AVATAR-BASED MARKETING: THE AVATAR-BASED PANEL (PART FOUR OF FIVE)

Continued from yesterday.  In today's post:  thoughts on selling real world products in virtual worlds, and vice versa.  Conversation threatened by technical troubles, and avatars on the marketing-to-avatars panel who begin, well, marketing to avatars.

Ansible Berkman: Jangles...your question, please?

Jangles Junot (from the audience): Thanks Ansible. This is quite an experience. So a question for Razor... If you could buy apparel in the American Apparel store here and get it in the real world, that would be interesting...is that in your thinking?

Razor Rinkitink: It could go that way, but I'm not sure that a buying experience in SL connected to real life is ideal.

JJ: I'm thinking of the impulse. You see something here and you want to buy it... so you order here rather than go to a browser and go to the website.

RR: I'm expecting that people will be curious enough to go out and see our stores and our online store for those types of transactions. But it makes sense to build a smooth transition.

JJ: Yes, I'm thinking of that relationship, another facet to building it.

Csven Concord (from the audience): I think you'll see that happen fairly soon. While we're here in Second Life... on the "low end" there is quite a lot happening on the high end.  Which is where is PLM software resides.

SNOOPYbrown Zamboni: blog.rebang.com, to pimp Sven. It's good stuff.  [Grins] And Razor, please please please get some posters of sexy avatars up in real life American Apparel stores and advertising.

RR: I really do like that idea.

Cristiano receives word of trouble off the island.

Cristiano Midnight: It appears that the main grid has been attacked and the system may be taken down, so this island may go down as well soon.  People cannot sign in, and teleports are not working.

AB: Uh oh...Path... any news on that?

HR: Just when the party 's starting to heat up...?

Pathfinder Linden  (from the audience): Hmmm... let me see what's going on.

Pathfinder, a small gnome-like wizard, scampers off.

AB: Thank you, Path. Until we're taken offline let's proceed as planned.

Hamlet Au: It's worth noting that grid-attacks like this are relatively rare but definitely worth considering in relation to how you create your marketing experience.

RR: Before the world ends... anyone who feels like checking out our real life store, please visit: http://store.americanapparel.net... and while you're at it, pop in the promo code BERKMAN and you'll get 15% off for the next couple of days.

Komuso Tokugawa  (from the audience): Now that's marketing to avatars!

AB: Gideon, are you ready for your question?

Gideon Television: I think real life/Second Life purchase linking in the other direction is more likely-- I buy an American Apparel clothing article in real life and then can wear it in SL too.

JJ: American Apparel could have something ID'd for SL which you [wear] in the real world. Cachet.

A blue dialog box appears onscreen: Jeska Linden: Hello Second Life Residents-- we are currently experiencing a database problem and are working on fixing it. Please refrain from making transactions, as they will most likely fail. Thank you for your patience.

RR: American Apparel will do a discount in July off any item purchased Second Life... on that same item in real life.

Hempman Richard: Marketing marketing!!!

SZ: That's sharp, Razor, good stuff.

RR: Going the other way is more... complicated. But could be done.

CM: Can we also get an autographed picture of Aimee Weber?

Ariel Spoonhammer (from the audience): Now, if I am a guy in SL, can I get a discount on something other than a pink dress? Pink shorts?

HA: Hey, if he's gonna plug his bizness, I will too. Discount on advertising on Federated Media blogs including New World Notes now, if you pay in L$. Visit the official FM advertising office in Shipley for the latest rate card.

AB: No more plugs, please. Let's stay on topic.

RR: Sorry-- I didn't mean to be plugging. Not intended.  Just trying to talk about plans that may be of interest.

SZ: Razor, if you sell American Apparel stuff through SLboutique etc. you could couple them easily. You'd have the virtual delivered to you automatically, but I digress...

HR: STOP!!!

CC: And here we see "Marketing to Avatars Gone Bad".

Concluded tomorrow.