people like dung attracts flies: if there’s something people want, it’s what’s denied to them.

In addition to this, it seems that American Apparel has opened an online store in Second Life, as well. This is another case of bringing a service to the people instead of pushing unwanted information into their faces; I like these kinds of things. And Second Life seems to lean in that direction as well.

A problem with this, however, is how to make people aware of the services in the first place. Quite a catch 22 of sorts. Almost at least. At Gameproducer.net there have been a few experiments with offline promotion, and I like the comment at the bottom of this post:

“I suppose easier strategy for offline promotion would be to contact local news paper or talk with some local seminars rather than just sending flyers.”

Local seminars sounds like an amazing idea, if it can be acheived: it’s promotion and advertising, while still providing a service. Giving something for the opportunity to present oneself. In a similar manner, a friend of mine has started up a set of seminars; he, and through him his consulting firm, offers valuable information to students in exchange for their awareness of his company. An excellent idea.

Then comes my final bit of stretched imagination: thinking about these companies providing services made me think of them in comparison with open source communities. Wells Fargo and American Apparel have the resources to build prettier and more advanced structures in Second Life, compared to a regular Joe. In a similar fashion, a well-funded company can always provide better quality assurance, support and feature fulfillment than unfunded individuals. Note can; I’m not saying that they always do – just that they have the resources to make it so if they desire. This is one of the reasons that I can’t support FOSS fully: I believe that commercial interests are needed and fill a function.

And of course, this is also the reason that I could never support Swedish political sentiments like The Pirate Party. I don’t support the RIAA and MPAA and whatever all of these organizations might be called – but the solution is not to go to the other extreme.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 4th, 2006 at 1:00 pm and is filed under Observations, Software Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.