Brunoo Loon Spends L$ Spacebux Fortune on Ads
by Alphaville Herald on 12/04/09 at 5:01 pm
Half million L$s to buy top spots in Second Life classified ads
by Alessandra Narayan
Look at SL’s search engine and you’ll find three or four companies spending 500’000$L per week in advertising, or around 2000$USD. Whether this should be considers a large or small fortune depends on your point of view, but in any case 500’000$L is a considerable sum.
To better understand the psychology of the big spenders, I interviewed Brunoo Loon, owner of Eish – a store dedicated to sneakers, caps, the IPod MP4 portable player and many other things.
My hope was to learn why Mr. Loon is investing so much money advertising his company instead of cashing it out into real life or donating a part to charity. The answers? Inconclusive. The best explanation? “Being in SL just for fun”, according to Brunoo Loon.
For many readers, Mr. Loon’s approach may seem odd, especially as financial misery seems to be growing all over the world with a real life fiscal crisis that’s affecting the pocketbooks of nearly everyone – but not everyone can be Brunoo Loon.
Alessandra Narayan (AN) – How can anyone spend so much money in advertising?
Brunoo Loon (BL) – I spend that money with intention to pass Eish! word over Second Life Residents, like other shop owners do.
AN – I asked how not why. Everyone realizes you spend lots of money to advertise your store in the top spots. Anyway, your shop and others must have a big income, correct?
BL – Well, I had better days in my business, but not that bad. I win as many designers on SL win. I can’t compare my business with some famous shops on SL. I just take risks. Advertising is very important in the market so that people know about your shop.
AN – Do you invest money for advertising from your real life pocket or does that money come from the store's profit?
BL – Just SL cash.
AN – And is it a one man's business or do you have employees working for you?
BL – I work alone, don’t have people working for me.
AN – If business goes bad you feel the need to invest more or you just invest in advertising to get more clientele and raise your profits?
BL – I just don’t care, I’m here for fun, I take SL like as a creative way to express myself. If goes bad, goes bad, shit happens.
AN – Why don't you turn that money into real money and save it to your account? You don't need it? Are you wealthy/rich in RL?
BL – I’m fine with my RL. And I’m not rich.
AN – So, you don't need this money? Although 2000 dollars is a lot of cash, right?
BL – 2000 dollars is a lot of cash, I just don’t care about money, I’m happy with the cash I win working in RL.
AN – Have you donated money for charity events or did you ever think about it?
BL – No, but I think on it many times … I just hope to get success someday on SL and I will be proud to have possibilities to invest help.
AN – 500'000$L of profit to reinvest in advertising isn't success?
BL – No, when makes someone broken each time reinvest on advertising.
Questionable At Best
Apr 12th, 2009
Pardon me, But this person only has a 50L$ classifieds placement, and doesn’t even exist on SLX – Are you *sure* HE spent 500K L$ on advertisement….
markbyrn
Apr 13th, 2009
If you’re going to sanctimoniously emote about giving to charity and hyperbolate about financial misery growing all over the world, why don’t you lead the way by not ‘wasting’ any further time pontificating about virtual play worlds, and instead volunteer at the local soup kitchen? Who cares if he wants to spend ridiculous amounts on advertising, the money isn’t gong to waste – Linden Lab takes the money and uses it to improve and maintain infrastructure, pay their bills and pay their employees so they can put food on the table. On the other hand, maybe he’s not really paying that kind of cash and he’s either found a way to hack the classifieds (see JIRA SVC-2641; classifieds still appear in search despite insufficient lindens to cover fee) or he’s a shill. So instead of doing the pious editorializing act, do some Channel 9 investigative reporting.
Eriko
Apr 13th, 2009
Obscene is the first word that comes to my mind after reading this. If there is even a little truth to this story, I have to say it is obscene to throw away $2000 a week, just for the fun of it. With all the need in the world, not to mention the current economy, this is just idiotic. I can only believe there is a lot more to it than, “just for fun”. And I really do not believe anyone is making so much money in SL that, “they don’t care about the money”. There is obviously a more to this story.
Eva Ryan
Apr 13th, 2009
It’s a scam.. read about it here: http://forums.secondlife.com/showthread.php?t=270710
Jumpman Lane
Apr 13th, 2009
it’s his money! he can do w/e he wants to with it. Mummy says only poor people worry about money. once again she is right!
Darien Caldwell
Apr 13th, 2009
Lindens have no intrinsic value, so they aren’t throwing away $2000 dollars a week. No more than someone who farms gold in WoW is throwing money away when they buy a Purple Sword for 500 gold. SL is a game to many, and I see nothing wrong with them playing it as they see fit.
And I have to echo MarkByrn’s sentiments to a point, classifieds aren’t paying LL money directly, they are a sink to the overall SL economy however, and do realize LL some profit. LL is probably one of the most worthy charities I know of. 
Orion
Apr 13th, 2009
Gee, $1000 purchase and $300 / month for a sim. Then add $2000 / week in advertisements? Seeing as how you can rent a billboard on the side of a busy highway for $300 / month RL I’d say that’s a pretty big rip off. Here’s a tip, try Google ads. For around $20 / month you get all the targeted advertising anyone could want!
LOL
Apr 14th, 2009
@Eva Ryan
Yeah it’s a scam, I remember reading that post, as well as the Jira for it.
http://forums.secondlife.com/showthread.php?t=270710
http://jira.secondlife.com/browse/SVC-2641?
Both posts are VERY INTRESTING as well, the Jira was created 13/Jul/08 and has been open since then. Guess thats the nature of a video game, some people will play fair and have fun, while others will use cheat codes and ruin it for everyone.
janeforyou Barbara
Apr 14th, 2009
@ Orion
”
“Here’s a tip, try Google ads. For around $20 / month you get all the targeted advertising anyone could want!
Plz IM me in world SL, i need some help on this thanks
hah
Apr 14th, 2009
A better and more pertinent question for Mr Loon might be whether he can afford the legal fees if he gets DMCAed by all the RL companies whose trademarks he’s infringing (Apple, Sony, Nintendo, Adidas)…
chris
Apr 17th, 2009
IF hes really using those TMs and making illegal stuff, then SUE HIM. SUE LL for taking his lousy 2k a week TOO>
FREAKIN GIANT SCAM YOU ALL ARE DOING ON FOLKS!!!
foo
Apr 19th, 2009
seems like illegaly selling mp3s in sl is quite profitable.