Spending a digital night at Habbo Hotel

If you're in online marketing (and even if you're not), chances are you're no stranger to Hyves, SecondLife or YouTube and what they mean to businesses. But perhaps you're not yet familiar with the new kid on the block, Habbo Hotel. Create an online account for the digital hotel, check in and get ready for the twist: to play along with the game, you have to purchase 'credits'.

 

Credits are bought by phone, after which they can be spent on all sorts of things that facilitate your stay at Habbo Hotel. Decorate your hotel room, enter digital activity rooms, dress up your character and make new friends at the hotel. Habbo's hyped little world has especially caught on among young visitors.

 

Early August 2007, Postbank launched a special room in the hotel: a Bizznizz Lounge. This comes as an addition to their already existing Bizznizz Trade Fair. Users compete with trade fair stalls to win furniture for their hotel rooms. The new Bizznizz Lounge is meant as a more private place, either for meetings or just general lounging – business or pleasure.

 

With the Bizznizz Lounge, Postbank is targeting the younger demographic. Habbo's young visitors are potential clients and through the hotel, Postbank is preparing these visitors for financial business. Kids can earn credits from Postbank by doing digital chores, such as watching over pets or starting their own little businesses. Postbank tries to actively support parents in teaching kids how to deal with money.

 

According to Postbank, the integrated rooms of Habbo are a big success. While SecondLife's all but forgotten, perhaps Habbo could prove a more interesting digital world.