THIS SECOND ISLAND - Members of the World Bank communications team, together with people from This Second Marketing are preparing for World Bank’s second virtual launch of their ‘Doing Business’ Report.

For six years, the World Bank has produced an annual report about business regulations in 181 countries, as well as reports on cities and other localities. They report on countries that have made great strides in improving the regulatory environment, making it easier for business start-ups which can help address problems of poverty in developing countries.

In the current economic environment, where fears of financial turmoil and global recession are grabbing the headlines, smart regulatory reform can help mitigate some of these concerns.

The annual report continues to evolve and future reports may include sections on the infrastructure of various localities, including Internet connectivity which is crucial to taking advantages of sites like Second Life.

The launch in Second Life is part of a larger effort to use social media to promote the work of the World Bank. The World Bank also has blogs and a Facebook group. They are working hard on integrating all of their social media.

For example, a visit to the World Bank space in Second Life reveals kiosks that can not only download reports from the World Bank, but can be used to access the Doing Business Blog and the Doing Business page on Facebook. The Facebook page imports blog entries from the Doing Business Blog and promotes the events in Second Life. There are already nearly three thousand fans of the Facebook page and a couple dozen have signed up for the virtual launch which is listed on the Facebook page.

This illustrates a power of marketing that is too often overlooked in Second Life. The more integrated the marketing campaign is with other social media and with real life events, the more successful the campaign is likely to be in Second Life.

The World Bank is also focusing on making  an interactive environment. The World Bank Space provides a small, cozy space for members of the World Bank team to speak with members of the press or other interested parties in a one-on-one setting. It also provides a larger press suite which will be used for press conferences and a world café where people can gather to discuss the Doing Business report and how they might start businesses in new countries.

The main stage provides a podium, a screen for displaying PowerPoint presentations, and a table for a moderator and an assistant.