The Weather Channel in Second Life

The Weather Channel recently launched in Second Life to mostly positive reviews. The build was handled by Infinite Vision Media.

From Media Week:

"While initially Weather Island will provide additional distribution for The Weather Channel’s TV and broadband content, the plan is to eventually open up the virtual island to marketers. “With Second Life, we’re hopeful we can expose our brand in an original and meaningful way,” said Debora Wilson, president, The Weather Channel Companies.“ We also see Second Life as a potential advertising platform for brands currently partnering with us.”

From Kzero:

"What makes this venue work is the interaction and ability to ride and slide around the features. Understanding that giving is better than receiving, the free ‘kit’ takes the island to a level above many of the other major brands already in SL. The other element given a lot of thought is the terraforming.

Epic Conditions sets the benchmark for a company understanding its brand values and applying them precisely, fully and correctly into a new advertising and branding medium."

From Linda Zimmer:

"Epic Conditions sims employ – well, simulations for an experiential aspect of that storytelling – weather teamed with extreme biking, surfing and skiing. And thanks to the scripting, some of the most experienced in-world sports creators and the SL physics engine – it’s extremely fun. A lot of LOL heard about here.

More importantly, it is a very memorable way to introduce Second Lifers to the show, its purpose, and its content.

The growth of SL means more and more of the population is new and retention at both an individual sim and in SL in general is important to the return on the brand experiments here. The best way to do that is with people combined with engaging experiences such as Epic Conditions. People encourage others to try the experiences - and to stay and play. That said, there are avatars playing here.

The Weather Channel is as close as they come to using Second Life for what it is good for. "

From Phasing Grace:

"I stopped by The Weather Channel's new Second Life presence today to soak in what I thought might be a more spectacular weather-themed experience than the NOAA sim. My expecations were not met, and were probably misaligned anyway since NOAA is all about the science of weather, and The Weather Channel is about linear network broadcasting. I don't know what I was thinking.

The Weather Channel islands offer Residents three interactive experiences they've called "Epic",Extreme Skiing, Moab Desert Biking, and Big Wave Surfing. None of these really held any appeal for me personally, but you may find a few minutes to waste here."