XYplorer Beta Club

Trying to boost the appeal of the website I decided to pop a face -- or at least something alive...

Here are 3 mock-ups:

(1) A (IMO) beautiful woman - disadvantage: I've stolen here from another website, so she will have to be replaced...
http://www.xyplorer.com/download/XY-woman.png

(2) A (IMO) handsome man - advantage: he (Sir Thomas More; executed 6 July 1535 for refusing to acknowledge the Act of Supremacy) was painted by Hans Holbein the Younger in 1527, so it's public domain and free to use (also photographs of such artworks are not copyrighted -- I checked).
http://www.xyplorer.com/download/XY-ThomasMore.png

(3) A detail of a famous painting (quiz: who's the painter? ):
http://www.xyplorer.com/download/XY-green.png

Question: Which of them would turn you into a customer?

As much as I'd like to look at that female every time I came to your site, for me the man makes more sense. He _looks_ like an explorer ---> xyplorer.

That being said, I don't know that having a face on the page would be the deciding factor between buying a license or not.

JustinF wrote:That being said, I don't know that having a face on the page would be the deciding factor between buying a license or not.

Sure, but I believe it's a contributing factor.

My point of view?
The / a woman is fine.
The painting is something special.
But that's just for me...

JustinF wrote: for me the man makes more sense. He _looks_ like an explorer ---> xyplorer.

I agree with this view! Makes it look more classy than your typical model shot...

Neither of those, really.

a) By no means there should be a woman there. I'm not being sexist, but the people who are more likely to be attracted by XY are not Joe Bloggs off the street (apologies to any Joe Bloggs out there), but smart, educated and professional people, quite probably with an IT background. This criteria is likely to apply to more men than women. Therefore, if it's a choice between he or she, then it's gotta be a he. Ideally, a handsome person, in a suit with a tie holding a briefcase (or working on a laptop). You're not just selling a product, you're selling an image too.

b) If we're to go down the route of a painting then I'm certain it should be either Christopher Columbus or Vasco Da Gama. Both are great explorers and you'll be making a statement that XY's contribution to the market of File Managers is equivalent to explorations of those two legends of the seas.

It has to be someone who you can either identify with or wish to be or someone who is well-known in the field of exploration of the world. I don't have a degree in marketing though, so what would I know?

Neither. Put a beast in there, something like a horse for example: Powerful, elegant, graceful, fast.
People like to relate to a mascot and XY could have one. Just my opinion.

I agree, that a picture of an animal representing an attribute XY does have as well makes more sense (i.e a cheetah for speed).
The female beauty is nice to look at - sure, but I don't think sex sells in this case.
The painting probably doesn't make much sense to most of your potential customers, since they might not know who it is and therefore won't be able to make the connection to a great explorer or whatever he was. And it gets even worse, if you have to explain the connection.

Just my 2 cts

RalphM wrote:I agree, that a picture of an animal representing an attribute XY does have as well makes more sense (i.e a cheetah for speed).

Which animal should be the one if this idea used? Are there any products that use this already that we might conflict/confuse with?

they might not know who it is and therefore won't be able to make the connection to a great explorer or whatever he was. And it gets even worse, if you have to explain the connection.

Maybe if the guy was using a spyglass (or telescope or similar) in the painting, then the "explorer" might be more obvious...or at the wheel of a ship looking out, etc..

RalphM wrote:The painting probably doesn't make much sense to most of your potential customers, since they might not know who it is and therefore won't be able to make the connection to a great explorer or whatever he was. And it gets even worse, if you have to explain the connection.

Not necessarily, a couple of lines like "Christopher Columbus, 1451-1506, One of The World's Greatest Explorers" would look quite nice IMO. Potentially, the main image can be a random one from a selection. It would reflect the fact that XYplorer is constantly changing and evolving. On a picture with a cheetah you can have a slogan like "Cheetah: 0-60 in 3.8 seconds, XYplorer: 0 - Ready in less than 2 seconds"

Thanks for your comments!

I added another one to post #1 of the thread.

Don't get too brainy about it. This is mainly about subconscious stuff, feelings, emotions... open up.

admin wrote:Thanks for your comments!

I added another one to post #1 of the thread.

Don't get too brainy about it. This is mainly about subconscious stuff, feelings, emotions... open up.

Among those, i like the XY-green.png the most.

admin wrote:I added another one to post #1 of the thread.

Well, that #3 makes it look like XY is in the weeds! Not a place we want to be!

Don't get too brainy about it. This is mainly about subconscious stuff, feelings, emotions... open up.

One very well known investment company in US uses a sailing ship motif...you know, the 1700-1800 warship type thing...and names some products/services accordingly...maybe that type of idea? What ships the early explorers used...there might be some good paintings of that available for "extraction"...

Or how about a mountain climber at the peak in full gear? Or an early artic explorer, etc?

I like the green stuff!

I have no problems with weed anyway...

PS: nobody recognizes the painter??

I think (3) would not turn me into a customer. I think it's the most difficult to grasp between the three designs and too much visual noise in the background and behind "XYPLORER" that takes attention away... May I say? if you redesign the page, one day you might redesign both the boxshot and the about box, can't say I love them