Testing Virtual Test Marketing

Marketers are climbing into the virtual world to reach the folks who spend hours per week as avatars.

American Apparel is selling the virtual versions of its clothing in the Second Life world, and will soon use the virtual environment to test market new clothing, according to Adotas.

If you're not a size 4 in real life, you can still "wear" the hottest fashions online, and have the brands in mind the next time you go mall hopping.

While living virtual is not part of my world, I wouldn't be surprised if the companies who have joined the in-game advertising shift also develop virtual representations of their products for use online. For example, Ford could showcase concept cars in games or virtual worlds and build a following for when the cars become real in the following years.