Greetings readers. This week we are focusing on avatars and marketing in an evolving mediated society.
An avatar is a graphical representation of a real person or user in an online community. Somewhat like a pseudonym in times past, an avatar can voice concerns that the user would not dare say in person. But this is just one slice of the cake. An avatar allows a user to be liberated from their day to day identity, which in effect takes the user back to square one. It is possible to craft an identity from the ground up, the identity could represent the user like a mirror but on the other hand it could be completely fabricated. Can you see the complex issues that begin to arise in this situation? These identities can be used for anything from allowing the handicapped to roam second-life or presenting a professional likeness to peers, to luring the unsuspecting into traps.
As Chen outlines in the table 'Definitions of Impression Management (IM) Tactics' there are extremely diverse ways of deciving, altering or straight up fabricating one's identity. Some examples of the way YouTube performers attain fame include boasting, blurring, supplication and basking. Basking revolves around claiming a relationship with a celebrity whether false or otherwise. The creation of an avatar filters out the cues that would be found in face to face communication such as body expression and tone making it simple to embellish, decieve or just have fun in an online game! According to Cooper (2007) there are “10 million gamers across the globe.” and the online societies they inhabit have become woth real money "other world's are subject to real money trading (RMT)," (Cooper, 2007). I have experienced this firsthand through addicted gaming friends and even Facebook applications that accept donations for items.
As so many people have so many personal and accesible details online market research is becoming exceedingly easy (I will elaborate in next weeks post as we are presenting on this topic). Viral marketing campaigns have also been succesful, shamed as I am I must admit that I have sent away for an OraBrush with a fellow student after being exposed to the campaign.
Until next time, stay classy world.
Chen, L. C. P. (n.d.). Individual Online Impression Management: Self-Presentation on YouTube.
Cooper, R. (2007). Alter Egos: Avatars and their Creators. 15th May
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