Buildabearville.com to Feature Hannah Montanna Footage; Launch In-World Boutique Tied to Physical Store

In order to purchase behind-the-scenes footage of Hannah Montana's Best of Both Worlds tour and view it in-world at  Buildabearville.com's Pawforming Arts Center, users will still have to visit physical stores from April 15-May 15. The stuffed animal-themed virtual world launched a campaign with a similar model in February, tying in-world currency and shopping to actual purchases at brick and mortar stores. The footage  (and a virtual guitar) costs $15, but shoppers can also pick up a $12 CD/DVD set of concert highlights, pushing the connection between virtual and physical purchases even further.

Likewise, when Buildabearville.com launches the online Bear Boutique in its Town Square, users will be able to buy exclusive clothing, accessories, and furniture for their furry friends, but only by first visiting a Build-a-Bear Workshop store to purchase the corresponding codes.

"While citizens are able to buy items in other areas of the world, they will only be able to access these unique fashions and accessories in the Bear Boutique with credits earned by shopping in our stores," added Clark. "We are excited to add this new feature for our loyal Guests and to further build the connection between our real world stores and the virtual world experience."

It's an experience that runs counter to Mattel's recent decision to focus on developing content for BarbieGirls.com instead of corresponding toys.

As Charles Scothon, General Manager & SVP Girls Mattel Brands, put it, "They liked [the physical side], but at the end of the day it was about unlocking that content."

Mattel saw the process of selling a toy to unlock a virtual item as a "two-step process." It complicated the real goal of creating and allowing users to access a compelling online experience. 

For Build-a-Bear, though, the point is the opposite. It wants real and virtual crossover. The company touts itself as "the only retail company that offers its Guests both a real world and virtual world interactive experience. "

And the numbers say that fans like the experience: the virtual world hit 1 million users a month after its December launch, claimed 2 million users in March, and now boasts "nearly 3 million online characters."

There's obviously room for different business models in virtual worlds. As  more and more toy companies look to integrate real and virtual play, I'll be particularly interested to see where the dividing (or uniting) line between the two sits.

Comments

[paty]

i need money codes and anyonther codes..
e mail me at nerifamilia@yahoo.com