A Change of Pace...

Ok so I took a week off for IC's spring break- much needed. Hope you didn't miss me too much. Not to continue disappointing any product placement enthusiasts out there but we're going to continue this break and get a little off subject for this post. So for my Audience Research class, I was assigned a group project where we need to pick a brand, target it toward a segment of college students, and design an effective media plan for it. My group picked Pinkberry, a relatively new chain of all-natural, fat-free frozen yogurt. Another major component of this course is the use of Second Life to explore its use as a marketing platform for various real world and in-world companies.





Due to the press coverage and buzz being created around SL it would be a good idea for Pinkberry to get in on this marketing opportunity while it's still fresh. I would suggest that the brand build a single shop at first to sell its products to avatars. It would also be beneficial to include a link, in or around the building, to the company's Web site. That way consumers can order Pinkberry products to be shipped to them in the real world, or at least find out where they can find real world locations. Currently Paper Couture, a clothing store for fashion-forward avatars, has a similar shop with a link to their Web site but with a focus on clothing and accessories rather than food. However, as a strictly in-world company neither shop or the Web site have anything to offer for consumers' real world counterparts. Pinkberry's shop should have an obvious purpose and prominent presence in SL, like Paper Couture. The accompanying link will simply serve as an added marketing tool to leverage real world success from in-world efforts.

If this first shop proves to be successful in terms of sales and awareness, Pinkberry should continue building shops thoughout SL. However, I do not think the brand should rent or build an island as it is not yet well established and therefore may not be able to promote an entire island with relevant and brand-related material and buildings. Two SL islands that come to mind in terms of inefficiency are the real world ad agency Leo Burnett and the fan-built island Kawaii Ku. While both of these companies are very different they both share one common aspect in terms of their SL presence. Neither of their islands seem to have any real or related purpose- no HQ with a brand name or logo, no employees to talk with, nothing that really could be recognized as associated with any specific company at all. In fact, if I hadn't been told the names of the islands and their owners I never would have known where I was or why. Now I have to admit I'm not an SL expert at all, but there's plenty of us newcomers out there, and if we can't find or even recognize a brand that has established a presence in SL then that could lead to wasted efforts or losses for the company. Since I'm not sure Pinkberry could create an island with a clear purpose and enough relevant buildings and activities on it, they should probably stick with a single store with a link to its Web site. Expansion in SL should depend on expansion in "first life."

To explore SL first hand, and take a stab at staking out the plethora of marketing efforts it serves, visit the Second Life Web site and sign up! Also if you have time check out the Leo Burnett site and its island in SL. See if you have better luck at finding a connection between the company and its island's purpose.