Marketing Review - Spring 2008 - (Page 10)

›› ONLINE MARKETER Digital Marketing in Three Dimensions: Virtual Technologies Suggest an Increasingly Three Dimensional Future for Online Travel Marketing “The Online Marketer” looks at the many critical issues and opportunities associated with using the World Wide Web for marketing hospitality, travel and tourism companies and organizations. In addition, a “Recommended Surfing” section provides information about particularly interesting and effective Web sites, which readers are encouraged to visit and experience for themselves. Readers may contact me with their questions, [DONALD E. BENDER] comments, and suggestions via e-mail at theonlinemarketer@yahoo.com. rom virtual worlds to threedimensional maps, marketers are increasingly embracing 3D technologies in order to provide more engaging customer experiences on the Web. Although the idea of a 3D Internet has existed for some years, actual progress toward a more 3D Web environment has been slow. This situation is now beginning to change as a result of the development of new Web technologies and programming combined with more capable computers and Web-enabled devices and widespread access to a faster broadband Internet. The hospitality, travel and tourism sectors are particularly well-positioned to benefit from this 3D evolution. Companies and organizations within these fields can be expected to leverage these new technologies creatively to deliver more engaging customer experiences through the creation of new 3D Web content and features. This article takes a brief look at three aspects of the 3D Web that are particularly relevant for marketing: 3D virtual worlds, 3D social media, and 3D mapping features. F 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS Web-based virtual worlds combine, in different ways, often compelling 3D digital environments with personalized avatars, social media features, hyperlinked resources, and e-commerce functionality. They permit multiple users to move, act, and interact with other users by means of their avatars. Virtual worlds provide some intriguing insights into how a more advanced 3D Web might function in the future. Some of the better known virtual worlds include Active Worlds, There, Habbo, Entropia Universe, Whyville, and Second Life. During the past two years, Second Life (SL) has become one of the most talked about virtual worlds. Because of this, it may be valuable to consider how some companies and organizations have attempted to leverage the unique environment of SL. Most of these initiatives can probably be regarded as “experimental” in nature, enabling marketers to test this unique virtual world environment and to learn from those experiences. Some of these Second Life (SL) initiatives have been quite creative and are worth examining. Aloft Hotels, for example, took an innovative approach and used SL to display prototypes of its future hotels in order to capture feedback from virtual visitors. The company has subsequently removed its SL presence. Crowne Plaza created an impressive virtual presence on SL that includes meeting facilities staffed by the realistic avatar of one of the company’s real world meeting directors. Crowne Plaza’s approach in this 3D virtual world closely replicates real world experiences. Residents in SL wanting to book a meeting room, for example, must first register by using an online form that is essentially identical to online forms used in the company’s real world Web site. STA Travel, “the world’s largest student, youth and budget travel organization,” targets a relatively youthful 18-to 26-year-old demographic. It uses its presence in SL to enhance awareness and interest and plans to use it for sales as well. STA Travel recently co-sponsored a virtual world event in SL with Lonely Planet, during which prizes and examples of Lonely Planet’s real life guidebooks were given away to participants. HSMAI MARKETING REVIEW • SPRING 2008 10

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Marketing Review - Spring 2008

HSMAI Marketing Review - Spring 2008 Contents COLUMN: The Online Marketer COLUMN: Success Stories COLUMN: Guest Column Ten Trends Now Shaping the Future of Hospitality Turning the 2008 Consumer Tax Rebates into Hospitality and Travel Sales 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality and Travel Sales and Marketing The Lure of Lore: Connecting with Customers Through a Unique Brand Story A Careful Balancing Act A Meaningful Relationship: How Technology Affects the Connection Between Hospitality Marketers and Meeting Planners SPECIAL SECTION: The 2007 HSMAI Adrian Awards Building Five Star Imagery

Marketing Review - Spring 2008

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