Patent ID: 8719077

Claim:
A method of cross-promoting real objects in a real world and virtual objects in a virtual world, the method comprising: receiving a notification that a first participant of the virtual world has purchased a real object; in response to receiving the notification, providing, to the first participant, a redemption code; receiving, from the first participant of the virtual world, the redemption code, wherein the first participant is represented by a first avatar in the virtual world; providing, to the first participant, a virtual object that is a virtual replica of the real object purchased by the first participant and corresponding to the redemption code such that the first avatar gains possession and ownership of the virtual object in the virtual world; providing, from the first participant to a second participant of the virtual world, access to the virtual object in the virtual world, wherein the second participant is represented by a second avatar in the virtual world, and the second participant accesses the virtual object in the virtual world by utilizing the second avatar to interact with the virtual object in the virtual world; upon providing, from the first participant to the second participant, access to the virtual object, receiving, by a computer, from the second participant, a request of information regarding the real object in a real world, the second participant utilizing the second avatar to transmit the request via the virtual object while interacting with the virtual object; upon receiving the request via the virtual object, providing, to the second participant and via the virtual object, the information regarding the real object; providing, to the second participant and via the virtual object, an interface to purchase the real object via the virtual object; receiving, from the second participant and via the interface, payment to purchase the real object; and upon receiving the payment, providing the redemption code to the second participant.