Diabetes UK opens new HQ in Second Life

IT | 1 Dec 2008

Diabetes UK has launched its ‘Silent Assassin’ campaign with the opening of a new state-of-the-art building - in a virtual 3D world.

The charity chose Second Life, the alternative reality internet world which boasts 15 million residents globally, to raise awareness about the risks and seriousness of diabetes and to promote a healthier lifestyle.

‘Beware the Silent Assassin’ is an ongoing project that began in October with virtual campaign posters being hung in and around the charity’s headquarters in Manchester Island, Second Life.

In line with the virtual world’s technological advances, posters enable users or their avatars to teleport themselves to the Diabetes UK virtual building where further information about the initiative or charity can be obtained.

Graeme Manuel, the Diabetes UK web editor, said: "People now get their information from more diverse sources and so it’s vital we expand our communications channels to mirror this and better reach our target groups."

The Second Life aspect of the campaign was designed by digital agency cScape. A spokesperson said the cost was a "small percentage of the awareness budget, which most charities could afford".

Pages of the campaign have also gone live on Facebook, Bebo and MySpace while a campaign e-newsletter has been sent to 15,000 people. A microsite www.diabetes.org.uk/SilentAssassin built by web solutions company Chameleon Net is also supporting the campaign.

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