Banner ad discussion: Kitely = affordable land ad collection

[Constance Peregrine]

I think we've agreed on a direction for the first ad collection (http://forums.kitely.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=306) so I suggest we move forward and create a few variations of the following ads then focus on the landing page for them. We have some big coverage expected soon and we need to get people in SLUniverse to at least hear our name before this happens.

For this first ad collection we're targeting people who have an existing/planned project in SL but that can't maintain it due to high tier costs. We're going for the unlimited free access fixed price worlds so people will have an apples to apples comparison with the tier they pay inSL.

Design guidance: we'll mix and match first line + second line + image. The text should be clear, sharp and high contrast, Kitely Logo + "Virtual Worlds on Demand" slogan on the bottom right (see http://forums.kitely.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=306#p2110 for an example of logo placement). We want people to remember the name even if they don't click the ads. Bright color ads with blues and reds usually get better reception so best to focus on that type of imagery / color space but feel free to be creative with them. Ads showing good looking places in Kitely with good looking avatars may work best to elevate the conceptions people have about community and content quality outside SL.

For the first line:

1) "Tackle that Big Project without the big budget"

2) "Big Project? Small Budget?"

3) "Can't afford to continue paying tier for your land?"

Second line:

1) Get a full region with 100,000 prims for $40/month

2) Get a 4-region private island for $60/month

3) Get a 16-region private island for $100/month

Let's focus on the top banner ads, once we have them we can create companion side-banner ones:

Top Banner - 728 x 90 pixels
Side Banner -160 x 600 pixels

Kitely's logo on transparent background:

Kitely's logo + slogan on white background:

Kitely - Logo and Slogan (790x88).png (10.55 KiB) Viewed 9887 times

[Bladyblue Bommerang]

Don't forget that you are allowed to run 5 unique Top banner ads in one marketing campaign on SLU. This way people don't get sick of seeing one image from you and you also get to send more than one message out.

SLU will also give you the long side banners in your purchase. And you can also create up to 5 banners for that also.

I suggest that you use the side banners to promote the Marketplace while using the top banner to promote the $40 Kitely plan.

I like the promotion of the $40 plan because that creates more free places that the Kitely Free accounts can visit without being charged.

[Danko Whitfield]

For the first line I vote for #2 - Big Project? Small Budget?

For the second line... I think Kitely should pick whichever one is likely to bring in the most users...as that seems to be the bottom line for this ad campaign.

For the logo part... "Virtual worlds on demand" is not actually a selling point. It's part of an explanation about what keeps Kitely prices so low but the selling point to the vast majoprity of potential individual users is the price itself not the reason behind the price. So I would use the simpler version with just the Kitely name and the kite logo.

[Dot Macchi]

Design guidance: we'll mix and match first line + second line + image. The text should be clear, sharp and high contrast, Kitely Logo + "Virtual Worlds on Demand" slogan on the bottom right (see http://forums.kitely.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=306#p2110 for an example of logo placement). We want people to remember the name even if they don't click the ads.

Bright color ads with blues and reds usually get better reception so best to focus on that type of imagery / color space but feel free to be creative with them.

Ads showing good looking places in Kitely with good looking avatars may work best to elevate the conceptions people have about community and content quality outside SL. ...

Let's focus on the top banner ads, once we have them we can create companion side-banner ones:
Top Banner - 728 x 90 pixels
Side Banner -160 x 600 pixels

Is it OK to make a few observations and suggestions?

Because the height of the top banner is so small (only 90 pixels), it will be difficult to use images that pack a punch. However, the width makes it ideal to carry the textual message.

Using strong background colours and typography will help to make that area stand out, especially if (as Danko suggests) just the Kitely logo is used. Retaining the slogan will tend to make the advert design unbalanced, with the more spindly type being outweighed by the chunky face used for the logo.

The dimensions of the side banner, on the other hand, are eminently suitable for images that will bring out the secondary message about "community and content quality".

My suggestion is to think of the two types of adverts at the same time, as pairs to communicate the complete message, so that the design impact of each is optimised.

[Constance Peregrine]

Is it OK to make a few observations and suggestions?

You didn't wait for permission and you didn't say mother may I...

golly gosh....

[Dot Macchi]

Some simple concept ads for the top banner. Click each to view it full size.

I'll have a go at mocking up a side banner ad complete with image to see how that might work, using the shorter "Big project? Small budget?" line (that one will fit the space better there).

[Constance Peregrine]

I like this one of those...

http://forums.kitely.com/download/file. ... &mode=view

[Dot Macchi]

I like this one of those...

download/file.php?id=84&mode=view

To save people having to click, that's the 3rd one: "Tackle..."

[Constance Peregrine]

I like this one of those...

download/file.php?id=84&mode=view

To save people having to click, that's the 3rd one: "Tackle..."

yes-)) those darn clicks...tiresome too...im going to voice only and do away wit 'em-)))

[Ilan Tochner]

Hi Dot and Danko,

We have two goals for the ads:

1) Get people to click to see the full pitch in the ad landing page.

2) Create brand awareness for Kitely and Kitely's slogan. We want people to think "Virtual Worlds on Demand" when they hear the name "Kitely". Just placing the Kitely logo may help associate the ad with Kitely but it doesn't create a memorable connection with the brand - we are more than just a low cost grid. The messages in the ads will change depending on the ads but having "Kitely - Virtual Worlds on Demand" on all of them will help drive the connection between whatever value proposition we're advertizing with the ad and the fact that Kitely enables you to have the virtual worlds you want when you want them. When seen enough times even the people who never click the ads will remember that connection. The existence of the logo and slogan in a fixed place help create a sense of familiarity even before the ad text is read.