Premium Content

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

Elf Island GoodQuest: Stimulus Package That Helps Polar Bears!

March 2, 2009 by Amy Jussel 19 Comments

Mar. 2, 2009 Talk about a two-fer: A great deal AND a great cause! Elf Island has put forth a brilliant triple-play “stimulus package” where kids can have fun gaming, help REAL nonprofits make a difference in the world and LEARN about climate change to boot. Wow. A healthy media venue with no ads, a safe tween hub, and a philanthropic mindfulness message for a $27.95 annual … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Emerging trends & STEM, Interactive Games, Marketing Shaping Youth, Media Literacy, Positive Picks, Pro-Social & Positive Picks, Shaping Youth Tagged With: climate change, Dr. Tim Foresman, Elf-Island, Environment, Global Warming, GoodQuests, Green.com, ice floes, Izzy-Neis, Kids, Last Little Polar Bear, Lindsay Fincher, Mirrored Gaming, Moshi Monsters, NCLI, online communities, paygate virtual worlds, Polar Bear International, polar bears, Premium Content, Rebecca Newton, Sifaka World, Stimulus Plan, Subscription Models, tiered content, tweens, virtual polar bears, Virtual-Worlds