ArcelorMittal in Second Life

The biggest global steel producer, Netherlands ArcelorMittal, yesterday (17.07.2008, authors note) made its first virtual general meeting. Through the Internet game Second Life, the company tried to call young shareholders in age from 20 to 40 years.

In reality, the general meeting held in Luxembourg. In the virtual world, however, shareholders from around the world have the opportunity to talk directly with the head of the company Lakšmí Mittal.

It was only necessary to fee-register the game and create a so-called avatar, a figure through which individual shareholders communicate with the surroundings.

"I welcome the opportunity to speak to shareholders in this form on the prospects of our company," said head of the steel company Mittal Lakšmí. "The combination of physical and virtual meeting proves that we depend on the individual shareholders," he added.

Unlike traditional meeting to come out of this one-third cheaper, because in the virtual world do not need cocktails or biscuits. Participants in the debate to visit the web chat room, auditorium or sit in a cafe in the open. They could ask right now in three languages - English, French and Spanish.

Everybody could enter into the debate. "However, if the figure of participant, for example, takes off your dress to nudity or it is vulgar, it will be fired from the meeting," said the Wall Street Journal author of the idea of on-line meeting Julien Onillon.

If this action proves successful, ArcelorMittal activities "outside reality" will be extended and its shares will sell here. Second Life has its own currency, convertible for U.S. dollars, and so there can also earn.

The game plays now over 14 million people.

There is also in SL the virtual shop of the Nike. For domestic companies (Czech Republic, author’s note) in the online world operates banking house of J&T, the Czech Radio and Staropramen brewery.

Source: Economic Newspaper (Hospodarske noviny, Czech Republic)