IRS Saves Millions by Using Second Life to Market Its Employment Opportunities

In 2008, the IRS project team established a presence in the Second Life virtual world with the goal of exploring the potential use of this environment for recruitment and training purposes. The team has created the IRS Careers Island and constructed a sky platform with an IRS Careers Center and an IRS Education Center. A number of building design configurations have been tested. A number of education and entertainment features have also been built to attract residents to the simulation (sim). All basic construction has been completed and the sim has been opened to the general population in Second Life since February 2009.

Nearly identical to brand marketing in the physical world marketplace, brand marketing in the SL virtual world involves placing brand messaging in high traffic venues. Unlike the physical world, the IRS has actually built its own venue that provides excellent marketing opportunities.

In the physical world, the IRS could spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions, on sponsoring a race car that displays their brand in a field of thirty or more other cars. In the SL virtual world, the IRS has spent a few thousand dollars to build complete entertainment and communications venue that includes a race course.