A number of leading corporates have found interesting ways to tap on the bustling virtual communities on Second life, including Cisco, Adidas, ABN Amro Bank , MTV and even Toyota. Insead Business School has held MBS classes there. The hit CBS show CSI: Crime Scene Investigations plans an episode later this month where a killer is pursued into Second Life. One of the few industries not yet represented on Second Life is the airline industry – and herein lies a great branding opportunity for first movers and fast followers into the realm.

Airlines on Second Life would be able to ensure extended engagement with their customers, and prospective customers, enabling interaction with the brand before (Xpectation) and after (Xpression) the Xperience. Moreover, in unstable times like these for the industry, airlines can get involved their customers more deeply and even generate new revenue streams.

Here are 5 ways in which airlines can enchance their brand value by being on Second Life.

1. Offer flights in Second Life, to take people from one place to another, complete with an in-flight experience – the quality of which should match, or exceed the real-world experience. Xperience can differ between LCC, all-business and legacy carriers.
   
2. Involve avatars in creating their own in-flight experience, then take their top preferences and introduce in real flights – what better way to do market research and bumping up Brand Xpression ratings?
   
3. Reach out to current loyal customers in the real world, and seek their feedback on Second Life, across all touch-points – from call center, to check in counters to lost baggage retrieval.
4. Reward avatars by allowing them to earn FF miles when they use the airline online, or participate in “experience creation”.
5. Another way to encourage participation is to grant real-life in-flight vouchers, for products they may have bought online. This would also increase actual on-board shopping.

Let’s now wait and see which airline makes the first move.

Ponder that!

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