Second Life Department

Tendence

DNBmedia produced two commercials for Tendence, a well know Italian watchmaker, for the launch of its new line of watches. In the films, use is made of a combination of 3D animation and live action images. The new watch models literally come to life when they lie on the beach in the sun…

See the films here:
Click here for the first commercial
Click here for the second commercial

The virtual world Second Life was used for the promotional campaign. DNBmedia conceived and produced the following concept: In six busy shopping centers in Second Life, Tendence opened a watch shop. By buying a virtual watch, the avatar can get the money back on the Tendence island. On this island the visitor can get all the models for free and rate new designs and prototypes. The visitor also gets a chance to win a real Tendence watch. Tendence aims to promote its new line of watches with its presence in Second Life. At the same time Tendence uses the virtual platform for feedback from consumers about new designs and prototypes.

DNBmedia launches a new measurement system for Second Life.

To gain better insight into visiting behavior of Second Life avatars, the standard statistics from Linden Labs are not enough. It is valuable to know which places are visited, what roads are used and how long a visit lasts. That is why DNBmedia has developed a highly advanced measurement system. This new system not only measures how many visitors a given location (sim) has, but how the visitors move over the sim and where they stay. This information is conveniently represented in a custom developed management environment. Maps of the sims are shown here. Using colored ‘heat’ spots, the places where the avatars stay at selected times are indicated. In this way the route that a unique avatar walks can be viewed as a line. The routes of all avatars in one location can be seen in a map with a line overview, where each line corresponds to a unique avatar. In addition to following avatars, objects that may influence visit behavior inworld can be viewed and managed.

With this advanced measurement system it is possible to optimize the layout of the sim.

Platform ‘0031’

On the 18th of March 2007 the platform ‘0031’ was opened. This platform was created for the Dutch Second Life visitor, and since opening it has been the most visited Second Life location in the Netherlands. It consists of different islands with a total surface area of 390,000m2. Through ‘0031’ new residents are oriented in Dutch. In a Dutch ‘introduction farm’ from 1914 the new resident can learn about the world of Second Life. There is also the virtual town of Schoondamme, positioned on the edge of 0031. It is a typical Dutch village with a picturesque church, pub, nice beach and charming shopping streets.

For Dutch companies and organizations, it is possible to exploit their own branch in Second Life through 0031. The costs of this are relatively low, because the fixed establishment costs and the monthly contribution can be shared among several parties. With 0031 the branch will also be in typically Dutch surroundings, with predominantly Dutch visitors. Each day the island has about 3,000 visitors.

Platform 0031 is actively supported by its 'Founding Partners' ABN AMRO and Randstad. These companies have branches in Second Life. The VU University of Amsterdam is also closely involved in the development of this initiative.

Randstad

On the 8th of March 2007 Randstad became the first HR service provider to have a branch in Second Life. Using Second Life, job seekers can also go to Randstad to get a job in the virtual world. Linden dollars, the official unit of currency in Second Life, can be earned in this way. The Randstad branch in Second Life also offers real jobs, that pay in euros. The DNBmedia development team developed and built the virtual branch. As well as a virtual temp agency DNBmedia designed the accompanying website, virtuelebanen.nl. The virtual branch in Second Life is identical to Randstad branches in Real Life. From two o’clock in the afternoon to nine-thirty in the evening there is an agent there who can further help visitors.

Four Oaks

Four Oaks uses Second Life as a meeting place for professionals in software testing. As of the 15th of June, test professionals can go to Testlife: a fun environment where the community can meet each other and attend trade-specific activities like seminars and lectures. The software testing company from Arnhem produced the Testlife concept in collaboration with DNBmedia.

“For our decision to invest in a Second Life environment, the experience of the industry played a dominant role”, explains Karel Verbeek. Within Second Life they aim at a job-specific community. DNBmedia designed and built a fun environment where visitors can play paintball with each other, which will create a bond between the professionals active in the area of software testing.

Second Life offers several advantages to Testlife: it takes less time for participants to get to meetings and it is easier and less expensive to have leading professionals from abroad give presentations. In addition, Second Life is easily accessible, which makes it an ideal environment for sharing knowledge and experience with each other in an exciting atmosphere.

Di-rect

On the 29th of January the pop band Di-rect from The Hague had the Dutch first with a live concert in Second Life and in the physical world of the TMF studios. The appearance marked the launch of DNB’s Second Life department. To fully be able to utilize the possibilities of Second Life DNBmedia worked with Marc Pos (concert director for Marco Borsato and Robbie Williams among others), Motek (Dutch specialist in motion capturing), Dutch View (market leader in the Netherlands for recording and processing television programs), EMI (Di-rect’s record label) and TMF.

The movements of the band members were determined using the Motion Capturing Suit from Motek. DNBmedia translated the movements into SL scripts, allowing nearly lifelike movements to be recreated. DNBmedia also created the light show, fireworks and the design of the whole concert.

TMF broadcasted live until the performance began. When the concert started there was a live transfer to Second Life. The images from the virtual world were converted in to video signals suitable for television. With a switch box the director chose the best pictures for television, just like normal. The result was astounding. The explosive Di-rect concert in Second Life looked like a Real Life concert.

Faasen & Partners

Faasen & Partners is positioned as a modern and innovative law office and wants to emphasize this with a presence in Second Life. The law office also wants to use Second Life for the recruitment of recent graduates.

As a commission from the law office, DNBmedia developed and built a location in Second Life that fits with their present communication needs. DNBmedia and F&P together came up with an environment with a very distinct character, a water world. Three platforms on the water were developed with a futuristic office building and locations for presentations and meetings. This includes a location with extra capacity for large events, such as a recruitment event for example.

The visitor can sail on the boats that sail between the three platforms to receive more information about Faasen en Partners. To support the recruitment of new employees, a legal game is played periodically.

STOP AIDS NOW!

STOP AIDS NOW! had an idea for an action in Second Life with the goal of creating awareness around the problem of HIV/AIDS. With the high popularity of sex in Second Life, this world is an obvious place to make consumers aware of the need for safe sex, also in the virtual environment.

DNBmedia considered this to be a good initiative and worked on this project at no fee. Virtual condoms have been sold since the 7th of May. The virtual condoms can be bought from the condom machines that are spread across Second Life, including on the Dutch ‘0031’ island. The virtual condom comes with cool gadgets for the residents that buy them. For L$200 (+/- $0.80) a resident gets an authentic virtual condom, a condom suit, a flirt move and a Red Ribbon, the international symbol of solidarity with people with HIV or AIDS. Residents are also stimulated to resell condoms among each other. The revenues from the sale of these virtual condoms are used by STOP AIDS NOW! in its fight against HIV and AIDS.

Euro Relais

On the 3rd of March 2007 the Dutch tour operator launched five virtual vacation cottages. The actual houses were realistically recreated by DNBmedia and placed in an environment that corresponds with the surroundings of the real accommodations. In this way people who are interested in renting the real cottages can view their holiday house in advance in Second Life. This makes it possible to experience an abstract product like a vacation while still at home. The Second Life builders from DNBmedia have also recreated building including a castle, and windmill and a ski chalet. All vacation houses can be booked directly from Euro Relais during a virtual visit.