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 Technology News | June 2008 
Tongue-in-Cheek Clothing Sold Virtually and in Real World
 PRNewswire
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| | For more information about NaCo go to the company's Web site at USAnaco.com. | | |
San Mateo, Calif. - Makena Technologies, creator of the popular social virtual world There.com, today announced a partnership with NaCo USA, the authentic Latino clothing brand that targets consumers through funny and irreverent bilingual slogans and culturally relevant designs. The partnership aims to reach the 19.5 million US Hispanics online as well as non-US Latin Americans, many of which have already started to migrate to There.com. In 2006, children under the age of 18 accounted for 20.3% of the US population, many of which still remain elusive to many marketers.
In Mexican Spanish, naco is a derogatory slang word used to describe tackiness, but NaCo has reinterpreted the term through their clothing to describe a self-assured style that disregards what others think is cool. NaCo and There.com have created a specialty catalog in-world that will include nine pieces of unique merchandise for members to buy and wear virtually, with the availability to purchase real-world merchandise as well.
"Because of There.com's demographic mix, the platform is a perfect fit for us to engage and connect with our target audience. We believe There.com's Hispanic audience will understand and appreciate our brand," said Edoardo Chavarin, NaCo's Founder and Chief Creative Officer. "Our customers spend a considerable amount of time on social networking sites and we believe that There.com's virtual world is the next evolution for interacting with our customers wherever they may be."
The partnership represents a unique opportunity for both NaCo and There.com to target the Hispanic community currently found in the virtual world and to attract additional Hispanic members. While there is no official measurement of the size of the U.S. Hispanic online market, a recent ComScore study of U.S. Hispanics online estimate the display advertising segment alone may account for around $140 million.
"The Hispanic population in There.com is growing and comprises a very active segment of our community. We've seen an increase in the areas of our world that showcase this cultural influence and there are currently over 15 clubs in There.com that cater specifically to Hispanic audiences," said Michael Wilson, CEO of Makena Technologies. "With our members focused on self-expression and socialization, the fun, offbeat messages on NaCo's clothing offer our audience another unique way to express themselves."
About Makena Technologies, Inc.
Makena Technologies is the parent company of There.com, a fully interactive, 3D online virtual world where members can customize and create their own 3D character, meet and hang out with friends in real-time using voice and text chat, build their own virtual homes, participate in events ranging from car races to paintball to fashion shows and even create and sell their own virtual items. There.com is a safe and exciting "PG-13" environment for ages 13 and up that has something to offer nearly anyone. Makena Technologies has offices in San Mateo, CA and Laguna Beach, CA. For more information, visit http://www.there.com.
About NaCo USA
 The NaCo brand was created in 1998. What started as a hobby of playing off words commonly mispronounced by Latinos, has turned into an internationally known brand of t-shirts, hats, bags and other apparel and accessories. From its offices in Mexico City, Miami and Los Angeles, NaCo sells its products in boutiques, department stores, specialty retailers and through its online store, http://www.surropa.com. The company has produced limited edition lines for events such as the Latin GRAMMY's, MTV Latino Awards, Los Angeles Latino Film Festival, Coachella Music Festival, among many others. NaCo has also entered into successful alliances with internationally recognized brands such as Vans, Mun2, MySpace Latino and Coca Cola. For more information about NaCo go to http://www.usanaco.com/presentation or visit the company's Web site at http://www.usanaco.com. |
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