Abstract
If you asked most journalists in 2007 if virtual worlds and Second Life in particular were the next great thing in technology and culture, most would have responded with a fervent “yes” — at least judging from the quantity of article buzz that year (including my own for Brandchannel.com). By the end of 2007, however, the tides turned and suddenly Second Life could do nothing right in the eyes of many including the press. Many of the same major publications who breathlessly gushed about virtual worlds earlier in 2007 began a bashing campaign — blaming companies for spending too much, virtual agencies for doing too little (perhaps other than cashing checks) and SLers for just being SLers. Yes, a lot of companies spent a lot of money. (And for the record, very few will actually fess up to just how much.) Yes, many, many mistakes were made. And yes, there were and always will be some legitimate failures — not because these companies tried but mostly because they ceased trying.
“No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”—Samuel Beckett
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Sources
Chinese Virtual Worlds, available from: http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2007/06/brands-need-to-.html; http://www.jackmyers.com/commentary/virtual-world-report/17196341.html; http://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworlds/news/2007/08/virtual_bank; http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2008/tc2008055_089117.htm
Gartner, available from: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=670507
Habbo Hotel China, available from: http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2007/08/habbo-hotel-chi.html
Linden Labs, available from: http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003563242
Proximity: http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2007/06/brands-need-to.html; http://www.jackmyers.com/commentary/virtual-world-report/17196341.html; http://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworlds/news/2007/08/virtual_bank
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© 2009 Alycia de Mesa
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de Mesa, A. (2009). Failure Stories. In: Brand Avatar. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230233713_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230233713_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-29999-7
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