BIN WEEVILS, A “SECOND LIFE” EXPERIENCE FOR CHILDREN

9th April 2010, London – Imagine a world controlled by children, where they can do what they want, when they want with the friends they choose from anywhere in the world! BinWeevils, the 3D Online Entertainment Platform, has launched a new version, using feedback and demands from its 2 million registered 7-13-year-olds. This new world allows children to take control in a way similar to Second Life, but in a safe and monitored environment. The launch is supported by a digital and social media marketing campaign, involving a new blog where children can interact with the brand, as well as a presence on key social media platforms, alongside a viral campaign on YouTube.

Responding to the revolution in the online games industry, where four out of five kids use the Internet for playing games and social networking, BinWeevils allows children to create an avatar (BinWeevil) for free, make friends, play games, watch TV shows and cartoons, read book previews in an online library and enter competitions.

Taking on a new identity, users need to survive in the Bin by staying fit, fed and financed. To do so children must build on their social skills and rely on one another to complete missions, tasks and maintain virtual jobs. In return they earn “Mulch” (virtual currency) to spend in the Shopping Mall where they can grab a bite to eat or visit one of many stores to pick up a new state of the art remote control helicopter for their “BinNests” (virtual homes).

Users can connect and communicate with others through save and moderated live chat, visits to other BinNests (homes), or the official new BinWeevils blog. “I find BinWeevils to be a fantastic opportunity for my daughter to communicate with her friends and have fun in a safe online environment”, explains Lucy Harper, parent of a 11-year-old child. “The chat function on the site is a great way for her to make friends, giving her the confidence and comfort of chatting behind her BinWeevil avatar.”

Stimulating children’s imagination, BinWeevils encourages users to explore new areas within its BinScape – to travel to a virtual island, to buy and design virtual homes, or create their own businesses. In a world where children are treated like adults, they are giving an opportunity to build their world the way they like it – fun and colourful, where the sky is hardly the limit.

A core part of BinWeevils’ philosophy is to educate children in aspects of life such as healthy eating and staying active while exercising their minds with daily quizzes. Children are encouraged to nurture their BinWeevils by feeding them regularly, keeping them fit with a variety of exercises, and helping them stay happy through various activities. “It is a fact that children learn better through play, this is why BinWeevils uses its 3D Online Entertainment Platform to “edutain”, a mixture of education and entertainment, to help establish valuable life skills for our users”, explains Myke Crosby, Director at BinWeevils.

Tapping into a child’s “dream” of being famous and popular amongst friends, BinWeevils gives users a chance to run their own magazine or photo studio. Being a journalist within the BinScape is challenging but rewarding for users. “Reading the virtual children’s magazines, we’ve been amazed by their creativity and writing skills”, says Myke Crosby. Children are also able to decorate their own disco clubs to share the fun. They are able to host DJ parties for their friends, to meet new BinWeevils and to socialise in a safe environment.