18 posts tagged “kids”

10. Virtual worlds set up by toy manufacturers.
Another point from Lord Puttnam’s keynote, casting doubt on whether it’s such a good idea for toy firms to be launching their own virtual worlds - Mattel (with Barbie) and Lego being two examples. The idea of child entertainment funded by toymakers isn’t new (He-Man and Transformers, anyone?), but Lego’s Mark William Hansen had an elegant and considered response, pointing out that a virtual world launched purely to sell products is bad - but that kids will see that most quickly, and desert it.

Virtual Worlds Forum Blog » Blog Archive » Top 10 takeaways from the first day of VWFE 2007

I completely agree with this.  The first question that that needs to be asked when the topic of a virtual world (or any community initiative) comes up is “Why do we need/want it?”  It is the job of the web strategist to find the root of the request and to deal with the answer frankly. 

If the goal of adding community is to increase sales of offline product alone, community is probably not the correct strategy.  Starting a community is difficult work, maintaining one is even harder.  And there are risks involved that have to be dealt with in much more faster and comprehensive ways than just releasing a press release.

If the goal is, rather, to engage your audience in a very personal way with your brand and/or product, then you are starting on the right foot.  Sure, selling products is a fine goal, it’s the easiest way to sustain the community and makes complete sense, especially if the community is involved in some way.  But it shouldn’t be the primary goal - if it is, there are easier ways to achieve it.

Creating a community or virtual world is not a small decision, nor is it a finite decision either.  It’s funny to me how the enormity of a concept diminishes when the words become more common.  “Community” and “World” are BIG concepts - they are (or should be) big strategies for a company to adopt as well.

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Tags: marketing, virtual worlds, toys, vwfe2007

Those of us who understand the positive aspects of online play need to help shape the climate online in the next couple years. Gone are the days of bragging about how your child knows so much more about technology/computers/internet than you do. More and more of our lives are being spent online. Let’s treat that sea change with a bit more respect than simple awe/wonder.

If we don’t want EVERY brand space online to be blatant consumerism with no message or goal, we have to be proactive about preventing that from happening. We must work toward not just calling out the bad sites, but creating and commending the good sites. And not just ones that give lip-service to more holistic goals - ones that actually step up and do it.

I ducked out of the Kids and Teens talk at the Virtual Worlds conference last week in order to see a young girl doll brand case study. Oy vey, was that a hard one to sit through. The developer giving the talk continually talked sarcastically about the girly brand that he developed, which showed me that he didn’t respect the audience and community the site was trying to develop. How can you create a great community if you don’t care about them?

Through his talk, he talked a couple times about the core values of “Empowerment” etc that the site’s founders wanted to convey in the virtual world. But almost in the same breath, he would reiterate multiple times that the only purpose for the site was to “sell more dolls.” Makes you wonder if the brand managers of those dolls know and care how their brand is being conveyed to conference audiences and their online community.

If “to sell more dolls” is truly the reason that the parent company wanted to launch this world, fine. They certainly are not alone. But that doesn’t mean all the other sites that will be developed in this category have to be like that.

Sesame Street’s Panwapa world is a cool approach to get into a space that is bound to be crowded in the next 2 years - preschool to early readers, 4-7 year olds. Kudos to them for being there before anyone else with a solid idea for a world (and not just the mindless wandering and silly games that make up almost every world in this space).

Whether we like it or not, a child is assimilated into the tech space earlier and earlier as the years go by. To pretend that this isn’t happening or block the kids from sites on a micro level is not the way to improve the situation. It’s the ostrich effect and doesn’t improve anything for anyone, especially the kids.

People who grew up with technology are now having kids. These younger generation parents have less or no aversion to introducing their kids to the online/tech coolness that they have grown up with. As producers of content (be it for a marketing purpose or pure creative), we have to develop for the parents AND the kids. These younger parents will still want the educational aspects that the past decade of attentive parents wanted, but the younger parents understand all of this on another level. Many of them understand that you can have fun, build relationships, and develop as a human online. They also understand the importance of design, navigation and user interface in your online experience. AND they will, directly or indirectly, teach these concepts to their kids.

Hopefully the content will start to catch up with paradigm shift that is happening world-wide as I type. Is your content up to the task?

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Tags: panwapa, sesame street, proactive, virtualworlds,

Visionary Panel - Where the Platforms Are Going Next
The media has been largely dominated by one virtual worlds platform but innovation is coming fast and furious on multiple fronts from multiple vendors. This one-of-a-kind session brings together the visionaries of the major platform companies for an interactive discussion on the future of the virtual worlds platform.  Join us for a session you won’t want to miss.
- Christopher Klaus, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kaneva
- Raph Koster, President, Areae, Inc.
- Michael Wilson, CEO, Makena Technologies
- Hui Xu, Founder & CEO, HiPiHi Co., Ltd
- Stephen Lawler, General Manager of Virtual Earth, Microsoft
- Corey Bridges, Co-founder, Executive Producer, & Marketing Director, The Multiverse Network
- Mark Wallace, blogger , 3pointD.com (moderator)

What does the future look like?
- A Common App is needed - so that all the worlds are not so compartmentalized and there is greater portabilty
- More incorporation of Social Networking features and games
- Usability hurdles need to be dealt with - the average person still finds most VWs to be too difficult and there is little being done for the mobile platform
- Controlled Identity management to all you to manage all of your identities in all of your worlds, with your own criteria for privacy and transparency

3D/Social Search Fans
    - “3D is a red herring” Raph Koster
        - we should be talking about 3D not as the next big thing, but as an aspect
        - More important question is regarding what we are using these space for and ding inside of them
        - 3D doesn’t work for everything - shopping market

Hui Xu, HiPiHi CEO, brought up how non-multiculti the crowd was
- he felt that culture blending and learning form other cultures was the biggest potential for these worlds
- No standard language exists to discuss these spaces yet, we don’t have a multi-lingual tool to bridge the gaps and we don’t have the world view mind set to talk theoretically yet.

The web migrated monetization models
= Subscription > Commerce/Ads
- vws have to do the same
- Migration needs to be Ads > Goods > Services
    - new toys are helping this transition
   
QQ (?) service - IM, Virtual E-commerce

Mobile Phone banking is very big overseas now

Local search is an opportunity to monetize
- ads need to excel in AI to raise relavancy

Mirror worlds will be the link to the Mass market
- Education contexts
- MS Live maps - Accurate to 4 inches
- Real versus Imaginary
- Melt content - reenact a bank robbery from earlier

“We are in the bookstore business - not the fiction or non-fiction business” - need to stop seeing everything as mutually exclusive

“Blogging in 3D is dumb” - Raph Koster

Representationally Agnostic
- data will show up how the user want it

3D is hard form many populations to grasp
- kids, older, etc
- it is not the holy grail

We need to jump over the now and next and think about later

Wii-mote and Hardware is helping innovation
- 3D mouse

Multiverse is sketchup compatible

Language - vulcanization of cultures
- there are translators for vws

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Tags: areae, hipihi, multiverse, kaneva, future, kids, tweens

I’m jumping the gun– but I’m giving ya’ll a weekend heads up. Ms. Joi Podgorny and I will be starting a podcast regarding kid communities, kid media, online media, and entertainment. Why? Because I strong arm her into thoughtful chats nearly every day (or vice versa)– and (if you’ve followed this blog at all you’d know–>) I love to ramble, and she does too. So, between me & joi, you’re gonna get a HUGE dose of everything-ness (and yes, that’s my new technical term).If you are interested in participating in our adventure, let us know.

We’ve already started a “wish list” of contibutors (and if you and I have previously spoken, or you’ve ever come into contact with this blog –> you’re probably already on that wish list).

Podcast. Modcast. Tween Cast. Kid cast. Us-cast? « Izzy Neis

Brilliant Suess-esque title of this post from Izzy and of course wanted to alert everyone that this is what we are thinking. I am a podcasting junkie and thought it was high time I added my (and Izzy’s) voice to the dull murmur of voices online. Plus, I have yet to find a good podcast about the kids online business. If you know of one, please let me know.

So, starting this week, Izzy and I are going to record one of our weekly chats about kids online and share it via rss with all of you. Like Izzy said, the format we want to try is the two of us, a guest and a online-kid-centric topic, so if you are interested in also being recorded talking about kids online, let one or both of us know.

Wish us luck and stay tuned!

technorati tags:IzzyNeis, podcast

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Lord knows I will be able to this month and next. And I am not complaining, far from it. I have always wanted to travel, both professionally and personally. Whoa, am I getting my wish now.

So, I wanted to put my travel schedule up so that if any of you were in any of the towns when I am there we can grab a coffee or beer (or any other beverage you like). I love company and if it keeps me from watching the local news in my hotel room - even better!

London - 9/16-9/24
- Various meetings

NYC - 9/26-9/30
- Tween Mashup, co-paneling with Erin Reilly

SF/Bay Area - 10/3-10/11
- Online Community Summit in Sonoma
- Virtual Worlds 2007 in San Jose

Shanghai - 10/31-11/5 (? actual dates)
- various meetings

If you are in any of those places (or within rental car driving distance) let me know! (joipodgorny at gmail.com)

And because I am a google apps fangirl lately, I made a google calendar with my “Joi is not in Chicago” schedule. I know, I know - but it’s handy for friends and family!

technorati tags:travel, shanghai, nyc, london, sanfrancisco, conference, mashup, ypulse, tween

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Back in March 2006, I was able to go to the first meeting of the Ready to Learn Partnership. This is a government funded initative that has been going on for years, aimed at leveraging media to help kids learn. The very nice grant (millions of dolars) helped develop such preschool favorites as Sesame Street, Between the Lions and 2 new cartoons launching this Monday, 9/3 - Super Why! and Word World.

Super Why! is super cute. I love the animated characters who are voiced by kid actors. Just adorable. And the Three Pigs episode they have on their site is pretty good. I can totally see the early reading initatives being used. I found myself wanting to watch a 3-6 year old watch it to see how they reacted. Their site is pretty and ratehr developed for a new show. There is an interactive map, games and an super-hero/avatar maker. Here’s my Super Joi:

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Word World looks much better in CGI than 2D, how I viewed it in early 2006. The characters seem likable and I have always loved the idea of the merchandise, where the characters are plush toys and their letters stuck togetehr to form the word. Having taken care of little ones over the years, my first thought was lost pieces, but I am sure they have thought of that in the past year and a half. Their site is still quite a limited marquee and not living on the pbs network site yet. I am sure that will change soon and I lool forward to seeing their offerings.

God, I love preschool tv and sites…

technorati tags:pbs, kids, wordworld, tv, super-why, rtlp, preschool, cartoon

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Ypulse.com, the leading independent blog for youth, teen and tween media and marketing professionals, today announced its lineup of speakers for the Ypulse Tween Mashup. The Mashup conference, produced by Ypulse.com in partnership with Modern Media, will help media and marketing professionals understand how to reach tweens using technology in a multi-platform world.

Kyra E. Reppen, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Nickelodeon MTVN Kids and Family Group’s Neopets will provide the opening keynote focused on the original youth-oriented virtual world, while Renee Hobbs, Professor of Communication and Director, Media Education Lab, Temple University, will present the luncheon address focusing on MyPopStudio.com, a media literacy project for girls. Additional confirmed speakers include:Our speaker lineup just keeps getting better and better - these are media and marketing professionals who are immersed in what tweens are doing digitally every day.

* Jim Bower, CEO Numedeon (Whyville)
* Bryon Cahill, Editor, READ Magazine, Weekly Reader Publishing
* Molly Chase, Executive Producer, Cartoon Network New Media
* David Card, Vice President and Senior Analyst, Jupiter Research
* Mark William Hansen, Director, LEGO Group
* Mattias Miksche, CEO, Stardoll
* Daniel Neal, CEO, kajeet
* Izzy Neis, Online Community Manager for Kids/Tweens/Teens, Star Farm Productions
* Joi Podgorny, Kids/Tween Internet Community Expert
* Erin Reilly, CEO, Platform Shoes Forum (Zoeysroom.com)
* Denise Restauri, CEO, Allykatzz.com
* Addie Swartz, CEO, B*tween Productions

This is the first b2b event to specifically focus on how 8-13 year olds
are using technology and what media, marketers and .orgs are doing to
reach them,” said Anastasia Goodstein, Ypulse founder, editor and
co-producer of the Ypulse Tween Mashup. “Our speaker lineup just keeps
getting better and better - these are media and marketing professionals
who are immersed in what tweens are doing digitally every day.”

In addition to the growing roster of esteemed speakers, the Ypulse
Tween Mashup will include a panel with tween boys and girls who will
share their top tech picks, likes, dislikes, and more.

Ypulse Tween Mashup to Feature a Keynote From Neopets and Speakers from kajeet, Cartoon Network, LEGO Group, Whyville and B*tween Productions

Great conference at which I will be speaking/facilitating. Definitely come if you are in te NYC area.  It is being done in conjunction with Digital Life NYC, so tons to see, hear, etc.

technorati tags:tween, kids, conference, newyork, ypulse, mashup

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Download Video: Posted by jsdt4 at TeacherTube.com.

Great text video of why and how you could incorporate more tech into the traditional learning process.

I have spent my career focusing on technology solutons in informal learning environments, it’s good to see the formal education realm catching up. There are even classes being taught on it now on the university level!

technorati tags:education, technology, teachers

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Been catching up with my podcasts.  My favs of late are Cynopsis Kids and Digital ( I just can’t listen to the regular Cynopsis lady), Buzz Out Loud, and Game Theory.  (professionally, of course - my personals include FIight of the Conchords, Ask a Ninja, Slate Political Gabfest and This American Life)

But in listening to the block of Game Theories from the past 2 months, there has been tons of reminiscing over games that are 10, 20, even 30 years old. (My fav moment was when one of the podcasters realized his recent birthday of 35 launched him out of the demo he writes about, 18-34).  Some of this is born from the new serial releases that are coming out, mainly Halo and Star Craft.  Others from the question “what was your defining moment of gaming?”

Made me start to think about where games and online experiences are going.  One of the hosts commented on how Elite and even Eve Online seem like MMOGs, even though they were single player, simply because of how expansive they were.  They reflected on how some of the old games, before online interactivity, were just as immersive as the ones where the real-time multi-player aspect nowadays. 

An earlier Game Theory podcast (I dunno which one, I have listebed to so many today) talked about how if you can make a cell phone game fun, then you are almost guaranteed that the larger platform games in the spectrum, from hand helds to console, will be fun as well.  If you can capture fun on the root level of game play, you have the most valuable jewel needed in game development.  They also talked about how they were excited that the newer games coming out are not only focusing on graphics enhancements and getting back to that spirit of play and fun.

Finally, the last point they talked about that I found interesting, was the aspect of social gaming in the live space.  They began lamenting the plight of the hard core gamer and how console game companies, especially the Wii, are focusing too much on the casual gamers of late and not enough on the hard core gamers.  I merely roll my eyes at the porr hard core gamers at the on that point. 

I would rather spend more time on their other points that there is a new phenomenon happening of gaming as social activity.  I have had some FUN evenings playing guitar hero, ddr or Wii sports late night with small groups of friends.  I LOVE this new cultural phenomenon.  Blending the passive with active and throwing a little social in for good measure.  If the Wii is the second, social console in the house, only played 1 or 2 times a month - yay!  Tat;s a good thing, not a bad thing for the gaming industry.  It’s still a great investment, I would argue more so than one that you clock 10-50 times that in solo gaming.  Sure your hard core gamers are going to buy more and more often, but expanding your market is never a bad idea, especially when the newbies could easily become just as rabid of fans.

Now, I want to take all these interesting ideas and figure out how to take them to the next level and online (and younger demographics…)

technorati tags:gaing, elite, game-theory, wii, nintendo, guitar-hero, ddr, cynopsis, buzzoutloud

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Best Practices Emerge- As advertisers and marketers explore virtual worlds to reach a younger demographic, best practices are emerging. “The first thing to do is spend a significant amount of time in that virtual world,” said Deep Focus’s Schafer. “Unless you understand the behavior of the people in that virtual world you are going to come across as disingenuous or inauthentic.”

Virtual Worlds Aren’t Just for Reaching Adults Anymore

This is such a great point, but on the bottom of an article that talks alot about Whyville (you guys are amazing PR machines!).

technorati tags:whyville, virtual-worlds, kids, tween, nicktropolis

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