After a series of fits and starts and a nearly four-month delay, Millions of Us, Crayon and Coca Cola finally unveiled the winning Coke Virtual Thirst vending machine idea from their competition held in May. The winner, Ann Marie Mathis (Emerie May in Second Life) was announced back in July and in August, news of Mathis' trip to the West Coast was posted on the MoU blog, however, an early August Q&A session with Mathis was canceled and not rescheduled.

“My trip out to San Francisco was only the beginning of the build process. We had a lot of things to consider such as how the experiences would play out, where they would live, and narrowing down prize choices,” said Mathis, a creative director specializing in interactive and emerging media. “Plus everyone involved, Millions-of-Us, Crayon and Coca-Cola client wanted to make sure we were doing it right. Right for SL and right for the Coca-Cola brand. I'd prefer to think of the time we spent on the project was all about planning and perfecting the final result.”

At the unveiling, Coca-Cola representative Michael Donnelly (Mickey Douhet in SL), Director of Global Interactive Marketing, explained the company's strategy of “listening” to experts on SL to learn how to go in-world with respect for the people and economy of Second Life. Entries on the Virtual Thirst Pavilion were taken from consumers – not just Second Lifers – to come up with a virtual vending machine of the future that would dispense experiences, not beverages.

Mathis submitted two entries to the competition seeking ideas for virtual reality experiences that would be offered through Coca-Cola branded in-world vending machines.

“The first one was a long and elaborate plan for an island. It actually took me quite a bit of time,” Mathis said. "I submitted the second one not expecting it to win because that one didn't take a fraction of the time the other entry took. But it was a simple and fun idea, so I figured why not submit it.”

The winning entry was an enormous pink Coke puzzle bottle that residents can play with and solve like a Rubik's Cube. There will be 13 different vending machines of the future throughout the metaverse. Each bottle gives an “experience” after the puzzle is solved and a transferable prize. The puzzle also gives you SLURLs to find other bottles to solve. The bottle at the unveiling dispenses an immersive virtual snow globe experience with snow, penguins and ice-fishing.

As a creative director, Mathis said she is used to overseeing a vision and collaborating with partners and clients.

“She was more than a winner – she was a driving force bringing her concepts to reality,” said Donnelly when he introduced Mathis at the unveiling.

“It's what I do every day,” Mathis said. “But meeting