I'm being a very cynical today.

To be honest... I somewhat agree with the OP but for different reasons. Personally, I don't care if people spend real money for virtual items. You're spending more on a monthly sub for virtual experience... you've already crossed that line and purchased virtual things just by being in wow. I've also donated money to charities through virtual spaces before... fund drives held in virtual worlds and such.

To me the marketing ploy is to attach a charity to the pet to gain more sales and that is what doesn't quite sit right with me.

Maybe they're doing a good job by donating money from sales to the charity or even raising the profile of the charity by attaching its name to this effort, but it seems like they're getting the credit for my money.

It's a campaign to make me get this pet to help a charity when the benefit is mostly towards good PR and some profit for the company and not the charity.

If I were to buy this pet, I'd do it becaue I wanted the pet... Not because I wanted to feel good by helping a charity and not because the justification for spending them money that a portion of it went to a charity.

It's cute. If it makes you happy, great. I'd maybe like to get one, but I'd do it after they've detached it from the charity thing.