VIRTUAL OBJECT TAGGING FOR USE IN MARKETING

• US 20090204907A1
• Filed: 02/13/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Ian D., Finn, Peter G., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Harrison, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A solution for conducting a marketing activity is provided. Activities in a virtual environment are monitored and descriptions of a virtual object involved in the activities are collected. A tag may be assigned to the virtual object based on the characteristic of the activities and/or the descriptions of the virtual object. The tag may be used in marketing activities conducted in relation to the virtual environment.

Claims

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

monitoring an activity in a virtual environment;

assigning a tag to a virtual object involved in the monitored activity based on at least one of;

a characteristic of the activity or a description of the virtual object provided by an avatar; and

conducting a marketing activity based on the tag.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a weight to the description based on a credibility of the avatar providing the description.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the case the tag is assigned based on the description, the tag is determined on a consensus basis from a plurality of descriptions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual object includes a given avatar involved in the activity and the tag is assigned to the given avatar based on a description thereof provided by at least one of:

the given avatar or another avatar involved in the activity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the conducting includes displaying an advertisement to at least one of:

the given avatar in the virtual environment or a user of the given avatar in a physical environment.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the conducting includes awarding an incentive to at least one of:

the avatar or a user of the avatar based on an amount of positive tags assigned to the avatar.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the conducting includes placing an advertisement in a virtual place.

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

means for monitoring an activity in a virtual environment;

means for assigning a tag to a virtual object involved in the monitored activity based on at least one of;

a characteristic of the activity or a description of the virtual object provided by an avatar; and

means for conducting a marketing activity based on the tag.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for assigning a weight to the description based on a credibility of the avatar providing the description.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the assigning means further includes means for determining the tag on a consensus basis from a plurality of descriptions.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the virtual object includes a given avatar involved in the activity and the tag assigning means assigns a tag to the given avatar based on a description thereof provided by at least one of:

the given avatar or another avatar involved in the activity.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the conducting means conducts at least one of:

displaying an advertisement to at least one of;

a given avatar in the virtual environment or a user of the given avatar in a physical environment;

or

placing an advertisement in a virtual place.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the conducting means awards an incentive to at least one of:

an avatar or a user of the avatar based on an amount of positive tags assigned to the avatar.

14. 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 in a virtual environment;

assign a tag to a virtual object involved in the monitored activity based on at least one of;

a characteristic of the activity or a description of the virtual object provided by an avatar; and

conduct a marketing activity based on the tag.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to assign a weight to the description based on a credibility of the avatar providing the description.

16. The program product of claim 14, wherein the virtual object includes a given avatar involved in the activity and the program code is configured to enable the computer system to assign the tag to the given avatar based on a description thereof provided by at least one of:

the given avatar or another avatar involved in the activity.

17. The program product of claim 16, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to display an advertisement to at least one of:

the given avatar in the virtual environment or a user of the given avatar in a physical environment.

18. The program product of claim 16, wherein the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to award an incentive to at least one of:

the avatar or a user of the avatar based on an amount of positive tags assigned to the avatar.

19. The program product of claim 14, wherein in the case the tag is assigned based on the description, the program code is further configured to enable the computer system to determine the tag on a consensus basis from a plurality of descriptions.

20. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code is configured to enable the computer system to place an advertisement in a virtual place.

21. A method for providing a system for conducting a marketing activity, comprising:

at least one of;

creating, maintaining, deploying or supporting a computer infrastructure being operable to;

monitor an activity in a virtual environment;

assign a tag to a virtual object involved in the monitored activity based on at least one of;

a characteristic of the activity or a description of the virtual object provided by an avatar; and

conduct a marketing activity based on the tag.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein in the case the virtual object includes a given avatar involved in the activity, the computer infrastructure is further operable to assign the tag to the given avatar based on a description thereof provided by at least one of:

the given avatar or another avatar involved in the activity.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to display an advertisement to at least one of:

the given avatar in the virtual environment or a user of the given avatar in a physical environment.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to award an incentive to at least one of:

the given avatar or a user of the given avatar based on an amount of positive tags assigned to the avatar.