Last summer I noted news that ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel company, was presenting a stream of their shareholder meetings in Second Life. Last month, Air France, one of the world's largest airlines, began offering a similar service. Above is company CEO Jean-Cyril Spinetta introducing their corporate SL site, and a framegrab from the introductory video, revealing an airborne meeting space. (Inside is a 3D stock chart, and other utilities, such as interactive copies of Air France's most recent financial publications, and a free jetpack.) More here, and at i-marginal, the French metaverse developer that created the site.
Of course the most obvious question nags: is this a good idea?
Well, corporate shareholder meetings generally seem to involve a few hundred die-hard investors traveling a great distance to cram into a hotel conference room and squint at a few executives on a stage as they present Powerpoint slides from a podium, and maybe ask them a few questions if they can get to an open mic in time. If a company could even get a few dozen regular shareholder attendees to appear at the Second Life location-- people who might not otherwise show up in person or even watch an online video feed-- it would seem cost effective from a logistics point of view.
Another advantage occurs to me: at a real world shareholder meeting, investors can't readily engage in multiple cross-chatter with each other, rapidly exchanging opinions and information, and use that discourse to ask harder questions of the executives. Then again, if the share price drops, that might seem like a negative from the company's perspective.
Why would it not be a good idea?
If they want to do that with their land then so be it.
Posted by: Ann Otoole | Monday, December 15, 2008 at 08:03 AM