Sweden's Second Life Embassy Explores Nation Branding

The Swedish Institute, an agency of the Swedish foreign ministry who spearheads global information about Sweden, announced it will be creating an official Second Life embassy.

The Institute's director Olle Waestberg says the purpose is to act as an information portal about Sweden.  Waestberg believes Second Life provides an opportunity to broaden people's exposure to Sweden easily and inexpensively.

Stefen Green who is the project manager for the initiative, says the plan was for the project to be completed before it was made public, but the Swedish media got wind of the story (english). 

The Swedish Institute believes they need to understand 3D space which is driving the decision to  build in Second Life.  In a comment left on the Virtual Economy Research Network Stefen says:

"We're using Second Life to explore the 3D space as a platform for our nation-branding projects. While the protocols of the coming metaverse haven't been settled on yet, I do think a metaverse is coming, and we'd like to start getting our expertise sooner rather than later. SL citizens will be our de facto focus groups, so we can start figuring out what works and what doesn't."

January 28, 2007