Second Life at SXSW.

[animats]

So Philip Rosedale went to SXSW. (Which is like Davos for hipsters in tech.)

Where there was, of course, a panel about the Metaverse.

“No advertising!” exclaimed Rosedale. Yes, that’s the proper dialogue tag: The man was emphatic on that point, like a sort of handsome, more stylish Bernie Sanders. “I cannot say that enough – no advertising!”

Good panel. They had Charlie Fink, who used to head Disney Feature Animation, someone from Epic, and someone from Ready Player Me, the avatar and clothing company. Nobody from NFT land.

Anybody from LL speaking at GDC next week?

 

[Scylla Rhiadra]

Um, that poster was part of the PR material?

It's kinda funny and cute (good pic, actually), but it rather reinforces a few stereotypes about the platform, doesn't it?

[bigmoe Whitfield]

5 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Um, that poster was part of the PR material?

It's kinda funny and cute (good pic, actually), but it rather reinforces a few stereotypes about the platform, doesn't it?

I think the whole platform is never going to shake that stereotype either.

[Robberinthemuseum]

Okay well, my SL doesn't look like that at all haha. 

[StarlanderGoods]

1 hour ago, Robberinthemuseum said:

Okay well, my SL doesn't look like that at all haha. 

Good thing it wasnt the "Robberinthemuseum expo" then, or it would have been a huge blunder.

[Robberinthemuseum]

29 minutes ago, StarlanderGoods said:

Good thing it wasnt the "Robberinthemuseum expo" then, or it would have been a huge blunder.

Are you suggesting the world doesn't revolve around moi? Don't be crazy! 

[Sid Nagy]

Sales did not go up over night, so the impact seems to be limited.

[animats]

10 hours ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Um, that poster was part of the PR material?

That's what the article in the Austin Chronicle, linked above, used.

[Rowan Amore]

They''d have been better off using the blue avatar in their recent promo.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

10 minutes ago, animats said:

That's what the article in the Austin Chronicle, linked above, used.

 

6 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

They''d have been better off using the blue avatar in their recent promo.

I have a totally half-assed theory, which relates also to the tight theme chosen for SLB. It's completely speculative, but . . .

. . . maybe LL has identified a few "niche" areas for growth that they want to highlight in their public relations and advertising. "Target" audiences? And two of those, at least, are sex (surprise surprise) and role play?

It sort of makes sense -- you can only garner so much attention with a generalized message like "Be whatever you want to be."

But I may be reading too much into this.

[LittleMe Jewell]

I do like the message on the poster - a bit fun, a bit sarcastic, a bit condescending. 

On the fence about the picture itself.

[Rat Luv]

2 hours ago, LittleMe Jewell said:

I do like the message on the poster - a bit fun, a bit sarcastic, a bit condescending. 

I must admit...I HATE "How adorable"...just cut that line!

And maybe a few different avatars together...but just my opinion...

Edited March 18, 2022 by Rat Luv

[Coffee Pancake]

I think its a great image to lead with. SL is a real place for real people, not some hyper sterile corporate safe space.

We're never going to live down the sexy reputation, and even though the vast majority of users aren't bumping pixels, being the sexy metaverse is a damn sight better than being the legless one for plastic potato people.

[missyrideout]

I wonder how the article ended up using that image. The uncropped version posted on Reddit had a disclaimer that it was unofficial fan art.
Whatever. It's Austin, baby!

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by missyrideout

[Madelaine McMasters]

I think that image might have worked better if the woman had been facing away, looking back at us over her shoulder, with "Bite Me" tattooed on her bum.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

I'm okay with the message. I don't like the image at all, and not because it's sexy.

I'm seeing 3 different types of leather in the same ensemble. The jacket's more matte, the top is more gunmetal, the pants with a more deep black shine. It's bothering me. 😑

Yes I'm being petty. The model's super cute - there, I said something good!

[LittleMe Jewell]

1 hour ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I don't like the image at all, and not because it's sexy.

I'm seeing 3 different types of leather in the same ensemble. The jacket's more matte, the top is more gunmetal, the pants with a more deep black shine. It's bothering me. 

You never heard of Mix n Match?

🤣

[Rowan Amore]

1 hour ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I'm okay with the message. I don't like the image at all, and not because it's sexy.

I'm seeing 3 different types of leather in the same ensemble. The jacket's more matte, the top is more gunmetal, the pants with a more deep black shine. It's bothering me. 😑

Yes I'm being petty. The model's super cute - there, I said something good!

I thought I was the only one that bothered.

[Kathlen Onyx]

They could have done without the riders crop and also the belly button is off center.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

1 hour ago, LittleMe Jewell said:

You never heard of Mix n Match?

🤣

I noticed it because I mix and match leather all the tiiiiiiiiiime. *whines* 

Nah I know I'm just being overly picky. It's really not too bad. 

...

*twitch*

[Rowan Amore]

1 hour ago, Sam1 Bellisserian said:

They could have done without the riders crop and also the belly button is off center.

Let's not mention the 'Eat Me' tattoo above her nether regions.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

20 hours ago, Coffee Pancake said:

I think its a great image to lead with. SL is a real place for real people, not some hyper sterile corporate safe space.

We're never going to live down the sexy reputation, and even though the vast majority of users aren't bumping pixels, being the sexy metaverse is a damn sight better than being the legless one for plastic potato people.

It seems likely that this work wasn't, in fact, submitted by LL itself, so it's difficult to know how much it reflects the Lab's own marketing thrust, I suppose.

I totally agree that SL needs to be sold as something very different -- messier, edgier, more experimental, and more diverse -- than the competing "offerings" available at the moment. I think the "sex" stuff is fine, if it's handled properly. The problem with simply throwing it out there indiscriminately is that it's as likely to turn some people off as it is to turn others on.

Which is where targeted marketing should come into play. By all means, sell SL as a place with virtual sex and BDSM -- but do it in places where it is likely to be seen by a receptive audience. Focusing on those elements of the platform in, for instance, a broadly-targeted newspaper is probably counterproductive.

[LittleMe Jewell]

10 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

It seems likely that this work wasn't, in fact, submitted by LL itself, so it's difficult to know how much it reflects the Lab's own marketing thrust, I suppose.

As someone pointed out - in one of these threads - it does have the SL official symbol, which I'm pretty sure implies that LL approved it.  Though I supposed they could be in the process of having it taken down on Flickr and The Austin Chronicle and wherever else it might be now.

Edited March 19, 2022 by LittleMe Jewell

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 minute ago, LittleMe Jewell said:

As someone pointed out - in one of these threads - it does have the SL official symbol, which I'm pretty sure implies that LL approved it.  Though I supposed they could be in the process of having it taken down on Flickr and The Austin Chronicle and wherever else it might be now.

If so, I think this was a poor marketing decision. The overall "mood" is good -- sassy, in-your-face, and edgy -- but in a general audience newspaper, it's really going to turn some people off.

[Aeromia]

On 3/18/2022 at 12:56 PM, Rowan Amore said:

They''d have been better off using the blue avatar in their recent promo.

I'm trying to find the video making of, but that log in promo is a photo of a live action person for a recent promotional video they did. That's not an avatar. They used live action and effects to promote virtual reality. It was really an odd choice.