Involve, Inc. and Strategy Analytics Partner; New Program Maximizes Return on Virtual World Investment

Business Wire, March 19, 2008

Emerging Media Impact Assessment Offers On-Ramp into Virtual Space

BOSTON -- Involve, a leader in immersive online experience design, and Strategy Analytics, a leader in research assessing and consumer experiences in digital media, announced today that they have partnered to provide a new program to help companies, schools, health care organizations and non-profits maximize their investment in virtual space.

"As the number of people visiting virtual worlds rapidly approaches 50 million worldwide, the potential for businesses to effectively leverage this emerging medium for communicating, entertaining and informing consumers continues to expand," said Harvey Cohen, President of Strategy Analytics. "Understanding and managing the consumer experience is crucial for any company looking to succeed in the virtual space."

The joint offering from Involve and Strategy Analytics, called the Emerging Media Impact Assessment, offers an on-ramp into virtual space for companies interested in leveraging the unique potential of social media for goals as divergent as marketing patient care, business and academic collaboration. The Involve/Strategy Analytics relationship, unique in the industry, offers clients the strategic insight of a top research company working in the high-tech sector paired with the immersive environment design experience of a leading virtual world developer.

"If businesses and marketers are going to make an entry into virtual space, it's important to do it right," said Drew Stein, CEO of Involve, which has created 3D online experiences for top 10 corporate clients as well as non-profits and schools. "'Right,' in this context, means strategically, aware of all of the potential uses and pitfalls, with an eye towards core business and with metrics to help adjust the goals and approach through out the process."

The Emerging Media Impact Assessment, the first of several joint products planned by the two companies, helps clients look at virtual space and other emerging media in the context of their own resources, business objectives, target audience and the need for integration with their existing marketing and interactive presence. The assessment will provide unprecedented insight regarding how companies can best apply resources to accomplish specific goals.

Strategy Analytics recently issued the first in a series of white papers on virtual worlds, looking at the business drivers in virtual space. An executive summary of Strategy Analytics' findings is available here.

For more information, click here or call Drew Stein at 917-771-0766.

About Strategy Analytics

Strategy Analytics, Inc. - a global research and consulting firm - provides timely insights and strategic business solutions to companies operating at the convergence of information, communications and entertainment technologies. With worldwide headquarters in Boston, MA, and principal offices in England, France and Germany, Strategy Analytics focuses on market opportunities and challenges in the areas of Automotive Electronics & Multimedia, Digital Consumer, Wireless Strategies and Enabling Technologies.

About Involve

Involve, Inc. is a full-service interactive marketing and emerging media company that develops media projects and virtual world presences for corporate, health care, non-profit and academic clients. Involve is an acknowledged innovator in the 3D web space, with an unsurpassed creative vision that is constantly producing immersive experiences, corporate collaborative spaces, engaging events and technologies on the forward edge of virtual world development. Involve's clients include top 100 corporations as well as museums, non-profits, universities and health care companies.