News.com article on Wells Fargo

Congratulations to LL on more great press coverage:

http://news.com.com/Wells+Fargo+launches+game+inside+Second+Life/2100-1043_3-5868030.html?tag=nefd.top

Congratulatons Wells Fargo I just closed my account with you

Why?

The title is so accurate!

Very cool

We covered this also

www.igniq.com/2005/09/financial-institution-gets-in-on.html

Because I think its irresponsible for any lending institution to be spending investor dollars on a fricken game that offers absolutely ZERO assurance to those who invest in that game.

I think LL calls it a game to suit their needs, which screws with the player base and the ppl in the fourms. Nothing like a little press huh? Good or bad it doesn't matter at this point apparently.

Here sign this contract, it is of couse only in the favor of LL and we guarantee you nothing in return. More so you can invest thousands and we could close your account for any or no reason what so ever.

That in my opinion is a stupid ass business decision on the part of Wells Fargo, and/or anyone who invests at this time.

If they are going to run SL like a business, then run it like a business. As far as I can tell they are pretending SL is a business. This is just another marketing trick being done by the same ppl as usual. All the while telling everyone in SL its a great opportunity. Oh yeah for who this time? The kids? Oh please all a parent has to do is get up off their dead ass and take their kid to a bank to get the real facts on banking.

Showing kids banking in toon town with play money is suppose to teach kids about banking LOL get real.

It's marketing. It's just a big ad, shaped like an educational game.
It is undoubtedly bringing SL a great deal of exposure and an unofficial endorsement from Big Business as a viable development platform.
This is the first, much-needed step towards making SL the real Metaverse.

I just hope it doesnt open the gates to RL adverts plaguing the environment.. normal people could not compete with huge companys for land.. it could get rather messy..

The gates have been open for a while. iirc, the Linden line is that if a RW company buys land on the main grid, they can advertise their product on their land. If they rent land they advertise on that. If they get a billboard... aso. Same rules apply to them as any SL business afaik.

As for messy, SL already has RW branding and advertising. If people are okay with it now, why would they complain if it became legitimate? From some of the posts I've read recently, there's perhaps a whole segment of residents who really just want to shop. I suspect they'd love a development like this.

Actually if I'm not mistaken, advertising RL products and services inside SL is against the ToS.

All I know is it would be sad to see mc donalds "im lovin it" all over the place.. We have to put up with them ads every 5 metres in RL.. I dont want it in SL...

Only "unauthorized or unsolicited". From the TOS:



So for instance, a person could advertise on their own land, but it would be against the TOS for them to put out their advertising on someone else's land without permission. At least that is the way I read it.

As to the original post. I think this is great!! I'm happy SL is getting the publicity, and I'm excited to learn how this project of Wells Fargo does!!

During some of my Hotline posts on the general subject, the position of LL on this was made more clear.

the SL community has an inherent advantage system against traditional big companies, in that we have as much leverage in the world as they do.

A Big Mac is essentially the same as Lordfly's Bitchin' Burger; I can compete with them on an even keel.

So they up the ante and buy up 40 sims on private islands and call it "McWorld"; great! I don't care, because I don't have to see it. Even on the main grid, it's so large, people would just avoid that area like the plague (unless it was really good advertising).

SL society is very ad-averse, and big companies are going to have a hell of a time getting past that, if they ever do.

LF

Carherine did you even read what Stagecoach Island is about? They are using it as an educational tool to help delevope the minds of young people. More corporations should be helping out with the future of America's future genrations.

I guess some people like to turn anything into a negative.

Catherine has always been opposed to RL businesses coming into SL. From what I've read from her in the past, I don't think their reason for coming here would matter. She just doesn't want them here period. At least this has always been my impression of Cat's opinion on the matter.

The issues she pointed out seemed to all be problems with LL, not Wells Fargo. Except for the "spending investors dollars part". Everything after that line was complaints about SL and LL.

edit- Just reread your post catherine, ok you did read it. BUT

Catherine, just curious, do you have children? Do you really think a boring bank is going to stimulate a childs mind? Keeping the childs interest in a topic, and keeping them involved is the hardest thing about teaching them. So to answer your question, yes, I think a virtual world inviorment is a good place to give children educational lessons on otherwise boring topics for them.

The promotional video is at:

http://www.swivelmedia.com/fun_money.htm

For those of you who think I look like an egg, I'm the guy briefly seen dancing to the right of Foxy in the 6th second. The chick in the noob av is Ryan Linden

Is it just me or is that article full of inacuracy?

I dunno about Licensing, but there have been tons of virtual worlds that have made deals with real companies and had advertising events inside of them. Starting back with ActiveWorlds which had corporate worlds setup for business as well as even movies such as The Thirteenth Floor and Godzilla. Then theres Worlds Inc. which has several different worlds in that way too. Again, I don't know if that counts as Licensing or not.

However if Wells Fargo is going to advertise this inside their banks, then yeah that'd be something that hasn't been done before.

Also is it just me or does that video look like some horrible high-school film taken from Saved By The Bell? And the E in that font makes me upset.

Anyway, I like the idea they have there, teaching kids how to do financing through SL is a great idea. And the explination of how it works makes more sense.

I actualy rarely hear of Wells Fargo though, we don't have any around here in Ohio as far as I know, and I've probably heard more of them in these past few weeks than I have all my life. Not saying they suck or anything, just yeah, not as big as a name to me as had been stipulated.

or lose business for those business' that decide to use their investors money in a marketing ad.

Yes i read the ad. Again teaching kids about money is kewl. BUT they are doing so in a "toon town" with fake money. How is that going to teach kids about rl money? As far as I am concerned its just another step twords bringing rl products into SL. There is no difference IMO between Wells Fargo and say "Mc Island, teaching kids how to say "you want fries with that?" It's absurd that anyone should have to pay a monthly fee to see this bullshit. If i want ad's I already have the internet for that. So how does that make SL unique? Because it's done in 3D? big whoop I am not impressed.

Cat

And you would be correct. there is no way in hell that you or i could possibly compete with rl big business in SL given the choice between say a doll from me and a doll make by a graphic artist employed by Toys R Us both being sold in SL who's product would sell first? Certainly not mine. As I do not have a marketing staff, a graphics staff... I am the average creator. Sure Wells Fargo is employing Bedazzle but make no mistake here, its only a matter of time before businesses don't need content creators it depends on the business. What if say... Pixar was to buy an island, certainly they do not need content providers. At some point in time the content demand will become to high for what any of us can provide, then what? Then we are not needed in this virtual environment. This is a slippery slope we are all headed down. Allow one big business in then you must allow any big business in.

I have historically and will always be for the average player and what is best for them. Mainly because I am the average player I am not a big business with a marketing staff at my disposal.

Cat