I’ve written before about how I think that the bad reputation SL has is a problem and about how I think that LL should work on improving it.
As far as I am concerned it is a big deal that so many outsiders think that SL is either dead or that it is a cesspit of filthy perverts and shallow people who just want to look like barbie.
Don’t get me wrong, SL IS both those things, but it is so much more.
I think that LL and the SL users need to work on getting SL a better reputation.
Not only do we have to make people realise that SL offers so many different kinds of entertainment, art, social interaction, etc, but also that it has some pretty amazing graphics that really are not as bad as those 2007 screenshots you see with every article seem to suggest.
You can imagine how delighted I was when I spotted this advertisement today.
Seriously Linden Lab?
Is this how you want to lure people to Second Life?
Is this what SL is?
I am not even mentioning sexism, objectification, etc.
Don’t tell Anita Sarkeesian about this ad.
Is that guy in the back winking?
But if I had seen this advertisement before I had joined SL… I would not have bothered.
What is Second Life to the PR department of LL?
A place where you can make friends with bikini wearing models?
Why not have one bikini wearing model and one astronaut, or knight in shining armor, or librarian or detective, or builder, etc, etc.
This advertisement tells me that SL is not for me, that I do not want my family members to ever hear about it, that if my friends told me they were into SL, I’d be embarrassed to know them.
This advertisement does not only strengthen the bad image SL has, it reinforces and promotes it.
It says; “Yes SL is exactly what the media thinks it is”.
That is disappointing.
We all know that SL is a great place for Barbie and Ken wannabes who want to spend all their virtual time on a beach.
But that is what the rest of the world seems to think SL is, worse, they seem to think that that is ALL SL is.
For as long as I can remember, SL has never advertised with any of the subjects that I find appealing.
As far as I know most of the people I know in SL are also more interested in those things LL never advertises with.
Yet all these people are hardcore SL users who spend a lot of time there, not to mention money.
But LL keeps trying to lure the kind of people who perhaps prefer IMVU.
Every time I mention SL to outsiders, I have to defend it, explain that it is NOT what the media says.
But it seems that LL is saying those things as well.
I’ve heard it many times before; “LL doesn’t get SL”.
Thanks Grizzla for finding this picture.
And although I wouldn’t say that, I do have to agree that they at least aren’t sure about how they should advertise it.
Either way, I don’t think this is the right way.
Sure, maybe I am overreacting a bit, but how do you want the rest of the world to see Second Life and its users?
I’ll say it again, I don’t mind LL advertising this side of SL, but I do mind that they seem to ignore all the other sides.
And to me, the option to look like a model and run around in bikini is not what I find interesting about SL.
The best part about SL is not only that you can be whatever you want, but that you can BUILD whatever you want.
It is the ultimate sandbox!
Not the ultimate sand beach.
Maybe LL should start a competition, ask us, the users who have been loyal to their world for years, who keep throwing money at it, what kind of advertising we think might work.
LL is spending money on these advertisements, someone is writing them, designing them, making the pictures.
But I have to wonder if they just hired an agency and if that person who makes them is an active SL user.
Finally, look at this charming, civilized and educational advertisement for Kaneva.
Is that the level we want SL ads to be at?
How would YOU advertise SL?
Although I do not want to play a vampire either, at least this advertisement showed a different side of SL, although it does still remind me too much of an IMVU advertisement.
Jo Yardley's Second Life 
Thank you! 😀
I’m so glad someone else was rubbed the wrong way when they saw this ad.
Not only do you state how this ad promotes SL’s less than favorable reputation, but you go into why it’s bad other than “It’s just another ad showing us sexy pixel models”.
You mention diversity.
The amount of diversity in SL’s community(ies) baffles me. All of the various age-groups, ethnicities, personalities, etc. is what truly makes SL feel like a melting-pot and a world of it’s own.
For me, that’s what I want to see in a SL ad.
Show a sexy or frumpy human, show a furry (A cute one not an oversexualized object. Same goes to the sexy human mentioned earlier), show a robot, whatever! Just don’t try to seem like an IMVU knock-off.
One of SL’s most noted traits is it’s originality. Take that away and all you have left is age.
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I couldn’t agree more Jo. It’s embarrassing to tell anyone about Second Life as it is with the years of perception that it’s a place only for bimbos and deviant sex.
Why don’t they advertise the wonderfully vibrant communities that focus on something interesting like your 1920’s Berlin Project (history), or the Confederation of Democratic Simulators (democratic experiment), or the fabulous art installations, or the educational opportunities, or the many wonderful live-streaming musicians, or any one of the creative role-playing communities. They could explore the amazing creativity that so many people have shown in SL over the years.
As a long time resident of SL, I’d love to be able to boast of my affiliation, instead of hiding it as something unworthy of a mature person.
It often seems to me that LL don’t ‘get’ their own project.
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Hi Jo. Another big nod of the head here. As an educator I have struggle for years with the image of SL that LL presents to the outside world. It is embarrassing when I ask my students to open an account on SL and the first thing they see are the kinds of images you talked about. I generally tell them to just quickly skip over that part and find the signup page (actually, now I give them the direct link to the sign up page).
Linden Labs are not fools and will have carefully thought about the image they want to promote to get bodies through the door. With so many other platforms (both gaming and social) out there competing for the market, LL has obviously decided that the lure of hyper-stereotyped bikini babes is what will hook the passing interest of a certain type potential users who probably often out of curiosity will at least have a look. In the end its a percentages game as only a small percentage of those who look will stay on and actually spend money. This may actually be the problem of being a free to play platform. Over the years LL has presented different images to the public in their advertising, maybe trying to ride on the tails of certain themes popular at a particular time amongst the general public such as the combination of vampires and romance. From memory at one time or other LL has tried to create a more sophisticated image of SL to attract, for example, educators. For a variety of reasons (not all LLs fault) many educators didn’t stick around, so promoting this kind of image was not a successful strategy for LL in terms of revenue raising.
Anyhow, I for one am tired of the one dimensional stereotyped image that LL persists on promoting and so really enjoyed reading your post.
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Sex sells. Excess sex excels.
Pep (thinks they might even juxtapose a kid avatar and a leering senior.)
PS Or just have a number, say, 92, which reflects the average IQ of an ideal user.
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Sex sells to some, but not to all.
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Sex sells to the majority.
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Of course, there is also no need to completely ignore sex, just add something else as well!
Besides, we know that most of the people that are being lured to SL now, don’t stay very long.
So maybe these ads are targeting the wrong people.
Because it is great if lots of people visit SL, but if they don’t stay, it is useless.
And many of the people who have been in SL for sometimes years, spending lots of time and money there, are not here (just) for the sex.
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Well, in honesty, I do see the ad as highly sexual. Sexy and young, yes…but sexy and young sells as well. I don’t disagree with you but I do think it is important to recognize the advertising dollar only goes so for so you have to get the biggest bang for your buck. Sexy, young, day at the beach…bang!
If I recall correctly…lol…(don’t count on it) the largest user demographic when I started SL nearly 7 years ago was somewhere in the neighborhood of 37-45? So, it is a group that will eventually age out…I suppose…And it only makes sense to try and reel in as many youth with income as possible at this point. We live in a world of 140 character interaction for the most part…everything quick and dirty and moving on. It is sad really. I think if LL wants to retain new signups…they are going to have to make that first 10 minutes in SL an OMG, I NEVER WANT TO LEAVE experience.
I’m not here for sex and never have been…but I have always loved art and gaming. While SL does not offer the gaming aspect, the art and creativity has kept me here…but it has never escaped my attention that I am the minority user…
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That should have said “I don’t see the ad as highly sexual”
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In response to the demographic profile referred to by Ima I would just like to point out that although SL might not be dying, many of its longstanding and valued members are. Pep (And there are not many youngsters stepping up to take their place.)
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Totally agreed. Art and culture is completely ignored by them. Again I have to mention LEA – LINDEN Endowment of the Arts. They run 30 sims for the art and never make use in advertising. Not even a single press release!
Instead they have cheap and slutty looking girls for advertising. That means too that they ignore the high fashion in SL which is a huge industry and should make a lot of money. No to talk of design!
Is there really nobody with a bit of taste and style in that company? *sighs*
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Taste and style? In San Francisco? Pep (It depends on your own tastes and style, I suppose.) PS Sweden is famous for its lack of taste and sparse style, and Microsoft for having neither; so don’t expect too much in that direction from the new CEO.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/boned/13285963114/ ARR!
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this google search makes sense
https://www.google.dk/search?q=linden+labs+office&espv=210&es_sm=91&tbm=isch&imgil=GabpeACbyt87mM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcQVpIxtRBmaCa6lCIaBt_iuNXNYxHH2ySbyo9jIcUSM712m4DwT%253B225%253B168%253B4K7ViM7S9PMOBM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fmassively.joystiq.com%25252F2010%25252F06%25252F07%25252Flinden-lab-laying-off-staff-closing-singapore-office%25252F&source=iu&usg=__YrtStQdP_PxOrjcbmCWMdgn-8E0%3D&sa=X&ei=leEqU7HWB8TI4AS1kYHQDg&ved=0CDwQ9QEwAQ#facrc=_&imgrc=GabpeACbyt87mM%253A%3B4K7ViM7S9PMOBM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.blogcdn.com%252Fmassively.joystiq.com%252Fmedia%252F2010%252F06%252Flinden-lab-office-interior19.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmassively.joystiq.com%252F2010%252F06%252F07%252Flinden-lab-laying-off-staff-closing-singapore-office%252F%3B225%3B168
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Pingback: show #11: the road to vr | the drax files radio hour [with jo yardley]
I noticed the ad yesterday on NWN and tweeted the same image along with the question, “What does this current banner ad say about the audience Linden Lab is targeting for Second Life?” So I’m right with you on your concern about how their ongoing banner advertising campaign, year after year, impacts public perception.
If I ran Second Life marketing I’d do a series of videos with RL users talking about why they love virtual worlds with no SL footage at all. Images and video of Second Life can’t convey the sense of being immersed within a virtual world and the feeling of friendship and community. mages and video that seem compelling to those who are active in SL can look lame or underwhelming to those who’ve never been. And heavily photoshopped images or effected video just creates unrealistic expectations. It’s no wonder 95%+ of people who register for Second Life don’t end up as active users. Of course, the abysmal new user experience and still very kludgy client UX doesn’t help.
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The best thing SL has to offer is freedom and creativity, you can use those for very creative free hanky panky but also for lots of other things.
IF SL told me that SL is a virtual world where I can build in 3D, share it online and do what I like, I’d be interested.
An SL advertisement has to pile up the options; come to SL and you can do this and this and this and this and this and much more and then some.
Show romance, show shopping show dancing but then also show everything else, or at least some of that.
SL is not IMVU, we’re more, show THAT.
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This what I’d do if I were in charge of marketing for Linden Lab:
For the most part, I’d agree with Botgirl on this one. But I’d include in world footage. I’d include real world context too. How is this bigger and relevant to my everyday life. How does my first life benefit from having a second life? Instead of marketing the escapism and low brow, I’d focus on the broader duality of culture and how second life makes first life better together. How does a Second Life augment and enhance my first life in ways that cannot be done without it? More importantly, how is this an integral part of everyday life for the majority and not just a couple of spotlights on individuals?
Its not about in world focus separated from real life or a virtual escapism showcase… Show the rest of the real world how it is relevant to their existing lives to make it better as a ubiquitous enhancement instead of a separate replacement.
Until then, they are telling the world that Second Life is a place to go if you want to get away from it all and explore the absurd without consequence. Which is how you end up with scantily clad Barbie’s and vampires in your advertising instead of showing people the mixed reality art installation in NYC that exists in real life and extends into SL integrated together as a total experience.
Raise the bar…
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Raise the bar! That really sums it up. If the old big world changing vision doesn’t work anymore, come up with something more realistic.
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If you are interested in an overview of LL advertising of SL see: http://www.moat.com/search/results?q=second+life mouse over each add to get some statistics, especially when last seen.
I agree with Jo. The range of interests is small and sex predominates.
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When Oculus Rift hits the consumer market later this year, Second Life has an opportunity for a real second coming. I hope they don’t blow it.
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See – Two short sentences, and they are both redolent with sexual references and innuendo. Pep (People can’t help it!
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“I’ll say it again, I don’t mind LL advertising this side of SL, but I do mind that they seem to ignore all the other sides.”
Absolutely agreed, I don’t get all uppity when I see ads like this but I do wonder why there aren’t ads highlighting other areas of SL, why they don’t promote the educational usage, the social usage, the roleplaying usage, I’m still wondering why people don’t realise you can be an Orc in Second Life, you can be what you want to be.
Ad campaigns such as this seem to be in a response to IMVU, but SL offers so much more than IMVU and LL should seize the opportunity to let the world know that.
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My “add”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eupalinos/13382703555/
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As a bear of generally civilised demeanour, I find these adverts rather dreary. It’s always the humans. Don’t they realise the effect on a male of a well-shaped vixen who takes proper care of her fur and tail? (I am told that my back will recover.)
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Ebbe Altberg. What a noob.
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Jo, why not start a competition where there is some kind of prize for coming up with what long term SL residents think is a better advertising campaign? Of course it doesn’t necessarily mean that LL would accept and adopt whatever the community came up with, but we could at least give them some ideas. The University of Western Australia has been very successful over the years attracting extremely talented artists to participate in their art competitions, partly by reputation and partly by offering real prizes. I would be personally willing to put some real money up for a prize for the best video + banner promotions for SL if this was an idea that others also like.
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Just following up on my earlier comment, there are so many unbelievably good and extremely complex builds in SL that would make fantastic showcases for SL in a decent advertising campaign. In addition to your’s Jo, I am just looking around the Angel Manor Estate. The amount and quality of work that has gone into the eight regions is astounding and puts a lot of the companies developing game-based MMOs and spending tens of millions of dollars to shame.
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I completely agree with you Jo. I’m embarrassed to tell my RL friends and Family that I play in SL too. The perception is that the game is all about hooking up virtual pixels.
The Second Life “Sex Sells” ads worked! Everyone knows there is virtual sex in SL. Why continue to advertise something that everyone already knows about? Now is time for ads that show the other aspects of SL.
I find the graphics to be beyond amazing. Why not show case them? I come here everyday after RL work as my escape from reality. A virtual vacation so to speak. Why not have a campaign geared toward that? There are so many amazing lands that are fantasy and those recreated in the image in real life locations. Show people what can be built and created. It truly is mind blowing.
If you want to continue to show sexy attractive looking avi’s then why not put them in high fashion and have them looking their best? Showcase the many designer talents.
SL is a community melting pot so it’s beyond me why they wouldn’t be capitalizing on that type of marketing. SL should be advertising what the public DOESN’T know! I could go on and on about different things to market in SL because it really is the virtual land of opportunity but I think you get the idea.
Jo thank you for expressing what I say to myself all the time!
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