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The truly odd thing about virtual world, though, you’re not you.
A graphic identity you either select from a group of choices or create on your own to
represent yourself to the other party in a chat, instant messaging (IM) or multiplayer gaming
session. An avatar is a caricature, not a realistic photo and can be a simple image or a
bizarre fantasy figure.
The use of “Avatar” to mean online virtual body was popularized by Neal
Stephenson in his cyberpunk novel Snow Crash (1992)
Individuals prefer interaction partners that resemble themselves. The “birds of a feather
flock together” principle decisively influences human behavior in relationships
And that makes Avatar a potential dream marketing venue. Instead of targeting
passive eyeballs, marketers here have the opportunity to interact with engaged minds.
While we figure out the psychiatry behind avatars and their/our impacts on our real-
life/virtual ids, the opportunities which exist by reaching these virtual are massive for direct
response marketing in the areas of targeted leads and micro-payments
E-commerce sites, don’t address the social nature of shopping, especially for women. But
in virtual world, an avatar could try on –and try out in front of virtual friends –real-world
clothing brands or styles her creator typically couldn’t afford or wouldn’t dare to wear.
Professors as Avatars
• Example University of
Applied Science in
Cologne
– virtual classes
– video / audio streams
– tutorials
• Strategies to include ?
– Advertisement
– Sale of virtual goods
– Trendsetting
– Market research
– Cross media Marketing
Copy Bots
– programs which copy objects automatically
• SL worms
– self replicating objects
Mafia behavior e.g.
– blackmail
– blocking loading capacities
• Child pornographies
• Sexual offenses (rape, assault)
Second life as a virtual living place derives its attraction from the myth of
autonomous (self) creation: reinventing a new self opens up unlimited
powers.
Second Life has started as a digital market place, but it will change into a
meeting place for digital creations of all sorts.