CCT300+Lab5


 * What is the difference between advertising methods used in the real world and the virtual world. Please explain.****

One of the biggest differences between the real world and the virtual reality is the notion of time and space. Objects in virtual reality do not have to obey the laws of physics: they can bend, fly, transform and teleport from one place to another. Advertisers can run wild with their imagination when marketing a product in a simulated environment; they can assign the product with shocking visual effects or functions that are impossible to achieve in real life. Massive role-playing and simulation game such as Second Life (SL) is well aware of the potential and turned it into a multimillion industry. Every year, corporate like Sony, Forbes, Coca-Cola and many more invest great sum of money in digital marketing on SL. SL has opened up a commercial utopia where advertising is not only cheaper, but more effective.

Virtual advertisings do not need half of the financial budget, administrative processes or human labor required in the real world. Yet, their impact on consumers is much more greater. Take billboard as an example, it is an expensive physical medium that costs thousands of dollars and takes weeks to construct. However, in the virtual reality, a billboard can be easily created in less than two minutes by using 3D software such as 3D Max or Maya. Virtual ads can also be more interactive than their real life counterpart. In SL, a car company can create a virtual model of its product and invite customers ride it for free. The car follows a futuristic, lavishly designed track that takes the customers on an electrifying adventure that’s no less thrilling than riding a roller coaster. As a result, the brand advertises itself by providing a fun and interactive experience to the customers.

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