How an art school graduate became the creator of a viral ad for a Second Life brand

This flashy montage machinima may look like a big-budget ad for Second Life (and it’s certainly more dazzling than the actual ad Linden Lab paid for in 2021), but it’s actually more interesting than that.

It’s a showreel advertisement Created by recent art school graduate Teal Aurelia, the premier metaverse brand within the Second Life economy has been spreading rote praise for SL artists throughout the community over the past year.

Since then, she has grown into a video commercial producer for the Second Life brand that aligns with her aesthetic focus.

"Actually, I’m here to photograph monsters, magic and rebellious women." As Teal told me. "I usually receive commissions from brands that fit that kind of cinematic visuals, so rather than trying to film what the brand wants to express, it’s just a process of interweaving their work with my own."

Put another way, the most-watched Second Life machine right now is an advertisement for Teal’s Second Life brand. According to a rough count across her main social media channels (Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, etc.), the ad has received well over 100,000 views. Although her client did not share follow-up sales figures. "Most of my clients come back to me requesting multiple commissions." she says "So do I take that as a good sign?"

Some of Second Life’s top brands, those generating more than $1 million a year, have even offered to hire her full time as their advertising director. "It’s surprising that anyone would ask me that, but I think the success of my videos so far is because I work alone and make what I love."

If there was any company that would actually employ her full-time, it would probably have to be Linden Lab itself, but that’s just me. In any case, the success of her video ad shows the importance of content advertising based on the Metaverse platform. out A platform spanning the entire social media ecosystem.

Here’s a look at some of the latest popular ads, along with some additional insight into Teal’s creative approach.

"No one wants to see an ad, and telling a story is more powerful than selling a product. Whenever I start a new video, I open Spotify and listen carefully to the music. Then somehow the songs will bring out heroes and villains and battlefields. Of course, I always keep the brand in mind, but just as perfume ads sell sophistication over scent, my videos try to sell drama over mesh."

Dura | Never Cyborg | last name | @accessevent_sl pic.twitter.com/WuqMUG6HBw

— Teal Aurelia (@teal_aurelia) November 6, 2023

"Because I am an independent artist with a unique style, the brands I work with purchase my work from start to finish. We check to see if there are specific things to include in the video (male/female avatars, etc.), but we rarely ask for feedback on the concept. The brands I work with are also busy being creative people and understand the difference between hiring a cameraman and hiring a filmmaker."

Find Teal Aurelia on Facebook and connect with her on most social media channels.