ExtortionLetterInfo Forums
ELI Forums => Getty Images Letter Forum => Topic started by: Matthew Chan on January 10, 2012, 06:44:56 PM
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Hey, everyone. I have been mulling this over for months now but I really am not sure which way to go. Could you do me a favor and take this poll and give some feedback?
I know it seems like a silly exercise but if you can humor me and read the dialog below before making a rash decision.
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How about "Members of the ELI Defense Team?"
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I concur with OM, in keeping it more "respected / professional" as it were...
"Extortion Extinguishers" cause we all love the word extortion!
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Oscar, I suspected I was pushing the envelope with you on this one. LOL. You know me, I am into imagery (no pun intended). Maybe we have to exclude you from the name and give you a special title altogether.
How about "Members of the ELI Defense Team?"
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I sense a mutiny building. LOL. The "problem" I see is we are almost too serious and I think imagery is important to break into mainstream press. We want other websites to "identify" us easily. We have the ELI name but we need to create an easy to recognize symbol for it. (Do we have a graphic artist in our community?) What we do is too abstract and esoteric for many people to understand. I am not trying to "dumb" things down drastically but I want people to recognize us as doing more than just "playing defense". I believe we are also fighters/warriors/whatever in the larger cause.
While there is a bit of humor here, there is also a greater objective I am trying to achieve with this. Obviously, I am simply get some feelers on this before doing anything.
I concur with OM, in keeping it more "respected / professional" as it were...
"Extortion Extinguishers" cause we all love the word extortion!
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Ok "mutiny" aside, my first honest thought was the same..."What's wrong with ELI Defense Team".
:D
I did like buddhapi's "Extortion Extinguishers". I could see a fireman figure with a hose in hand!
;D
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While it is descriptive, it is boring and entirely abstract. It was something I came up with quickly to get started. It was a "placeholder" name until I could come up with something more colorful that is more media and visually friendly.
Ok "mutiny" aside, my first honest thought was the same..."What's wrong with ELI Defense Team".
:D
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I like Oscars too but then...
This one made me smile...
"Extortion Extinguishers" cause we all love the word extortion!
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I can help with any graphics, Matt.
S.G.
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Honestly I like "Members of the ELI Defense Team" too.
MUTINY!
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SG: I had been toying with the idea of creating a character named "Eli" to represent the site as a logo/mascot. I pictured a smallish, bookish type of person somewhere between Harry Potter and Where's Waldo. While I get Matt's idea to perk up the concept, I think we lose some credibility if we get too campy (anyone ever see "Mystery Men") but a cartoonish logo of a bespectacled librarian type who shields people from spurious claims might be a happy compromise What do you guys think?
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SG: I had been toying with the idea of creating a character named "Eli" to represent the site as a logo/mascot. I pictured a smallish, bookish type of person somewhere between Harry Potter and Where's Waldo. While I get Matt's idea to perk up the concept, I think we lose some credibility if we get too campy (anyone ever see "Mystery Men") but a cartoonish logo of a bespectacled librarian type who shields people from spurious claims might be a happy compromise What do you guys think?
I think "ELI" and the concept is cool. Just another thought.....
Since we are being invaded by the "robots", what if "ELI" was also a robot? Just a thought.
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Oscar's idea is quite interesting. Also like the robot idea.
But, the character simply must have a machine gun. (just kidding).
Too bad the "Angry Birds" have already been invented.
I also like the style of "The Incredibles":
http://pds.egloos.com/pds/1/200412/27/96/b0048496_3161680.jpg
(this link does not infringe, by the way).
Too bad the acronym "CSI" is already taken...
How about the "ELI Defense Protocol"? lol.
S.G.
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perhaps something with "Champions" not as in that we're the champs, but more like we are championing the cause, I also like the idea of a Mascot named Eli. I know a couple of graphics artist that I'll be speaking with, to see if they will be willing to donate a couple of hours to mock something up
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I think "ELI" and the concept is cool. Just another thought.....
Since we are being invaded by the "robots", what if "ELI" was also a robot? Just a thought.
Picking up on the stray-- Matt, do you use anything like use ZBblock? Since getting my Getty letter, I've been trying to figure out a good solution to both make it more difficult and time and resource consuming for the picture scrapers (including picscout) and other bots to prowl my site. (That is-- more time and resource intensive for the bots, less for my site.)
I've finally managed to get things under control. It involves using cloudflare, ZBblock and a script to autobann that I wrote. I could install it for you. (But you'd have to trust me because it requires getting on a server.)
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Of the choice mentioned so far, I also prefer "Members of the ELI Defense Team."
IMO, this is a very serious business and consequently requires utmost professionalism. It'll take much more than a catchy name to get mainstream media attention, especially since so much of the mainstream media is owned by companies run by people like those at Getty.
I think we should concentrate on doing what's already being done so well here on the form: stick to our guns with facts and thoughtful ideas and commentary and occasional high-level sarcasm.
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Perhaps, "ELI Advisory Committee".
S.G.
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I think if you look at my past record of business projects outside of ELI, I take my credibility and reputation very seriously. That means, by extension, I won't be doing anything that will damage the credibility built thus far on ELI. I don't think I am speaking out of turn that Oscar has had MANY conversations with me over the last 3.5 years. And while we may disagree on specifics, I think he can vouch for me that I deeply care about professional reputation and credibility. I think he has seen some of my "off-the-wall" ideas morph into unexpectedly positive results. I like to think that is why he continues to want to work with me when really he could (god forbid) disassociate himself from me at anytime.
Having said that, it doesn't mean I can't or won't screw things up along the way.
However, let me assure you, anything that might be implemented will NOT change the ongoing information, commentary, and analysis. That is the core of the community.
I do not claim to have "the answer". If I did, I would not have released a poll which I almost never do in making decisions. I generally think about it, consult with a few people, and then make my own decision. I would like to think I have made more right decisions than wrong decisions thus far because we are so much larger and influential than in the past.
What I do know is that:
1. We are fighting an issue that most people don't care about UNTIL they get "the letter".
2. We are fighting about some very abstract (albeit important) issues.
3. ELI has had to take some calculated risks in "taking it to the next level".
4. Leaving things at the status quo leads to stagnation. Entities must either grow or wither.
5. Symbols and imagery are seriously lacking on ELI. (Keep in mind they can be powerful tools and they can be deeply serious. (Flags, crests, insignia, logos, mascots, are all samples of symbols that stand for something greater.)
What I truly appreciate is that all of you care so much about ELI and what we do that you are willing to challenge and disagree with me. That says something to me. So thanks to all of you for your opinions. I am taking it all in. Keep the comments coming. But don't be afraid to throw out some suggestions also.
IMO, this is a very serious business and consequently requires utmost professionalism. It'll take much more than a catchy name to get mainstream media attention, especially since so much of the mainstream media is owned by companies run by people like those at Getty.
I think we should concentrate on doing what's already being done so well here on the form: stick to our guns with facts and thoughtful ideas and commentary and occasional high-level sarcasm.
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Don't forget to keep us posted regarding what you decide. If I may be of any help at all, let me know.
:)
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Thanks for asking. For now, this is not the topmost issue. I have concluded the name will flow from the imagery, symbol, mascot that is ultimately selected. I am looking for the right graphic artist at the right price to do a customized and original image. So I am giving it a bit of time at the moment.
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Thanks for asking. For now, this is not the topmost issue. I have concluded the name will flow from the imagery, symbol, mascot that is ultimately selected. I am looking for the right graphic artist at the right price to do a customized and original image. So I am giving it a bit of time at the moment.
Of course one would assume that this is not the "topmost issue" just an interesting one. Wishing you the best with your suggestions!
What I truly appreciate is that all of you care so much about ELI and what we do that you are willing to challenge and disagree with me. That says something to me. So thanks to all of you for your opinions. I am taking it all in. Keep the comments coming. But don't be afraid to throw out some suggestions also.
:)