Every year the SEMO exhibition is the most important event in the survey and opinion poll industry in France, and it is an occasion for Repères to meet its clients, prospects and partners.

It is also a fine opportunity to present our latest research in methodological workshops. Whenever possible we try to organise these workshops in partnership with a client who is a user or co-designer of a method.

In recent years we have had the opportunity to present the following innovations at SEMO:

In 2005:

• The creation of the Emotional Monitoring method with Moet Hennessy (renovation of imaginary approaches to the brand)
• The Product Insight method (a qualitative approach that makes it possible to identify by means of a blind test all the “stories” a product conveys)

In 2006:

• The creation of the Home Use Blog with Danone Research, a protocol for real-time testing of prototypes, even disruptive innovation prototypes.
• The PackExpert packaging test that combines quantitative research and the memory expertise of Impact Mémoire (Memory Impact)

In 2007:

• The Blog’in blogosphere watch method in partnership with Ami Software
• The 2.0 approaches: Co-design and Communities

In 2008:

• The Heineken case study on the use of Emotional Monitoring
• Our research with Franck Saunier in the field of Video Studies (integration of non-verbal communication in the research process)

In the same vein, we will have the pleasure of presenting two workshops at SEMO 2009, with clients participating in presenting case studies:

• On Wednesday 4^th November at 3:30 p.m.: The case study of an interactive and prospective co-design experiment, presented by Catherine Roty from CTIFL. This protocol, which we have now used several times in different sectors, makes it possible to generate operational disruptive innovation routes for new products and services. It is based on a collaborative consumer approach, boosted by prospective stimuli designed by the Proâme agency.

• Thursday 5^th November at 3:30 p.m.: A case study on the identification and modelling of product appreciation drivers, presented with Valérie Sarkis from PEPSICO. These studies based on Bayesian networks make it possible to greatly increase the added value of product tests, especially by providing highly operational optimisation recommendations.

Beyond implementing the Co-design process, the purpose of Repères in Second Life is of course to explore these new digital words to gain more knowledge of them and to advise our clients in their marketing strategies in these virtual worlds.

We also want to play an active role in the Second Life community and to participate in its development, namely by disseminating the results of studies we conduct on our own initiative, or by making research organisations benefit at cost price from field studies conducted by our panel of avatars.

It is within such a framework that we are publishing the results of a qualitative study we conducted last year on the perception by the residents of Second Life of the first launches of brands in SL.

The investigation, under the form of an "in world” focus group (via avatars in SL) and in Real Life, concerned the automobile sector which already presented a certain diversity in marketing terms. The aim of the study is to determine the key factors of success for a successful launch in a virtual world.

You may download all of the findings here, which you may also view in a slide presentation below (given the density of the text, I recommend the option “view on slideshare / Full”)

For further details, please contact Emilie Labidoire, project manager at Repères Communities.

| View | Upload your own

The development of virtual worlds about which we regularly communicate is a part of the more global process of the massive integration of digital technology in our reality.

This new reality we are moving towards, where the border between the virtual and reality will become less and less discernable, is sometimes referred to as the metaverse.

In the spring of 2007, a group of experts, researchers and players in the field of virtual worlds published a remarkable study on this subject : the metaverse roadmap overview. The authors identify four leading trends which, through their convergence, lead us to the metaverse:
. Virtual Worlds
. the mirror worlds, the digital reproduction of reality (Cf. Google Earth)
. enhanced reality : the integration of the digital in the real world, for example via enhanced reality glasses (you walk in an Antique site and thanks to these glasses you have a completed view of the buildings instead of the ruins)
. lifelogging, which consists of recording all the events of one’s life on a digital medium.

You will find here the support materials from a talk I gave on this subject at the summer university of a consulting company. In addition to the 4 trends of the Metaverse Roadmap, you will find some elements concerning another change I believe is fundamental: the notion of the enhanced body (exoskeletons, cyborgs and brain-computer links) where, here again, the visions of science-fiction writers are confirmed.

To finish with this theme of the metaverse and immersion, here is a video in which a system for measuring brain waves makes it possible for a person to move his avatar in Second Life mentally:



There are many surprises in store for us.

CB News in partnership with Repères presents an opinion poll conducted among 1085 Second Life residents on their perception of Real Life brands in this universe.

The main thing learnt from the poll was that the presence of RL brands is perceived as positive by a great majority of Second Life residents: 66% believe that the presence of RL brands has a positive impact on SL, whereas 22% believe that RL brands have no impact on SL, and only 11% believe that RL brands have a negative impact on SL. Therefore there is no evidence of any overexposure effect or rejection. On the contrary, the avatars are looking forward to the presence of brands (45% of respondents even want more brands) because they enhance and give more credibility to Second Life:
- they give realism and substance to SL by establishing a link with Real Life,
- they make SL more interesting by increasing the number of residents and thus contribute to a greater permanence of this universe.
On the contrary, the main obstacles have more to do with the fear of spoiling the universe, by being too close to real life or too commercial.

In this context, being present in SL may represent a real opportunity for a brand since beyond the impact of communicating around events linked to the current buzz around SL, the brands can promote RL products and also benefit from the creativity of the avatars by associating them in their innovation processes. The potential of Second Life in the co-creation process is confirmed in this study. The majority of the residents are ready to take part in this type of operation… in exchange for remuneration and visibility. It should be noted that the motivation to take part will be even stronger if the aim is to innovate for a much-liked brand.

Upon analysing the results of the study, it is clear to date, that the brands are still far from having succeeded in exploiting all of their SL potential. For instance no RL brand introduced in SL has succeeded in establishing a strong presence in the minds of residents. According to residents, the RL brands that wish to penetrate SL should offer a sim which:
. associates the philosophy of the universe (namely conviviality, originality and innovation) and the image of the brand
. maintains a link with RL
. is visible, easily spotted
. energises the universe by introducing real added value by offering goods or special offers, by organising events, in a fun manner.

You will find a report on the study here.

For further details, please contact Emilie Labidoire, project manager at Repères Second Life.

Repères Second Life and Pourquoi tu cours are partners of the association Accomplir which has decided to organise a design competition in Second Life for the re-development of the Jardin des Halles in Paris.

This is an extremely interesting example of the application of the principle of socially aware co-creation. This is how Accomplir qualifies its motivation in initiating this approach.

Why are we launching this virtual contest?
Because we love the Halles district, and want to live there pleasantly, in harmony with those who frequent it.
Because the project we are presented with does not satisfy our expectations, which have been clearly expressed, nor does it take into account the surveys previously carried out.
Because we refuse to disavow the official consultation, or challenge the power of the Paris Town Hall, which holds the final decision.
Because it is essential to break the deadlock we have been in for months, and re-establish the urge to demonstrate creativity in les Halles.

We are impatiently looking forward to receiving the projects! (the deadline is 1st June 2007)

The detailed specifications of the competition, the plan of the site and the rules may be consulted on the Repères Second Life site.

Following is the entire press communiqué.