Notorious Beam Team

"Word at the Second Life Community Convention is that virtual world services company Rivers Run Red is about to bring yet another big-name brand into the virtual world of Second Life. This time it’s sneaker maker Adidas Reebok (the two companies merged a year ago), which will come to Second Life with plans to get closer to consumers by leveraging the community and feedback capabilities of the virtual world.

The company plans to reach out to SL residents with products in the virtual world, and by getting feedback on what the Adidas and Reebok brands mean to them. The Adidas catchphrase “Impossible is Nothing,” for instance, will become a means of finding out just what “impossible” means to the SL market segment — where the word has an entirely different meaning from anywhere else. That’s according to a media agency executive involved in the project. Prototype shoes may also be released in the virtual world, and it’s possible that residents may even be able to alter these designs as part of the feedback loop.

The deal sounds like a long-term commitment of 18 months or more, and from what 3pointD hears is one of the biggest virtual world services contracts to date (in dollar terms, that is). More news as it develops. Just as long as I can get a pair of virtual Rod Lavers (green sole, please), I’ll be happy."

From 3PointD.com and Adverlab