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Abstract:
Massively Multiplayer Online Games, also known as virtual worlds, have become increasingly popular sites for branded advertising campaigns. While most in-game advertising efforts involve established corporations working with game administrators to deliver targeted ad campaigns or the development of separate branded worlds, players who frequent some MMOGs are taking matters into their own hands by creating original brands for avatar clothing, virtual vehicles, event hosting services and more. Although amateur virtual brand developers typically have no previous professional experience with advertising or brand building, they use conventional industry tactics such as the creation of memorable brand names, product lines, logos and promotional web sites to create and communicate complex brand identities, spending as much as 50 hours per week promoting and managing their brands. With close readings of four member-developed business brands within the virtual worlds 'There' and 'Second Life', this paper demonstrates how each brand's identity is deeply intertwined with its creator's personal identity and the identity of its parent world. Virtual world business brands originally developed for their creators' own entertainment have unexpectedly turned into profitable enterprises that defy stable definitions of work and play.

Virtual worlds, mmog, online gaming, branding, advertising, identity

Abstract:
This paper gives an overview of various advertising and branding projects within a selection of online graphical chat and online gaming spaces known as virtual worlds. Virtual advertising and branding projects take several forms, from ad campaigns and contextual product placements within themed worlds, to entire worlds created solely to promote a brand or organization. Some residents of virtual worlds even create their own unique brands and ads to promote original virtual products produced and sold to other residents. Reactions to corporate sponsorships in online environments vary widely, depending on each world's culture. Teenagers are generally more receptive to in-world advertising than adults, often bringing elements of corporate branding into the worlds themselves. In fact, many of the fully branded worlds are targeted to teens and children. As of early 2004, companies experimenting with virtual worlds as sites for advertising include Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Intel, Aeropostale, Levi's, Nike, and DaimlerChrysler. The paper offers insights into a growing trend that is likely to evolve into new and unexpected forms in the future.

Virtual worlds, advertising, branding, ads, brands, graphical chat, online gaming, product placemement

Abstract:
This paper gives an overview of the ways in which virtual worlds (graphical chat and online gaming environments) make extensive use of travel and tourism themes and how online photography (screen capturing) serves to further this metaphor. Marketing materials on informational sites and in corporate press releases describe virtual worlds in much the same way a travel brochure might describe an offline tourist destination: as an exotic vacation spot, an online theme park, or even a second home. Visitors to virtual worlds further this metaphor through the taking of digital tourist photographs in the form of screen captures of scenic views and in-world monuments. Some virtual tourists even create online photo albums and travel journals of their virtual world adventures and show them proudly to family and friends. This paper also serves, in its own way, as a sort of travel journal, taking the reader on a tour through many virtual worlds.

Virtual worlds, chat, gaming, tourism, photography, travel