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Marketing Second Life

Nimue Jewell
Unabashedly Leggy
Join date: 20 Mar 2007
Posts: 1,745
03-17-2009 12:58
I would be happier if I saw SL marketed AT ALL. I think they were spoiled by all the media attention in the early years, which allowed them to just create the platform and wait for everyone else to write about it. I've never seen a commercial, a print ad, or even so much as a web banner from LL putting SL in front of potential user's eyes.
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Eli Schlegal
Registered User
Join date: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 2,387
03-17-2009 13:03
From: Lindal Kidd

I'm not saying that LL should go out and cover the building with neon signs saying "HOME OF PIXEL PORN". But sex sells. That's why pretty women appear in commercials for everything from laundry detergent to cars. It's one of the main reasons people try out SL, and an awful lot of in world businesses are based, either directly or indirectly, on it.

If it's done with style, class, and finesse, Linden Lab can market SL to the masses *just as it is*, and bring in way more business than ever before.

So let's help out the boys in San Francisco. Come up with some advertising campaign ideas and slogans for them. Not *just* sex...how would you tell people about SL, in 25 words or less? Here are a few to get you started.



I think in a way LL is already marketing the sexy side of SL. The new ads for Xstreet on the main page show a very cute girl sitting in a bean bag chair. "Spice yourself up: From skinny jeans to silky hair". Also the hated flash page designed by the spaceship company tempts users to "Flirt" and "Dance". The problem is... they have their heads so far up their butts I don't think they know what they want. On one hand they market the sexy-social aspect and the next minute they are trying to hide it away on a ghetto continent.
Lindal Kidd
Dances With Noobs
Join date: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 8,371
03-17-2009 13:39
You're right, Eli...they are. Not badly done, either...I actually want to look like that cute girl in the XStreet ad every time I see her.

Now they need to take that to the mainstream media. Get the message off the web page and on TV.
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Lindal Kidd
Chipley Chippewa
Googlemonger
Join date: 25 Aug 2007
Posts: 56
03-17-2009 13:41
A few slogans:

"Second Life - The most unrealistic pr0n you'll find online"

"Second Life - Ever wanted to date a kitty? Log in and have at it"

"Second Life - Find out what the griefing is all about"

"Second Life - Perfecting Your Typonese One Keystroke At A Time"

"Second Life - Get your free wood block today"

and no slogan list would be complete without the ever-popular generic take off the milk commercial:

"Got Second Life?" :P

And a serious one:

"Second Life - How Tomorrow Moves Today" - I like that saying

I could go on, but I'll spare the community.

~Chipley
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Eli Schlegal
Registered User
Join date: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 2,387
03-17-2009 13:41
From: Lindal Kidd
You're right, Eli...they are. Not badly done, either...I actually want to look like that cute girl in the XStreet ad every time I see her.

Now they need to take that to the mainstream media. Get the message off the web page and on TV.


Well I've never met you in-world but my gut feeling is you would put her to shame. :)
Eli Schlegal
Registered User
Join date: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 2,387
03-17-2009 13:44
From: Chipley Chippewa
A few slogans:

"Second Life - The most unrealistic pr0n you'll find online"

"Second Life - Ever wanted to date a kitty? Log in and have at it"

"Second Life - Find out what the griefing is all about"

"Second Life - Perfecting Your Typonese One Keystroke At A Time"

"Second Life - Get your free wood block today"

and no slogan list would be complete without the ever-popular generic take off the milk commercial:

"Got Second Life?" :P

And a serious one:

"Second Life - How Tomorrow Moves Today" - I like that saying

I could go on, but I'll spare the community.

~Chipley


You forgot this one...

"Second Life - Mavis Beacon Teaches One-handed Typing"

hahaha.
Lindal Kidd
Dances With Noobs
Join date: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 8,371
03-17-2009 13:54
From: Eli Schlegal
Well I've never met you in-world but my gut feeling is you would put her to shame. :)


Why, thank you! But I do wonder where she bought those cute strappy sandals. ;)
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Lindal Kidd
Argent Stonecutter
Emergency Mustelid
Join date: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 20,263
03-17-2009 13:57
Highbrow approach.

Second Life simulates a world on the cusp of transcendence. It's a world full of domesticated primates with the abilities of angels, still wrestling with their 21st century demons. Second life should be an essential part of planning for the singularity, if we're ever going to survive it.

Because the future is going to be stranger than science fiction can possibly imagine.
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Oryx Tempel
Registered User
Join date: 8 Nov 2006
Posts: 7,663
03-17-2009 16:28
A US Soldier, dusty, tired, far away from home, logs into a lovely green SL. His buddy looks over his shoulder... "Hey man, whatchoo doin?"

Soldier: "Oh just saying hi to Debbie and the kids."

His wife and teen kids log in. Their avatars hug, they talk about their days, maybe go Seven Seas fishing or spaceship racing at Greenies.

The kids logout, and wife and soldier teleport off to hot romantic date under the stars. Soldier turns to his buddy, grinning and turning the laptop away... "Hey pal, go get your own Second Life!"
Skuz Ragu
Runs with scissors
Join date: 6 Aug 2008
Posts: 54
03-18-2009 00:22
From: Nimue Jewell
I would be happier if I saw SL marketed AT ALL. I think they were spoiled by all the media attention in the early years, which allowed them to just create the platform and wait for everyone else to write about it. I've never seen a commercial, a print ad, or even so much as a web banner from LL putting SL in front of potential user's eyes.


Exactly right, Nimue. LL needs to step up to the plate and learn how to compete with all of the other digital distractions that already exist in the world and actually promote their product through good ol' fashioned traditional advertising. Otherwise, SL will continue to stagnate in terms of getting more users.

I appreciate what you're trying to do here, Lindal. Unfortunately, you can try to give LL marketing ideas until you're blue in the face, but the reality is, nothing will come of it. LL needs to be willing to put forth the effort of a real advertising campaign if they wish SL to survive. As the old saying goes: "It takes money to make money".

Just my 2 cents.
Argent Stonecutter
Emergency Mustelid
Join date: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 20,263
03-18-2009 04:47
I've written about seeing gift cards for IMVU accounts and funny money next to the iTunes and eMusic cards at the checkout line. Second Life needs to have L$ cards out in the grocery stores as well.
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"And now I'm going to show you something really cool."

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Eli Schlegal
Registered User
Join date: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 2,387
03-18-2009 05:04
But honestly... I don't think I want LL to market themselves... at least not yet. They can barely handle the number of users and bots that are online now. Could you imagine what would happen if all of a sudden massive numbers of new people started logging in?
/me shudders.
Argent Stonecutter
Emergency Mustelid
Join date: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 20,263
03-18-2009 05:34
From: Eli Schlegal
Could you imagine what would happen if all of a sudden massive numbers of new people started logging in?
You mean like in 2006?
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"And now I'm going to show you something really cool."

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Brenda Connolly
Un United Avatar
Join date: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 25,000
03-18-2009 06:06
From: Skuz Ragu
Exactly right, Nimue. LL needs to step up to the plate and learn how to compete with all of the other digital distractions that already exist in the world and actually promote their product through good ol' fashioned traditional advertising. Otherwise, SL will continue to stagnate in terms of getting more users.

I appreciate what you're trying to do here, Lindal. Unfortunately, you can try to give LL marketing ideas until you're blue in the face, but the reality is, nothing will come of it. LL needs to be willing to put forth the effort of a real advertising campaign if they wish SL to survive. As the old saying goes: "It takes money to make money".

Just my 2 cents.


The problem is, you have to deliver the goods as advertised. If the game don't work as intended, all those new players will not stay long.
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Elric Anatine
Full Lunar Alchemist
Join date: 27 Feb 2007
Posts: 381
Brava
03-18-2009 07:30
Some of these are wonderful. If I had any marketing ability I'd chime in.

However, I do wish to add that the chance of LL using these precious scripts is minimal. In light of that, is there someone or a group of people who might be willing to make a hobbyists version of some of these and putting them up on YouTube or similar? A fan advert, if you will. That may still draw attention and some of the scripts would only require in world filming (although it would be incredible if those scripts involving RL to SL transition could somehow be created).

Just a thought.
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Lindal Kidd
Dances With Noobs
Join date: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 8,371
03-18-2009 08:03
It's worth trying, Elric. YouTube hasn't been a popular marketplace for SL...comments to SL-based videos and machinima tend to be of the "People who play SL are lame" sort.

But...any exposure is good exposure, as they say. I hope some of our machinimakers do just that. (and I hope LL doesn't get on their case for using the brand name. Talk about another way to shoot your foot off...)

Those who point out that LL has relied solely on "free" media coverage up to now are quite right. It's a wonder so many people DO know about SL.

LL, let me tell you how consumers feel about products and services they read about in news stories, or see in TV shows, but don't see advertising for. They get the impression that the thing in question is not real, or that there's something wrong about it, or that the company who made it is trying to con them somehow. Products without an advertising presence are so much NOT the norm that they are automatically suspect in consumers' minds.

You guys have just GOT to advertise. You gotta, or nobody is going to take you seriously.

As for what happens when the public DOES learn about SL...yeah, floods of noobs. Mentors see it every time SL is featured on a TV show anywhere in the world. A sudden influx of the curious. If you advertise in any sort of widespread way, you'd better have the spare capacity to handle that.
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Chipley Chippewa
Googlemonger
Join date: 25 Aug 2007
Posts: 56
03-18-2009 10:19
More low-brow pithy slogans:

"Second Life - You'll never need Viagra...ever!"

"Second Life - Abandoning reality 1 n00b at a time. "

"Second Life - Abandon your reality today."

"Second Life - Escapism at its pixeliest."

"Second Life - When you care enough to send the very best, send a freebie instead."
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Chipley Chippewa
Googlemonger
Join date: 25 Aug 2007
Posts: 56
03-18-2009 21:01
Pithy slogan for advertising to ex-sl-patriots:

"Second Life - Where getting stuck in the falling loop when tp'ing or loggin' on is so yesterday."
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Key MacMoragh
grrr....
Join date: 16 Sep 2008
Posts: 659
03-19-2009 06:11
Life without limits.

One thing they could market is the way that some people have overcome handicaps, for example, people who can't walk in RL who do all sorts of physical activities in SL such as skydiving, motorcycle racing, surfing.

They might find people who had poor social skills who learned how to interact with others in SL and made their RL better.

They could show people who've formed long-term friendships with people in far-off countries.

Show people who can't dance in RL having a good time doing that in SL?
Vorren Voltaire
General Contractor
Join date: 4 Jul 2006
Posts: 78
03-19-2009 20:20
From: Eli Schlegal
But honestly... I don't think I want LL to market themselves... at least not yet. They can barely handle the number of users and bots that are online now. Could you imagine what would happen if all of a sudden massive numbers of new people started logging in?
/me shudders.



True. Don't get me wrong though, I still believe that this is the best thing going for virtual worlds and if they get through these growing pains and tackle some of the really big technical hurdles then they could be the standard web 3.0 platform.

What they should avoid is the large to mega corporations and trying to market to individual users. Right now I imagine no CEO is willing to risk working with SL without some solid idea of future profit. I haven't heard of any large company has made big profits (direct or indirect) with SL, and very few corporate builds have done much to innovate or create community.

Meanwhile, they should target small-medium sized businesses and institutions. Not only would there be a influx of innovation, income and contributing residents, but it could generate another wave of good PR on the local level.

What would work on me though is simple. A flat black background with white letters saying "Second Life. If you can dream it, you can build it."
Brenda Connolly
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Join date: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 25,000
03-19-2009 21:20
From: Vorren Voltaire
True. Don't get me wrong though, I still believe that this is the best thing going for virtual worlds and if they get through these growing pains and tackle some of the really big technical hurdles then they could be the standard web 3.0 platform.

What they should avoid is the large to mega corporations and trying to market to individual users. Right now I imagine no CEO is willing to risk working with SL without some solid idea of future profit. I haven't heard of any large company has made big profits (direct or indirect) with SL, and very few corporate builds have done much to innovate or create community.

Meanwhile, they should target small-medium sized businesses and institutions. Not only would there be a influx of innovation, income and contributing residents, but it could generate another wave of good PR on the local level.

What would work on me though is simple. A flat black background with white letters saying "Second Life. If you can dream it, you can build it."


"Sponsored by The Home Depot".
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Amberjack Kidd
Registered User
Join date: 24 May 2008
Posts: 3
Adlai Stevenson
03-20-2009 17:20
From: Sling Trebuchet
"style, class, and finesse," ...... "market ... to the masses"

Well, there's always a first time.


I think it was Adlai Stevenson, in the 1950's, who while running for President was told by a reporter at the conclusion of a campaign interview, "you'll get every thinking man's vote," to which the candidate responded, "yes, but I need a majority."
Amberjack Kidd
Registered User
Join date: 24 May 2008
Posts: 3
Turnover
03-20-2009 17:45
From: Nimue Jewell
I agree LL is pretty bad about this. When it comes to the userbase, they seem pretty willing to rely on churn and the constant influx of new people, rather than hanging onto the majority of people they already have. It's a problem.


Well, a lot of the people who might come on here, spend money, and then move on are likely participating in virtual sex, not the "deeper" things that SL might have to offer. Moreover, I'm under the impression that the most successful businesses in SL are sex-oriented, which basically means that that's where the most money is being spent. Indeed, one thing they had going for them where people spend money is SL sailing, and they nearly killed that with the end of the Open Spaces sims (and the compromise they worked out at the last minute has yet to have its bugs worked out). One wonders what their business plan really is. Too bad they aren't a publicly-traded company.
Alix MacMoragh
this girl
Join date: 23 Nov 2008
Posts: 47
03-24-2009 05:51
This isn't exactly what you asked, I know. But anyway,

I was in a newbie area this morning helping some guys who wanted to un-newbie their look. After all the explanations and so on, one of the guys asked "where do I get money from?"

/me sighs

I told him he could buy lindens through the website or he could make pittance camping,

I told him he didn't really NEED money,

but it suddenly hit me that LL could give people lindens if they stick around. Like maybe if you've logged in ten times in your first 30 days, they credit you $1000L.

Anyway, it sounded like a good idea until I wrote it down.

At least I bumped the thread.
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Eli Schlegal
Registered User
Join date: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 2,387
03-24-2009 05:56
From: Amberjack Kidd
Well, a lot of the people who might come on here, spend money, and then move on are likely participating in virtual sex, not the "deeper" things that SL might have to offer.


If your virtual sex is not deep u r not doing it right. :p
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