Michael R. Solomon

We used to distinguish between form and function, but in today’s design economy form is function.

What is reality?  Marketers and consumers coexist in a complicated, two-way relationship. It’s often hard to tell where marketing efforts leave off and “the real world” begins. One result of these blurred boundaries is that we are no longer sure where the line that separates this fabricated world from reality begins and ends. Will consumers pay to live in a brand-free environment?

Computer mediated environments like Second Life are not only a new marketing opportunity for corporations, but also a new horizon for educators, policymakers, and non-profits.  Do the promises of these virtual worlds outweigh the pitfalls?