billboards... are they really that annoying?

Ok, this will open up another can of worms, and I hope I don't make any of ya too angry. Lemme explain before I get blacklisted for my actions

Ok, so with 1.1, we've got these telehubs. Being the smarmy little entreapanaeur that I am, I thought it would be a good idea to make some billboards, and stick 'em up by the telehubs... prime ad space.

I spent about an hour making the billboards, trying to make them as unsightly as possible... it's basically a shiny metal frame, with the advertisement in the middle of it.

The billboards are hovering square with telehubs, on my own land (purchased as close as possible to the TH, using as little land as possible). There are no unsightly "poles" or anything "holding up" the billboards.

...is this wrong? I pesonally have no problem with Billboards, as long as they're done tastefully. Already I've gotten a few negative comments about them, and I'm curious as to why. It's not like I'm advertising NIgerian money schemes or steamy porn chat or anything... It's just a way for businesses in SL to advertise their wares/services.

So, just wondering... why do you like/dislike billboards, and should I be taking these billboards down before I get shot at?

Thanks,
LF

I dislike billboards, plain and simple. They're usually in the way of flying vehicles and they block spectacular views. They make the world seem cluttered and commercialized.

Sounds good to me, Lordfly. I think telehubs were supposed to make areas where people congregate and therefore good places to advertise. Make it phantom so no one gets stuck on it.

Hovering ads, makes me think of the Jetsons

Personally I dont care for them but thats just me. No one can tell you what to and not to make though. If they were tasteful & phantom I would be grateful.

How about this: Make it so that it records keys of people who say "I hate billboards." and then have the whole thing go phantom-invisible if the person with that key is ever near the billboard.

Personally I joined Second Life because I saw pictures and thought "Gee that looks like a great place to just sit back and look at the beautiful landscape." So personally, I find billboards to be cluttering eyesores, especially if they're floating way up in the air.

Of course, this is just personal opinion.

I think as SL develops its going to have more distinctly urban and more distinctly rural areas. It seems to me telehubs are trying to help create this distinction.

I think when a lot of people joined SL it was pretty much what we would think of as rural in the real world. So the impression that it would all be uncluttered views is understandable.

But just as in the real world we have to balance the needs of commerce and industry with the needs of unspoiled natural beauty, we need to find that balance in SL.

Lets make telehubs and areas close to telehubs ok for commercial development and areas farther away reserved for more uncluttered and natural views.

I hate billboards. Key me and make them transparent & phantom.

*title* YES

Well if I see a bilboard in a non urban setting, whether it be here or in RL I go out of my way to avoid doing business with the advertiser.

I REALLY dislike them and think there are to many out there already and hope not to many more apear. If I knew a store I was in had billboards out I would think twice before spending money there.

It usually has the opposite effect for me, I avoid doing business with billboard advertisers unless maybe they're in a very marketing oriented (open market, etc) area. Maybe a mall area or something like that... with a telehub... I guess it might be ok since it's supposed to be commercial there anyway.

Personally I just hate the effect it has on the visual environment.

BTW, Dave's idea above is pretty freakin cool. (And would be especially awesome if we ever get perfect trans-sim object script communication.)

If I am looking for a service or product then advertizment is helpful, but I go LOOKING for said advertizement.

When somone pushes advertizing at me when I am NOT looking for something I think less of their company and unless I have a DARN good reason to forgive them I avoid their company in favor of one whom is not inundating me.

Merketers don't seam to understand. If somone doesnt want your product, pushing it in their face is only going to solidify this decision, not change it.

This is not directed AT you Lordfly, I have not yet seen your billboards and if they ARE in a place designed for such information then that is fine but: I would say that the Telehubs HAVE an advertizing pannel built into them, why not use that instead? Its cheaper.

I can't stand them, no matter how pretty or tasteful they are, they just irk me.

ick

I think of billboards as the SL version of spam.

Someone might spend a lot of creative energy in composing spam, but I'd still rather skip it.

I agree that billboards are an eyesore. If people want to advertise, that's what the ad booths are for. I am not too sure of this, but I think that the telehubs have a space for ads too (thought I saw some ads on a telehub, but don't remember the location), with the ads cycling just like the other ad booths. If I was just seeing things, this would still be a good idea for advertising.

I too dislike billboards...extremely. I never do business with companys I see advertising on them. I'm not sure why, but I have always felt that billboards were 'low class'. Smoking and neon lights fall into this category for me too.

Hate them....I cussed when i saw the one in stillman

(to myself...not in game cuz that's a PG sim

I wouldn't mind an advertisement that was built into something interesting or attractive. That's how commercial television works. But billboards are something I don't find attractive in real life, and so personally I'd prefer not to see them in SL either.

I'm puzzled by billboards made to resemble real world billboards; surely no one particularly likes garish signs in industrial metal frames, so why copy their design in SL?

To back up my thought, Lordfly's is right under a telehub, tastefully done and not so very big, so in the scheme of things it really cant be compares to some of the monsters or particle equipped examples.

Well, okay, it seems alot of people don't like them... but I've also gotten alot of requests to put them to good use, so I think I'll have them stay... albeit with major changes so people don't fling me into the sunset

I'll make them phantom, as soon as I figure out how Any design suggestions are also greatly appreciated... currently, it's just a floating metal frame billboard. What would make it more acceptable?

Just IM me in-game what you think should be chnaged, and I'll mull it over

Thanks,
LF

Lordfly,

Just add a script to it as such:

default
{
    state_entry()
    {
         llSetStatus(STATUS_PHANTOM,TRUE)
     }
}

I suppose I should do the same with the signs Angel put up. (which, are very small, but do have particles (but very contained). Opinions anyone?

Well, after much deliberation, I've decided to take the billboards down.

It seems the community isn't ready for marketing yet

There are so many businesses in SL, yet no one wants to advertise them... why?

Most everyone in-game has a business of some sort, what's wrong with telling people about it?

shrug.

LF

I like Water's InfoBooth and 1.1's feature of listing your land in the directory

Info booths and variations there of - Directories would be a good term - are my personal favorite for SL marketing needs. People who are looking for the ads can find them, and can find the adds they want, while other people aren't bombarded with in your face ads everywhere they go.

So, a snazzy interactive booth is acceptable? I'll keep that in mind.