Reality is not enough.

Recently, the Second Life internet platform, widely described in the media, has become a true phenomenon. When visiting this website, we can become a true member of the virtual world society. Linden Labs, project creators, have formed a reality based on computer games and the real world. There, internet surfers from all over the planet have created a society imitating real life. When developing a new personality, we can become whomever we like and behave in a manner which would often not be acceptable in reality.
However, if Second Life is to truly offer another option of existence, it has to take various brands into consideration. And this is what interests us from the standpoint of branding. Practically all major brands, such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Reuters, IBM, as well as many smaller ones, have already found a place in SL. There, they set up company showrooms, offices and entertainment centres modelled after their real counterparts, often for the purpose of testing new products and services.

In Poland, the Play mobile operator set out to win influence in Second Life, “Przekrój” magazine opened its virtual editorial office and various media houses are launching their branches, in order to sell ad space in virtual reality. And the possibilities are undeniably very large. A good example is the third part of the “Grand Theft Auto” (GTA III) computer game, where so much advertising space is going to waste.

Computer game publishers have already drawn the right conclusions and stared selling advertising space in their newest productions. This seems to benefit both the players, who find games more realistic, and branding, which has a new field for development.