GMOOT and the Folly of Crowds

Several people have told me over the last few years: "Steve, you never met a technology you didn't like." That's fair. There have been a few. But for the most part, they're right. Nick Denton is one of those people. He makes fun of my wide-eyed enthusiasm for Second Life.

That said, I don't sit in the camp that every new gizmo is right for every client. We work hard to match the clients' needs up with the right solution. Sometimes they come in asking about a blog. We think about their situation and often show them another approach that is better suited for their goals and audience. That's the way marketing consultants work.

However, there is definitely a problem in this Web 2.0, enthusiastically charged time we live in. Scott Donaton at AdAge calls it GMOOT - short for "get me one of those." That's the cry that marketers often hear from their executives. They get wind that their competitors have viral videos so then they want one too. It's the opposite of the Wisdom of Crowds.

GMOOT was the first thing that popped into my head when I read this AP story about the gold rush to grab land in Second Life. Again, I love Second Life. Our company has an island in the metaverse for many months now. Nevertheless, I wonder just how many consultants are selling Second Life to marketers without thinking it all the way through. They simply are aiming to please. They're giving the customer what they asked for.

The facts are clear, however, who is on Second Life and who isn't. For example, it's common knowledge that you need a computer with a fair amount of horse power to run it. I don't think a lot of Moms are on it. I could be wrong, but that's my gut based on the data I have seen.

Eventually Second Life and other virtual worlds will run in a browser, thanks to technologies like Apollo, WPF, Ajax, etc. That's when it will really take off and reach a much broader audience than it does today.