Women Rule: *L Word* in Second Life Wins Emmy, Contract Extension; *Gossip Girls* in SL Boasts 38K Monthly Uniques

Estate Manager Malarwen Hall plays hostess at L World Island dance party

Shortly before the New Year, leading metaverse developer the Electric Sheep Company laid off a large part of its staff, a move many (including the Times) interpreted as a "sign of the times".  Which is ironic, because a few weeks later, the Sheep won a 2007 Emmy for their "L Word Island" site in Second Life, created as a marketing and community hub for the Showtime cable show.  (The Emmy was in the category, "Outstanding achievement in advanced media technology for best use of commercial advertising" on personal computers.)  Reporting the news last week, Eric Reuters quoted Showtime's Robert Hayes as saying they were not only renewing the L Word contract, but considering SL presences for other Showtime programs.  This should not surprise New World Notes readers, for last year, demographer Tateru Nino recorded steady and consistent traffic to L Word island.  On a recent visit, I found myself teleported right into the middle of an afternoon dance party of some couple dozen Residents, nearly all women.  As they twirled to throbbing techno, I caught snatches of conversation, flirty catcalls and gossip-- but also, talk of changing diapers and rude telemarketers.

On another part of the world, managers for a site devoted to another TV show mainly appealing to women were also reporting impressive returns:

According to Stormy Tomorrow of the Metaverse Mod Squad, their Gossip Girls Second Life site for Warner Brother Television was attracting nearly 40,000 visitors. "Over the last three months in Gossip Girl, we're tracking it at over 102,000/mo. total avatars, and almost 38,000/mo. unique visitors," he told me last December. "Of the 38,000 unique visitors per month, an average of over 21,000 came back later that month."  (Disclosure: the site is run in collaboration with Millions of Us, a sponsoring partner of this blog; the metaverse development company built the site's Upper East Side setting and the cellphone-shaped heads-up display for the community.)

"Gossip Girl is succeeding because Warner Brothers is committed to fostering a robust online community," Stormy tells me, "replete with activities and events in a safe and moderated environment."  That may very well be, but it's hard to miss the other commonality with L Word: an online community of women.

Comments

[Taran Rampersad]

I think its spelled 'Eric' instead of 'Erik'. Unless he has insane urges to see Valhalla... :-)

[Hamlet Au]

Doh, thanks! Fixed.

[Hamlet Au]

Doh, thanks! Fixed.