A 27 year old man in the UK is selling his imaginary friend on eBay. His reason for selling? He says he's finally grown out of him. The imaginary friend is described and friendly and somewhat of a player. The seller currently has 14 bids.
Implications - The interesting imaginary friend is named Jon Malipieman. The eBay seller has included a small list of information about his imaginary friend for the winner which states his likes, dislikes and favorite things to do. The man also states that the winner will receive his imaginary friend's self portrait. People are probably bidding just to satisfy their curiosity! Curiosity will definitely get the best of people sometimes and in this situation, that's probably the case!
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Imaginary Friend Market
- Creating a market for imaginary friends that caters to individuals who crave companionship but may not have the capacity to form real relationships.
- Imagination-based Entertainment
- Developing innovative forms of entertainment that promote imaginary worlds, characters and stories to foster imaginative play and creativity.
- Digital Friendships
- Designing platforms that use artificial intelligence to create virtual friendships that offer companionship, advice and guidance to individuals who may feel lonely or isolated.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Social Media
- By designing a feature for Facebook and other social media platforms to create imaginary Friends, there exists a possibility that it may open a unique and unexplored market.
- Toys & Games
- Toys and games designers could create imaginative and interactive products that allow children and adults to engage with imaginary friends and foster their creativity.
- Mental Health Services
- Incorporating digital tools and programs in mental health treatment that utilizes virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence to create virtual companions that support the healing process.
