MTV Grabs Air with Virtual Skate Park Promotion

MTV's virtual skatepark will hook online boarders up to meet, chat, skate and watch on-air episodes of two popular MTV shows.

MTV Networks has added a virtual skate park to its online virtual world and will use the digital hangout to promote two popular skateboarding-themed shows.

Linked to new seasons of the hit shows “Rob and Big” and “Life of Ryan”, the three-dimensional playground adds a grindable collection of ramps, jumps, rails and half-pipes to www.vmtv.com, the virtual world MTV uses to promote a range of franchise programming including Virtual Laguna Beach and the Virtual Video Music Awards.

Visitors to the MTV skatepark will be able to use avatars to navigate the course, join skating teams and enter competitions. They will also be able to watch videos from the “Rob and Big” and “Life of Ryan” shows currently airing on the network and to chat via text or voice. Cast members will make publicized appearances in the space.

The new feature is an extension of MTV Networks’ ongoing tech partnership with Makena Technologies, the company that owns and operates the teen-themed virtual world There.com.

“Building on the success of our current virtual offerings, our work with Makena continues to allow us to create immersive environments to deeply engage viewers with our television programming,” Matt Bostwick, business development senior vice president for MTV Networks’ music and logo group, said in a statement.

For more coverage on interactive marketing