CONDUCTING MARKETING ACTIVITY IN RELATION TO A VIRTUAL WORLD BASED ON MONITORED VIRTUAL WORLD ACTIVITY

• US 20090063168A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Finn, Peter G., Hughes, Ian, Hamilton, Rick A. II, Seaman, James W.
• Application Number:
  US11/846,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063168A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for conducting a marketing activity are disclosed. An activity of an avatar in a virtual world is monitored and a key word is extracted from the monitored activity. A marketing activity is determined based on the extracted key word.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a marketing activity, the method comprising:

monitoring an activity of an avatar in a virtual environment; and

conducting a marketing activity based on the monitored activity of the avatar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conducting includes obtaining a key word based on the monitored activity and determining a marketing activity based on the key word.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the key word obtaining includes obtaining a first key word directly based on the monitored activity and obtaining a second key word based on the first key word.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity is a communication conducted by the avatar.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting the marketing activity based on a virtual environment context of the monitored activity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting information regarding a user of the avatar in a physical environment and using the physical environment information together with the virtual environment activity in conducting a marketing activity.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising developing a new marketing plan based on the monitored activity.

8. A system for conducting a marketing activity, the system comprising:

means for monitoring an activity of an avatar in a virtual environment; and

means for conducting a marketing activity based on the monitored activity of the avatar.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for obtaining a key word based on the monitored activity and means for determining a marketing activity based on the key word.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the key word obtaining means obtains a first key word directly based on the monitored activity and obtains a second key word based on the first key word.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the activity is a communication conducted by the avatar.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the conducting means conducts the marketing activity based on a virtual environment context of the monitored activity.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the monitoring means further collects information regarding a user of the avatar in a physical environment and the conducting means uses the physical environment information together with the virtual environment activity in conducting a marketing activity.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for developing a new marketing plan based on the monitored activity.

15. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium comprising:

computer usable program code which, when executed by a computer system, enables the computer system to;

monitor an activity of an avatar in a virtual environment; and

conduct a marketing activity based on the monitored activity of the avatar.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to obtain a key word based on the monitored activity and determine a marketing activity based on the key word.

17. The program product of claim 16, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to obtain a first key word directly based on the monitored activity and obtain a second key word based on the first key word.

18. The program product of claim 15, wherein the activity is a communication conducted by the avatar.

19. The program product of claim 15, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to conduct the marketing activity based on a virtual environment context of the monitored activity.

20. The program product of claim 15, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to collect information regarding a user of the avatar in a physical environment and to use the physical environment information together with the virtual environment activity in conducting a marketing activity.

21. The program product of claim 15, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to develop a new marketing plan based on the monitored activity.

22. A method for generating a system for conducting a marketing activity, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

monitor an activity of an avatar in a virtual environment; and

conduct a marketing activity based on the monitored activity of the avatar.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to obtain a key word based on the monitored activity and determine a marketing activity based on the key word.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to obtain a first key word directly based on the monitored activity and obtain a second key word based on the first key word.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the activity is a communication conducted by the avatar.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to conduct the marketing activity based on a virtual environment context of the monitored activity.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to collect information regarding a user of the avatar in a physical environment and to use the physical environment information together with the virtual environment activity in conducting a marketing activity.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to develop a new marketing plan based on the monitored activity.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein a service provider at least one of creates, maintains, deploys and supports the computer infrastructure that performs the operations of claim 22.