Marketing Real World Products to Virtual World Avatars

[Kristijntje]

The real-world marketing potential of online [Game] worlds is suggested by the active virtual commerce that already takes place within them...

Some avatar entrepreneurs, most notably fashion designers and land speculators, have been so successful that their creators have quit real-life jobs to focus on their virtual-world businesses. Linden Lab says that more than 3,000 people earn real-world money from their Second Life businesses, averaging $20,000 a year—a number skewed upward by the handful of residents who generate six-figure incomes in real-world dollars...

The combination of robust virtual-world commerce and the growing overlap of virtual worlds and the real world suggests opportunities for creative real-world marketers. So far, there have been few instances of real-world products being sold in virtual worlds to real-world users for delivery to their real-world addresses. But there have been some interesting brand-building experiments. In the Sims Online, McDonald’s installed virtual fast-food kiosks, complete with automated employees working at the counter and able to serve up (free) virtual burgers and fries to residents who made their selections from a clickable menu..

full article: http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbrsa/en/iss...tml?type=F

[mandy]

A related article:

The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek have all lauded the wonders of Second Life. They write of the burgeoning traffic and "real world" money that can be made in Second Life, a 3D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. While the world of Second Life is the most talked about 3D virtual world at this juncture, it is important to note that there are many companies entering this space (including Google), and it is important for cutting edge marketers to focus on the 3D web as a concept. ..

As with all emerging platforms, it takes time to understand and quantify the value proposition inherent and unique to that platform. Unfortunately, due diligence and deep pockets alone will not result in an effective Second Life initiative. Forward-thinking marketers are more likely to realize the true potential of Second Life (and the 3D virtual web space at large) and leverage it to add value to their brand(s). A definitive formula for a successful Second Life campaign has not yet been defined, or even fully exemplified. However, many marketers are already planting the seeds for winning initiatives...

full article: http://imediaconnection.com/content/13152.asp

[BellisimaJ.]

I think it is very possible that utilizing the technologies which make the 3-D virtual worlds possible, could be a big thing in ecommerce going forward---web 3.0?

In so far as marketing in the gamer's world, that would probably be very cost prohibitive for the small ecommerce owner.