Business Communicators of Second Life®

Second Life Business Communicators Meeting: Monday March 26 with H&R Block

Come join H&R Block Vice President of Marketing; Digital, Paula Drum for our March Second Life Business Communicators meeting!  This is an opportunity to hear first hand why H&R Block chose Second Life and what their initiative is all about.

Meeting Date & Time :  March 26th, 12:00 Noon - 1:00 p.m., SLT.
Where:  HR Block Island auditorium:  HR Block 113/48/37/

Ms. Drum will present her thoughts on Second Life, their Tango initiative and answer all your questions. She is excited to meet and mix with us SLBC avatars and we're delighted to be the first group to meet at their new SL build.

[Update]:  There will be H&R Block tax professionals available to answer your tax questions as well.

Grab the chance to chat and network with her, each other, and to gain some insights into H&R's strategy.

Group announcement is going out in world as well.  No reservations needed.  If you are a member of the SL Business Communicators  Group you will get a teleport landmark with the group announcment.  If you'd like to join the in-world group it is free!  To join, search Groups on "SL Business Communicators" and then click Join in the result dialog box.

If you need help, have any questions or need a teleport, IM me, ZnetLady Isbell. 

Join us!!

March 22, 2007

Information Week Second Life Kaffeeklatsches

Information Week and Dr. Dobb's Journal host twice-weekly kaffeeklatsches in Second Life to discuss technology news and trends.  The informal discussions are on Tuesdays and Fridays at 7:00 a.m. SLT at the Notre Dame de Caffeine on ile de france.  Tomorrow's meeting centers on favorite in-world destinations. 

Past topics have been as diverse as "Is Second Life Good for You?", "Using Second Life for Collaboration." other virtual worlds, and a collaborative de-briefing on the recent South by Southwest conference.  Join the group in-world and get notified of upcoming meetings, guests and topics. 

Search on "Information Week" in the in-world search to join the group; or show up at Notre Dame de Caffeine at 7:00 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.

[Update: Friday meetings have been changed to noon SLT, same place]

 

March 19, 2007

The Weather Channel Second Life Island: Seriously Fun

I may be late to the party in reporting on The Weather Channel’s Second Life Headquarters and Epic Conditions simulation but frankly, I’ve been busy surfing.

Second Life may be called Seriously Engaging, but TWC’s Epic Conditions is Seriously Fun.   It is an excellent realization of the pairing of the unique capabilities of the virtual world and a content brand.

Built by virtual world developers Infinite Vision Media, this first phase in the virtual space is to promote the premier of  TWC’s new series, Epic Conditions, where extreme sports meet ideal conditions.   And, by measure of a Google search on “Epic Conditions” I’d say it has done the job particularly well – almost all the results reference the opening of the SL sim rather than the series alone. 

SL presence aside for a moment, The Weather Channel teamed with Warren Miller Productions, known for their extreme sports features, to create the new series which debuted on The Weather Channel on March 4th.  In researching for the show, the series developers say they found viewers wanted to learn about “the science and spectacle of weather conditions and unique geographic locations affecting sports”: 

“Through vivid storytelling, this series effectively demonstrates what happens when the perfect weather conditions meet the perfect sporting activity,”

Enter Second Life.  Epic Conditions sims employ – well, simulations for an experiential aspect of that storytelling – weather teamed with extreme biking, surfing and skiing.  And thanks to the scripting, some of the most experienced in-world sports creators and the SL physics engine – it’s extremely fun.   A lot of LOL heard about here.

More importantly, it is a very memorable way to introduce Second Lifers to the show, its purpose, and its content.

I tried everything.  I learned I’m a really bad skier, a moderately talented biker – but surfing…oh yeah!  That's me sitting so sweetly in that curl….

In each of the venues there is free gear – which you need.  Not only do you look the part, but the equipment has all the necessary scripting to make the experience meaningful – and fairly easy for the keyboard-movement challenged.

While the surfing for this native California beach girl is a little addicting, the ski lift is probably the most experiential of all.  After you call the chair and sit in it, your view is forced into mouselook.  The combination of this first-person point-of-view and movement up the ski lift with snow swirling gives you a real sensation of heading to the top of the mountain.   I didn’t make it down quite as smoothly, however.

There is just a smattering of educational content at present, but Drew Stein of Infinite Vision Media tells me phase II will bring more weather education to the sim, and phase III will include new simulation content.  There is an auditorium for group viewing of the TV shows, and there are also a couple of screens tucked away in more intimate spaces, like the Watering Hole in the mountain bike region. The sim is using the audio channel for some effective voice over.  I was warned of an impending avalanche just as I was heading down the mountain, for example.

Better ways to communicate to new visitors is needed, including general orientation to the space at the island’s landing spot.  Although the island does include a nice "help island"  type area to practice basic avatar navigation skills. I was asked by a couple of new comers what the place was (with a little help they caught on quickly, as I met up with them again at the bike shop), and some better explanation (outside of the notecards) on how to acquire the gear would go a long way to those less familiar with SL inventory conventions.   I helped a couple get bikes and learn how to get started.  This points to a need for – my mantra – staffing of the space. 

The growth of SL means more and more of the population is new and retention at both an individual sim and in SL in general is important to the return on the brand experiments here.  The best way to do that is with people combined with engaging experiences such as Epic Conditions.  People encourage others to try the experiences - and to stay and play.  That said, there are avatars playing here.

The Weather Channel is as close as they come to using Second Life for what it is good for. 

Overhead coming from a group of nearby avatars while resting on my board in the surf: 

OMG LMAO.

Read the official press release here.

Weather Island is located at Weather 142/162/27.

March 18, 2007

H&R Block Tangos into Second Life

I like this initiative.  Not just for the obvious aesthetic reasons of HR Block Island.  I like the underlying promise.

H&R Block may have hold of something much more important than their Second Life build. I hope the initiative bears out to be what it seems to be.  From all its hints though, H&R gets it.

Early yesterday morning I dropped by their new HR Block Island in Second Life.  First, the build is truly beautiful – in design and in execution.  Brought to SL for H&R Block by agency Fleishman-Hillard in partnership with The Electric Sheep Company, it is very contemporary in design (not quite futuristic) but blessedly easy to navigate even for a new SLer (which is a big A+ in my book).  Much appreciated signage too.  It is tiered and offset in a visually inviting way that encourages an avatar to explore, much like a garden path that turns out of sight and calls you to continue on.  The spaces are pleasingly avatar scale and are warm and comfortable.  Considering this is all about taxes, I’d say this team produced a near miracle.

What has me intrigued, though, about what I’ve seen so far with this initiative isn’t the Island.  It is that at the center of the product is “The Story.”  This is what has me thinking H&R gets it.

In a video promotion (available on the sim and on the web), on the Tango web site and in the Tango blog, H&R talks about bringing their Tango tax preparation software to market built around a story – that Americans overpay the IRS to the tune of $1 billion a year, and we need to get it back.  They “went Hollywood” (again, read storytelling) in their approach to the tax preparation experience to create something new and to connect customer people with H&R people in the way or to the extent the customer wants.  (Bad grammar aside, “I got people” is also the theme of their ad campaign.) While their Tango beta group is unavailable so I could not look at the product first hand, the concept is definitely modern media.  From the Tango blog:

"But, what if we could totally reinvent the experience of doing your taxes? What if we took the kind of technology that is being used on the latest Web sites, added some attitude and a little bit of Hollywood storytelling, and blended in the flexibility of the Internet to connect people with the help and support they need? We can create something entirely different and new."

Delivering on the promise is yet to be seen, but the direction on display is right on.

On HR Block Island, there is a disco / ballroom of course to practice new-found dance skills embedded in the shoes that come in the $L100 Tango product bundle.   It appears Moopf Murray lent his expertise to the fancy footwear for H&R.  The bundle also provides you the opportunity to save $69.32 (at the current Linden exchange rates) by giving you a free code toward trying the $70 Tango tax preparation web experience.  H&R is offering residents the opportunity to sell the Tango bundle and earn money doing it by keeping $L75 of the $L100 price.

H&R plans to have two tax professionals in world for free tax preparation assistance on Tuesdays and Thursdays until April 17th from 6-7 p.m. SLT (PDT).

Whether the SL presence will be more than a product launch tactic remains to be seen, but the fact they are looking at innovating their services through the prism of contemporary media is encouraging.

See the official press release here, the Tango blog is here, the Tango preview web site is here, promotional video is here (5 min) and HR Block Island is HR Block 113/48/37/.

March 17, 2007

rabble.ca and Wikinomics Author Tapscott Coming to Second Life

Media is taking to Second Life like (oh groan) a second life.  The online progressive news site and community, rabble.ca is extending their book lounge into Second Life, announcing one of its opening events for April 10th.  And, if you can possibly make it to this one, do so!  Author, Don Tapscott – you may know him from Growing Up Digital book fame – will be there discussing his new, important, seminal book (imho) Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything.

The rabble book lounge serves up rigorous reviews, lively events, and a left-leaning bookstore on the web  –  Second Life seems a natural fit for them, experimenting with new delivery and media engagement models. 

rabble.ca is progressive media indeed, with a mix of citizen journalists and well-known columnists, supported by donations and sustaining members.  It is an alternative news source for all things Canadian and is a project of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.  Aimed at social action you’ll find an activists' advice column, a radio book lounge and the community discussion board called babble.  Wayne McPhail of w8nc, who hosts the excellent Who’s on Second? Podcast founded the rpn there – rabble podcast network. 

Now, as for the book, if you have not yet picked up a copy of Wikinomics, please just stop now and put it on the top of your list. [disclaimer:  I am a registered member of the wiki that is collaboratively writing the “unwritten playbook chapter" - and you can be too.]  Tapscott and his co-author Anthony Williams lead readers on a anecdotal journey through the deep sociological changes that social media and networks have had (notice I did not say “are having”) on business and everything else.  This is the first book I have read that succinctly and truly smartly sums up the enormous business impacts of social media and places them in the context of business innovation and new business models.  I may be exceptionally partial to it because it happens to follow much of my presentation style, story telling and instruction.

Yes, Tapscott and Williams even discuss Second Life, which itself has been likened to a wiki.  To get a taste of Wikinomics, listen to Harvard Business Review's podcast with Tapscott.  It is episode 31 on this page.

Anyone else finding they are spending an increasing amount of time in Second Life chatting up people we would likely not have the chance to in RL?

Go - April 10th, 4:00 p.m. SLT, 7:00 p.m. EDT.  Better World Island at Better World/117/209/29. 

The space is currently open and  will be hosting  its first event on March 21st at 5:00 p.m. SLT with writer Cathi Bond discussing Barbara Gowdy's novel, Helpless.

March 15, 2007

Press Association Will Report Budget in Second Life

The Press Gazette is reporting that the UK national press agency, The Press Association Group will report its 2007 budget at a "Budget Info Station" in Second Life.  The Info Station will provide live updates from the House of Commons as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gorden Brown presents the budget details.

But their true understanding of social media shows in their decision to also provide budget updates via Twitter - the right-now-must-have mobile phone social network.  Given the love affair Europeans have with the mobile phone,  the PA is simply moving with the times.

March 15, 2007

 

Bantam Dell Publishing Group Hosts Dean Koontz for Opening Event

The Bantam Dell Bookstore and Cafe is open in Second Life on Electric Sheep's Island.  It's a cozy, inviting space designed around books and conversation.  Bantam best selling author, Dean Koontz via his web site invites you to join him there tomorrow, March 15th at 6:00 p.m.SLT when his avatar will be in world for a reading from his new book, The Good Guy.

[Update: Giff at Electric Sheep reminds me in comments that if the Bantan Bookstore is full, they will be streaming to other locations.  Find them here:  http://blogs.electricsheepcompany.com/giff/?p=327]

Bantam Dell, a Random House company, joins U.K. publishing house, Penguin Books which has been in Second Life since October.  Penguin has been aggressive in examining and responding to new media impacts on publishers by introducing audio, podcasts, ebooks and a recent wikinovel.  I happen to meet Jeremy Ettinghausen of Penguin the other day at the just-ended South by Southwest conference in Austin, Tx.  Jeremy writes his insights post-conference saying there were lots of storytellers present there, but just not necessarily interested in being published in print format.  He adds:

So old-media companies, like Penguin, are having to change their ways and move with the times, encourage participation, look at how people want to use the books we publish and how they want to share them and talk about them. It's not always going to be a smooth transition, and we might stumble on the way, but as four days in Austin have shown me, there are a lot of great storytellers out there and plenty of people who want to hear those stories and, importantly, some great ways of connecting the two groups.

Bantam Dell plans to hold occassional events, seminars on getting published and book discussions in their virtual space.  Join their Second Life group to keep abreast of events. Use the SL group search for "Bantam Dell."

Like newspapers, traditional book publishers are feeling the effects of new platforms and shared media.  These early experiements in 3D spaces may lead them to new storytelling, new content categories, and rethinking The Story.

Visit Bantam Dell Bookstore and Cafe at Sheep Island 123/28/25.

March 14, 2007

Tuscany Comes to Second Life on March 30

Fondazione Sistema Toscana, the official tourism foundation of Tuscany, Italy announced today: 

a new way of living Tuscany, of knowing its territory and beauties: Tuscany is now born on Second Life.

Count me in.

The construction is underway, with the official opening of Toscana Island slated for March 30.  A mixed reality evening is planned at the island's disco that night in which real world and virtual will be present to the other via video screens.

Toscana Island will recreate a public square for social gatherings with some of the most significant spots of the region:  the Tower of Pisa,  the Piazza del Campo and the Piazza Grande, the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo in Florence.  There will be audio features for each monument, aimed at educating visitors about each one.   "One will have the feeling of plunging in an ideal city created around the most precious works of art of the ten Tuscan provinces."

A typical Tuscan village is promised with the hills, cypresses, vineyards and olive trees reminiscent of the Chianti region and the Sienese hills.

Italian commerce will be there as well.  The Intoscana store will allow residents to buy  real world Tuscan specialties while in world. 

Italy's film commission is partnering with the tourism foundation in this initiative. They have plans to collaborate with other Italian spaces in Second Life, such as Parioli (a personal SL favorite), in order to present and communicate the beauty and travel benefits of Tuscany.

Tourism  is a near ideal application for virtual social worlds like Second Life.  Galveston. Texas and Sweden's embassy are early entrants.  The visual and immersive characteristics are a perfect foil.  Especially when the space is staffed with avatar-puppets, as intoscana plans.   Many existing brand focus on events instead of sustained social connections.  Events can be an accelerator for communications in /with these spaces and are a key component, but what if MySpace were only "alive" between 7:00 and 9:00 twice a week?  Social worlds require social commitments.

Hopefully the famous embracing Italian hospitality will extend into the virtual world as well.

March 13, 2007

TED Conference Streamed into Second Life by Clear Ink

It costs $4,400 U.S. to attend TED and you have to apply. It brings together 1000 of the smartest, most talented, most inspiring thought-leaders - the real movers and shakers in every industry - for four days of the fresh and the important.  It is invitation only.

Thanks to Kiwini Oe (Steve Nelson) of Clear Ink, you get to attend - right now and through tomorrow - in Second Life.

Last night they streamed the live presentations by Bill Clinton, photojournalist Jim Nachtwy, biologist E. O. Wilson and a performance by Paul Simon.  Today the world-class speakers tackle Intelligent Design, Tales of Passion, Exploration and Awe, and Imagined Futures.  There are at least a few speakers talking about subjects - and sharing ideas - you will not want to miss.

Kiwini tells me the streaming will also be available after the conference ends tomorrow.  And, he will be doing a short presentation introducing Second Life on the TED main stage tomorrow between 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. tomorrow.  That should be really surreal - seeing streaming video of Second Life while in Second Life.

Teleport to Allston at 165,100,25 and check it out and hear some of the most important ideas of our time.  You can get more information about the conference at the TED website and blog and see the full conference schedule here.

This is someplace you will wish you could be in RL - but thanks to Clear Ink we have the next best thing.

March 9, 2007

Intellectual Property Rights in Virtual Places

Social media brings lots of intellectual property rights into question - or maybe better stated - contention.  Marketers work long hours, have sleepless nights, and spend the combined GDP of several mid-size countries on getting customers to embrace their brands - indeed to meld the brand into our identities. 

Marketers perhaps hope the outcome will be quiet recommendations at civilized cocktail parties or over hot dogs at the local football game; or the car / perfume / clothing we buy would be a stand-in to express to the world who we are.

Ooops - society (and technology) has changed just a tad, and "recommendations" are now public all over the social media landscape.  And those brands marketers hoped would define our identity?  Well now here we find ourselves standing in virtual spaces where we can express, create and define our identities and preferences in ways not possible in the real world, so how surprising is it that we want to define ourselves in some measure in terms of brand there - say, maybe even by becoming the brand?

Case in point.  Virtually Blind, a new and quickly addicting blog by intellectual property attorney, Benjamin Duranske, has a commentary post on a Second Life store, Body Doubles.  Body Doubles sells avatars and shapes that will make you do an in-world double-take: "was that Halle Barry that just flew by?"  Body Doubles sells celebrity look-alike avatars.

Duranske says celebrities may have grounds to cry foul under the "right to publicity" body of law which has well-developed precedence for protecting a celebrity's right to their own image.  But Body Doubles may claim that the likenesses have sufficient artistic interpretation to give them first amendment rights (under U.S. law).  He notes a recent court case in which a painting of Tiger Woods was held to be protected under the first amendment as an artistic work.  Are avatars any different?

This area of IP is far from settled, but it also points to brands needing to expand their thinking and maybe even legal definitions surrounding the use of brands based on some very new value propositions.  If we engage in social media for brand influence and are asking customers to use their influence on our behalf – and at the same time are telling customers to incorporate our brand into their expression of identity, then perhaps we need to step back and find ways to measure the value of the influence - or even allow the use of a brand - in terms of return on influence and the new possiblities surrounding virtual identities and virtual expression.

Ask yourself when customers can embrace your brand to the point of becoming the brand in a virtual way, is that your marketing at work?

March 4, 2007

Upcoming Real World Events

The real world has been demanding in the past two weeks.  It makes me just a tiny bit grumpy, actually, to not have been able to post as often as usual to comment about an ever growing number of Second Life business issues and happenings.

But, the good news (for me) is that in the coming week, I will be at several meetings and conferences at which I get to meet avatars face to face and to introduce some new people to Second Life (as well as other social media).  I hope you might be some of those people - and if so, puleeze make a point of saying hello and chatting for a moment or two (without the frantic flying avatar fingers).

On Tuesday March 6th, the business community of Round Rock, TX is gathering at Texas State University for at Social Media seminar presented by yours truly.  I'll be presenting the topic, "Social Media 101:  New Tools to Connect with Your Customer" after which will be a panel discussion with some local business folks.    I'm delighted that Laura P. Thomas of Dell will be joining me on the panel, talking about their foray into the blogosphere and - of course - Second Life.  Professor Cindy Royal of Texas State will be highlighting citizen journalism, and Robert Quiqley, Internet Editor of the Austin American-Statesman, will be enlightening us on the successes (and challenges) this RL newspaper is having with their embrace of social media.  I know there are Texas readers here, so come by!  The seminar is free.

Heading easterly from there, I'm meeting up with many of you at the Ragan New Communications Forum where Kami Huyse Watson and I will be presenting a session on Thursday, March 8th:  Second Life Second Chance:  Why You Should Be Marketing in the Virtual World" (or not).

Back to Austin, Texas and to the SxSW Screenburn Festival 2007.  On March 11, Tony Walsh at Clickable Culture is moderating the panel Avatar-based Marketing, and he has invited me to sit in on the panel.  I'm looking forward to thrashing round the topic with Tony,  Eric Gruber (MTV Freelance), Paul Hemp of Harvard Business Review and Lauren Wheeler of Three Rings Design.   Tony has put together a panel with divergent experience and perspectives which will undoubtedly make for lively conversation.

I hope to see you!

March 4, 2007

Second Life Transformational Moments

Wayne MacPhail produces a wonderful podcast, Who's On Second (now in episode 15).  He normally focuses on conversing with people working in non-profit and education endeavors in Second Life.  His questions are sharp and balanced.  His podcast guests are doing some far-reaching work - and just plain interesting things - in Second Life.  Some of this work is far more interesting - and take communication in the "medium" to far more interesting places than all but a very few of the "brand" presences.  Go take a podcast or two.  You will be fascinated by the things his guests bring to light that get very little SL buzz.

In his latest podcast, Wayne diverges from his usual format to throw out some less -than-enthusiastic musings about Second Life.  It is worth a listen - a bit of reality, a touch of worry about an environment that is "broken" (says Wayne), and a wish for more "doing good" with this medium - i.e. introducing transformational moments for people.

Wayne also invited comments from within a discussion list he and I happen to share.  I'm taking the liberty of sharing a few of these comments anonomously.  Their comments are words an SL communicator should live by.

"I do not think that the SL environment should be discounted as a mere variation of a chat room. SL brings the element of shared experience to interactions which would be anonymous in an email/chat room environment. I may appear as a cartoon character in SL but I make choices over clothing and can invite colleagues to a ‘home’ which reflect my real personality. We can go exploring together and work in the same environment, discuss the same issues affecting us weekly and translate that into RL. All this forms similar ties to that of a conference over several days, where colleagues have a chance to form stronger ties that those from the occasional exchanged note, and these interactions are reinforced over days and weeks of SL association."

_________________

"I may get a few bits of good information from the  actual meeting chat sessions but what I am really getting (and this is  what SL DOES offer that differs from real life meetings) is the opportunity to scan profiles of the avatars; their time in SL, their
personal group associations and other  information, including optional real life information. In and of itself, this is a new type of communication that SL offers. Add to this the fact that avatar appearances are self selected with a certain amount of decision, creativity and possibility not allowed in RL and you have, in meeting each avatar, the ability to experience one on one or multiple layered communication experiences that are very different from RL."

_________________

"I have had a few (not all mentioned here) transformational encounters:

• I have met CEOs of large, important corporations who interacted with me no differently then they would another equal corporate executive. They may have even taken a suggestion or two that I had back to a RL situation.

• I have met people from all over the world that are all ages and have all interests.  Our conversations encompass wide ranges of topics and had I met these individuals in RL  may not have even acknowledged one another because of various bias -- let alone been aware of similar interests of shared travels, etc (via profiles).

• I have "touched" an object to find its owner or designer and then searched their profile - ya can't do that in RL, and it has, a couple of times transformed my view of the world and its possibilities.

• The social networking tools that I access outside SL have very much expanded my in world experience. I am guessing that I am on at least 6 group e-mail lists, participate in several blogs and wikis, listen to Wayne's podcasts, etc. This is as much the experience of immersion into "virtual" learning as being in-world.

_________________

"I don’t think that voice features will necessarily make our experience better, but it will attract more users, so I think it is inevitable LL follows that route rather than fix what is breaking down.

March 2, 2007