M by Mariah Carey joins with Ford Models and MTV to launch the "Virtual Ford Model Search", a campaign to find the new face of MTV's Virtual Hills (a virtual world based on the network's show, The Hills):

The campaign is designed to appeal to a generation of young, aspiring consumers who take their online persona as seriously as their real-world presence...

Beginning Monday, viewers can go to vmodelsearch.mtv to create their own customized avatar, which they'll use on their quest to become the world's first-ever virtual model. Participants will experience opportunities to "meet" in-world with a roster of Ford Models' experts who will provide invaluable beauty and styling tips on everything from fashion, skincare, hair, and makeup -- of which all can apply to the real world. Viewers are then given a virtual bottle of M by Mariah Carey -- complete with a spray animation -- along with a Ford Models portfolio book to carry throughout the virtual world.

[...] At the heart of the campaign is a series of events in early January, in which models will be asked to show off their virtual acting capabilities by posing with the bottle and acting out a commercial for the fragrance. They will also be asked to walk a virtual runway and compete in a virtual dance contest. Representatives from Ford Models, Elizabeth Arden and MTV will conduct the judging.

Three finalists will be chosen by an expert panel on January 14, 2008. The winner -- as determined by viewer votes -- will be announced on-air on January 31, 2008.

(via prnewswire)