Together with words like ‘engagement’ and ‘immersive’, ‘collaboration’ has been used a lot in 2007 when referring to real world brands and companies’ strategies in virtual worlds.
But what does this actually mean?
Collaboration, in the virtual sense for brands means wanting to create a conversation (another phrase used a lot) with residents and work together to a common goal.
Why do brands want to collaborate?
Because it’s become very clear during 2007 that residents in virtual worlds are smart. They know a cheap marketing trick when they see one. So, brands want collaboration as a way of recognising the incumbant IP and intelligence present in the metaverse space. It’s also an indirect way of giving residents the impression that real world brands are humble.
How have brands collaborated?
In various ways.
One of the more recent examples is Orange. Working with Metaversatility and Extralab, the telco created Orange island:
“..a place where we want to share and collaborate with the Second Life community, offering a range of events that not only give opportunities to discuss and explore new ideas and technologies but provide some fun experiences too.
We believe by working together we can do more, so by understanding and exploring new opportunities such as those we recognize within Second Life we can start to consider the tools and services we might be able to offer to support community projects as well as how communities in Second life may be able to help us.”
This sums up very well the essence of collaboration in virtual worlds. And this project walks the walk as well, with a dedicated microsite and a series of regular events on the island.
The Coca-Cola virtual thirst competition was another example of collaboration, albeit via a competiton. Taken from the Virtual Thirst microsite:
‘Imagine a world in which a simple vending machine could dispense – not Coca-Cola – but the ESSENCE of Coca-Cola: refreshment, joy, unity, experience.
Well, we know this vision can become reality in Second life, and we?Ç‚Äôre looking for everyone with ideas for such an experience machine to submit their design to us. Our Advisory Board of Second Life residents will select one idea to be made a reality by Second Life developers Millions of Us – and wherever that machine goes in Second Life, so will your fame as the designer.
The quality of the idea and the possibility for exhilaration are far more important than your visual execution in your submission: professional builders, Second Life residents, and non-residents have the same opportunity to win.
So throw away the box, your expectations and interpretations of what a Coke machine is. Think expansively about the possibilities for having fun and being part of a great experience. Show us your best ideas – what do you wish you could do or see in Second Life? Do not limit yourself to your own abilities to create objects inside of Second Life – find any way to express your idea and get it to us. Let us and the developers of Millions of US help you make them real in Second Life.’
Think of this as a NPD initiative encouraging residents to adopt the Coke brand and create. The supporting website states that entries are closed, which is just as well because according to the support Myspace page, they selected a winner. Emerie May invented a series of puzzle bottles that gave away interactive experiences.
So, a good campaign? Some people think so, whilst others disagree, but there’s a saying about pleasing people right? Me old mate Nick Wilson over on Metaversed has some intelligent commentary about this.
And here lies an issue for collaboration in virtual worlds. What’s in it for the resident?
The more cynical observers would imply that real world brands wanting colloboration are simply seeking free advice or at worst using collaboration as a trojan horse strategy to get loads of content creation/ideas. And this means it can sometimes go wrong.
A classic example of this is Visa Europe opened in late April. Visa launched their island as follows:
‘Visa has approached Second Life in the interactive manner of the world itself.
What we have created is very much a work in progress which we are hoping to see grow organically through user participation, we are looking for visitors to our island and our member banks to input into our presence in their world.
The island was chosen for its proximity to the mainland, whilst also allowing for space to develop and grow. The Second Life world is one that is at the forefront of technology and as such is complementary to the extensive work that Visa undertakes in researching and developing new technologies.’
What Visa did was ask the residents of Second Life to tell them what should be on the island.
Hmmm.
Not even a catalyst to get those creative juices flowing? What about a prize for the best entries? Nada.
So of course, Visa Island is a wasteland with random objects scattered around and very little traffic.
The lesson learned here is that in theory collaboration is a great idea. But it’s a two-way street. There has to be a compelling reason for residents to give their valuable time to a brand.