blurred boundaries

Consider This: Virtual Worlds In Institutional Settings

May 7, 2009 by Amy Jussel 2 Comments

May 7, 2009 See this smiling face? Meet my goddaughter, Lara, who recently turned 12. We gifted her an Elf Island 'virtual world' membership for 'premium content' as part of her B-Day celebration. Why? 1.) It was one of the few things I KNEW she didn't have (living afar and gift-guessing is dicey) 2.) She's a VERY social only child who loves to chat and make new friends 3.) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Branding & Consumerism, Consumerism, Emerging trends & STEM, Interactive Games, Marketing Shaping Youth, Media Literacy, Product Placement, Shaping Youth Tagged With: AAP, ad free, ad-creep, arcade games, blurred boundaries, brand influence, branding, CCFC, commercialism, commercialism in hospitals, commercialism in schools, consumption, Critical-thinking-skills, Disney, doing good, Dora the Explorer, Eco-Childs-Play, Electronic Pacifier, Elf-Island, entertainment industry, follow the money, gaming, gaming addiction, Georgia, GoodQuests, Great Turtle Race, hospital influence, hospitals, Immersive Worlds, infant formula, institutional precedent, institutions, licensed cartoon characters, Liz and Craig Kronenberger, media-literacy, medical marketing, Nationwide Children's Hospital, NCH, OLPC, pediatrics, plant trees, Premium Content, pro-social, schools, subscriber model, video games, Virtual-Worlds, VMK, VW, Wyland