Second Life Good; First Life Better
With the infinite options that exist in any given decision -- personal or professional -- sometimes I wonder what gives us reason to claim we are experts in anything. As marketers, our livelihoods are staked on the notion that we are able to measure analytics, spot trends, and motivate audiences to a desired action. For instance, when Second Life came out, so enthralled were we by this new tool that everybody wanted to be the first to do something in Second Life. The first to get married. The first to hold a press conference. The first game show. And so on.
When my daughter Faith was born on Thursday, I was reminded about the awe and wonder that still exists in this first life, and how tapping into it is still the single biggest challenge marketers face.
As she grows, I'll be able to watch her make her first yawn, open her eyes for the first time, cry for the first time, eat for the first time, ride her first elevator, go on her first car ride, enter her home for the first time, say her first words, and take her first steps. And none of it requires either of us know any programming language other than what God has written on our hearts.
She doesn't even know that never again in her life will it be as easy to impress people as it is right now. Even while sleeping, she seems to be able to nearly bring tears to the eyes of complete strangers. Goodness. Even the act of soiling her own diapers has its own little charm. The doctors and nurses practically obsess over it.
"How many diapers is she going through, Mr. Beck? Good! And what color were they? Good!"
If Second Life could ever come close to duplicating the raw emotion and love of The Miraculous First, perhaps even I will jump on that bandwagon. For the moment, as least, and certainly for the next several weeks as I take care of my recovering wife and wondrous new baby, I'll just concentrate on enjoying the first.
And of course, I'll share with you any marketing observations I make on the way. - Cam Beck
Congrats, Cam! It's always exciting to welcome a new little consumer into the world! :)
Posted by: Paul McEnany | January 08, 2007 at 09:55 PM
Babies. The ULTIMATE consumer-generated content.
Posted by: Cam Beck | January 09, 2007 at 11:05 AM
Cam: Congratulations -- you will put your hand in things you never thought possible. And you'll be OK with it.
Somehow, Second Life just doesn't compare to Real Life.
Posted by: Stephen Denny | January 09, 2007 at 09:32 PM
She is so cute!
Great post, Cam that reminds me of a quote (can't remember the author): "Things may happen around you, and things may happen to you, but the only things that really matter are the things that happen in you". And you just don't get that sort of life changing revelation from a "second life".
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | January 10, 2007 at 06:31 AM