subject: Big bucks in virtual goods [print this page] Big bucks in virtual goods Big bucks in virtual goods
In addition, teenagers are avid buyers of branded goods offered by music performers like hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg, who has made about US$250,000 since mid- 2008 selling items like virtual Dobermans. MTV has a different goal. The network wants to drum up viewership for its 2010 Video Music Awards this month by giving away virtual replicas of celebrity accessories and fashion items, like singer Beyonce's diamond ring in Mall World, a fashion-oriented Facebook application. Some 400,000 people visit the site monthly. Clothing retailer Hennes & Mauritz better known as H&M, is planning a virtual goods campaign to follow its foray in March to MyTown. That campaign showcased its collection of denim and blue garments, called the Blue, and encouraged users to visit an H&M store to buy pieces they liked. The company declined to talk about its new campaign, but during its first effort, some 700,000 MyTown players checked into game locations like hair salons and spas near H&M stores and earned points they could use to acquire branded items. To succeed, branded virtual goods have to be identifiable and have a real world relevance.
