Is beauty in the eye of the mouse holder? 

MTV, Elizabeth Arden and Ford Models announced on Thursday that the trio will launch a campaign to find the world’s first-ever virtual supermodel. The three are teaming up to create “M” by Mariah Carey’s “Virtual Ford Model Search” to find the new face of MTV’s “Virtual Hills.”

Beginning on Monday, viewers can log on to vmodelsearch.mtv.com  (not available until Monday) to create their own customized avatar, which they’ll use on their quest to become the world’s first-ever virtual model. Participants will have opportunities to “meet” with Ford Model experts (virtually, of course), who will provide beauty and styling tips on everything from fashion, skincare, hair, and makeup. Participants are then given a virtual bottle of M by Mariah Carey and a Ford Models portfolio book to carry around the virtual world. Ford Models’ digital video content fashion and beauty insights will also be available 24 hours a day for viewing. 

“Bringing Ford Models to MTV’s virtual world is a fun way for us to discover great talent,” said Mitch Grossbach, General Manager of Ford Models Media. “Who knows, we may just find our next Supermodel.”

MTV will air 30-second Elizabeth Arden/MTV co-branded spots during several episodes of The Hills beginning on Monday, which will also appear on MTV.com and inside “Virtual Hills.”  

Three finalists will be chosen by an expert panel on January 14, 2008 and the winner – as determined by viewer votes – will be announced on-air on January 31, 2008.  The winner becomes Ford Models’ first-ever virtual world model, the new face of a marketing campaign for MTV’s virtual worlds and the star of a 30-second Elizabeth Arden/MTV spot.