Unofficial brands in SL no.2: Premier League Football Clubs. Second Life is a world full of fans. Fans of communities, technology, artists, music….an endless list. But from a product, or more appropriately brand perspective, SL is a breeding ground for people to express their love of brands. This post, highlighted an unofficial Apple Store promoting a full range of current apple products in a virtual store modelled on the Manhattan store.
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Number two in this series of unofficial brands in SL, focusses on many brands represented in SL without the official support of the brand owner. Over on Kiva Island in the L&A Commerce centre, you can find a shop selling (for about a $1 a time) replica shirts for Premier League football teams. The shirts have been created to a very detailed level, showing the club kit design as well as the sponsor. For example, here’s the Manchester United home shirt with the sponsor AIG.
And here’s the Chelsea FC shirt with sponsors Samsung.
And here lies the debate – whereas the Apple Store was not produced for commercial benefit, residents in SL can actually buy these football shirts – therefore paying the person who created them. IP rules in SL state that all IP ownership in SL resides with the person(s) who created the object in question, but clearly as shown here, it’s a little contentious.
On the positive side, these brands and clubs are getting exposure in SL and the residents who buy and then wear these shirts are promoting both of them.
On the negative side, the clubs and brand sponsors have no control over usage and haven’t authorised the use. Also, they are now missing out on potential new revenue streams. So it’s not surprising to see the emergence of specialist trademark, patent and IP attorneys setting up in SL, such as Crossguard. I’ll be asking Philip Cooper (SL name Philip Gloucester) to comment on this.
Here’s the rest of the Premier League (almost).
West Ham United FC and Jobserve.
Watford City FC and Loans.co.uk
Tottenham Hotspur FC and Mansion
Reading FC and Kyocera
Portsmouth FC and Oki
Newcastle United FC and Northern Rock
Middlesbrough FC and 888.com
Manchester City FC and Thomas Cook
Liverpool FC and Carlsberg
Fulham FC and Pipex
Everton FC and Chang
Charton Athletic FC and Llanera
Aston Villa FC and 32Red.com
Arsenal FC and Emerates
I’d have loved to have been the agent who managed the transfers of this player. He’s had more clubs than Arnold Palmer.
Here’s the SLurl to the L&A Commerce centre on Kiva Island.
K Zero case studies.