AOL is getting into the virtual worlds market, although not (as yet) with its own world. Instead, it's signed a content deal with virtual world Planet Cazmo. The deal will see content from AOL's KOL site featured in Planet Cazmo as virtual goods, as well as a racing mini-game with KOL characters and branding. The two companies will also be cross-promoting on each others' sites, and there'll be a Planet Cazmo widget on the KOL site.
It’s a year-long deal, which sounds like AOL is dipping its toes in the virtual waters to see how effective this kind of campaign is. “This partnership is about more than just linking to each others’ sites,” says KOL’s programming director Stephanie Cohen. “By working with Planet Cazmo, we have the opportunity to improve the experiences on both sites for our young Internet users.”
The demographics certainly match, since both KOL and Planet Cazmo target tweens and teens. Could it herald a deeper move into virtual worlds for KOL (and AOL) in 2009? This deal certainly makes such a possiblity more likely, assuming AOL is pleased with the return on its campaigns within Planet Cazmo.
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