WeeMee
A WeeMee is an animated avatar for AOL Instant Messenger, Skype, Windows Live Messenger and can be exported to Facebook, Twitter and E-mail. It provides homepages that are similar to MySpace or Facebook, along with cartoon-based avatars they can have appear in various chats and game rooms they visit, in their email, on blogs, or on forums. Users customize their WeeMees with trendy clothing, accessories and interests to make each WeeMee unique. [1]
By June 2005 nearly 5 million users had created a personal WeeMee,[2] In October 2006 Iain Bruce of the Sunday Herald reported A new WeeMee being created every 5 seconds,[3] and by April 2008 more than 21 million had been created with more than 600,000 new ones being created each month. As of 2012, there are currently 50 million WeeMees and thousands are being created each day through the main website and the new mobile app "WeeMee Avatar Creator". [4]
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[edit] Background
The avatars were created in 1999 by the then CEO and Founder of Saw-You.com,[5] Mike Kinsella,[6] in Glasgow, Scotland,[7][8] Saw-You.com was founded in 1999.[9] In 2003 Microsoft began offering the avatars for use to their Hotmail customers.[8] The new service attracted 150,000 users during the first day of the avatars being launched, with the WeeMee website attracting 1.5 million hits daily.[8] In 2004 the UK's largest social network, Friendsreunited.com, also introduced the WeeMee to their user base.[10] In December 2008 the virtual technology firm DA agreed to develop a 3-D version of the avatar.[11]
[edit] Avatars
WeeWorld users can create and customize a WeeWorld virtual space and use a customized personal WeeMee avatar to connect with friends, send animated messages, play games and more.[12][13] WeeMee characters can be customized with clothing and accessories from a selection of available choices. [12] The product is targeted toward a teen market.[7] Webuser magazine's review of WeeWorld stated, "Probably the most recognisable of all avatars, WeeMees have great charm."[14]
[edit] References
- ^ Brand Avatar By Alycia de Mesa page 32
- ^ "WeeMee firm gets new CEO from T-Mobile". Net Imperative. June 27, 2005. http://www.netimperative.com/news/2005/06/27/WeeMee_CEO/?searchterm=None. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
- ^ Bruce, Iain S (October 8, 2006). "WeeWorld conquers the planet". Sunday Herald. http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=SUNDHE0020061009e2a800003. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ Takahashi, Dave. "WeeWorld’s WeeMee’s gather momentum". The Standard. http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/04/18/weeworld-s-weemee-s-gather-momentum. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ "Company Details". http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/94c4c631b56d477001d60db5ba455b4f/compdetails. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
- ^ "Patent Document by Founder and Inventor". http://www.freepatentsonline.com/WO2004023336.html. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
- ^ a b Roush, Wade (May 14, 2009). "No Recession in WeeWorld: Teen Socializing Drives Growing Virtual Goods Revenues". Xconomy. http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/05/14/no-recession-in-weeworld-teen-socializing-drives-growing-virtual-goods-revenues/. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
- ^ a b c Muray-Watson, Andrew (September 21, 2003). "Weemee offers chance of virtual fortune". Scotland on Sunday. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/microsoft/Weemees-to-find-homes-.2523120.jp. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
- ^ "WeeMee firm gets investment boost". Net Imperative. March 9, 2005. http://www.netimperative.com/news/2005/03/29/WeeMee_investment/?searchterm=None. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
- ^ "Saw-you.com signs Friends Reunited deal". The Scotsman (Edinburgh). January 5, 2004. http://news.scotsman.com/friendsreunited/Sawyoucom-signs-Friends-Reunited-deal.2491892.jp. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
- ^ "DA develops 3D animated avatars". accessmylibrary.com (New Media Age). December 18, 2003. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-19923008_ITM. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ a b Jackson, Kate (April 12, 2007). "The avatars of style". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2007/04/12/the_avatars_of_style/. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ Cave, Andrew (December 8, 2006). "Why WeeWorld hopes to make it big - Website has the fastest-growing digital identity in the world". telegraph.co.uk (London: The Daily Telegraph). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/sponsoredfeature/2955425/Making-it-work.html. Retrieved May 25, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "WeeWorld Review". http://www.webuser.co.uk/sites/site_review.php?rev_id=3876. Retrieved 2″009-03-26.
[edit] External links
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