Rapper 50 Cent enters virtual world Zwinktopia
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Even in a virtual world on the Internet, teens long to be cool. And what can be cooler than a Ramones T-shirt on your self-styled Web persona?
Zwinktopia, the fashion-conscious virtual community from IAC/InterActiveCorp., is letting major musicians set up shop in its universe, with deals for a boutique from rapper 50 Cent to tout an upcoming album and virtual merchandise from rock bands like the Clash, the Sex Pistols and Slipknot.
The deals mark a first for both the musicians and the growing Zwinktopia community, home to more than 6.5 million registered "Zwinky" users who create and dress Web characters, then use them to interact with friends online.
What started as a game mimicking a child's play with baby dolls has burgeoned into a new business opportunity for entertainment and brands, the next frontier for Web growth after social networks like News Corp.'s MySpace.
Executives involved in the deals said they were still working out the financial model for the business.
"It's the equivalent of sending a marketing team to a new country where there is a new economy," said Chris "Broadway" Romero, creative director of digital media for 50 Cent.
The rapper's virtual store will allow Zwinky members to dress up characters in 50 Cent gear for free and provide a chance to listen to his next album "Curtis," due in September.
A separate locale for bands represented by merchandiser Bravado International Group will charge users for a Ramones T-shirt, or other goods, in the virtual Zwinky currency, known as Zbucks.
Users can win Zbucks by playing online games, but down the road the Web site is expected to offer the opportunity to buy Zbucks with money as well.
Ultimately, Zwinktopia aims to create a marketplace for virtual and real merchandise among one of the most sought-after audiences for advertisers -- teenagers and young adults.
"Our users have asked for everything from fashion brands like Prada and Juicy Couture, as well as more entertainment entities," said Scott Garell, chief executive of IAC's consumer applications and portals division.
"All of this fits into our roadmap where we're going to position ourselves around fashion and lifestyle, with all the clothes and accessories," Garell told Reuters.
A LOT OF FLIRTING
Zwinktopia tends to attract teenage girls and young adults. If that seems like an unlikely target for rappers and hard rock bands, frequent Zwinky user Camille Fleury puts such doubts to rest.
"Everyone online is usually into this punk style, so I have to talk more about that stuff and get more in touch with it," Fleury, 14, said by phone from her home in Lakewood, Colorado. Continued...
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