[The Smiler] Marketing discussion

[Scott]

My new idea,The smiler end of ride photo stall will have new tech cameras scanning each individuals face and warping each and everyone's mouth to smile!! Hence the title the smiler!

I really like this idea! Not sure it will actually happen though - but it would be VERY creepy!

 

[Nick]

This is, without a doubt, the worst name in the history of theme parks.

It's absolutely meaningless without context and it's absolutely cringey.

Even other gash names like Sub-Terra and ThThirteenTeen sound vaguely scary and convey something meaningful without knowing what the ride is about. You know Sub-Terra is going to be underground, you know ThThirteenTeen is going to be based around bad luck and death and all that stuff. What does Smiler convey without knowing the story?

What an over exaggeration.

It conveys that its going to make you Smile. Is that not hard to figure out? With regards to N:ST, I'd say that most of the GP do not know what Sub means, or Terra - to them it's just fancy words. Also, th13teen doesn't lend to the story much does it? An unlucky number. Not a scary name by any means.

The Smiler goes well with the images and media so far, and we have not seen the best of the marketing yet. Not even a commercial. It's simple, and effective, and its ironic in that its a slightly calming name for what is a scary ride. It's perfect in that its beautifully deceiving.

Of course that's your opinion but I can't help feeling that its a tad over the top.

You seriously suggesting most people don't know that 'sub-' means below?

The Smiler fits with the marketing, but that's the problem. It sounds like they haven't tried at all. It doesn't stand up on its own. Nemesis sounds good without knowing why it's called Nemesis. Oblivion sounds good without knowing why it's called Nemesis. The Smiler sounds awful even with the context.

Plus it's got a 'The' in it.

Anyway, the Smiler is awful. It is distasteful, doesn't fit a coaster name and it feels like AT made the logo, marketing plans etc. after the decided on such an awful name. The name should feel like it fits an concept, not the other way round.

 

[Fredward]

I think Smiler is better then Thirteen, at least Smiler has some relevance and has some reasoning why it's called that. Th13teen was just a random name and I think a lot more people hated it.

People still got used to the name, I thought it was stupid at first, but you get used to saying it and will eventually roll off the tongue, regardless of how much you dislike.

Besides I wouldn't say it sounds like a kids name, say "Want to go on the Smiler?" a few times... it does sound sinister, very much like Sanctuary. It looks like a kids name on paper, but when spoken... I don't know, seems creepy...


I'm not saying I love the name, i think it's ok... better then innoculator, that personally sounds like something an 8 year old would name a ride in RCT... like when I used to name all my rides, Nauseator, or Exterminator.

 

[JayTricky]

I know, I know, I'm not too good with paint (especially when rushed for time) but I think you can see what I'm getting at from this...

?

You mean something like this?

 

[Earthwürm]

The Smiler...sounds like a ride that has been designed for your comfort and enjoyment...doesn't suit x-sector?...

 

[LewisNavex]

The Smiler...sounds like a ride that has been designed for your comfort and enjoyment...doesn't suit x-sector?...

Everything in X Sector has been designed for your comfort and enjoyment.

 

[cotda]

OMG, they should so make The Smiler Faces!

 

[Ted]

I'm looking forward to the day when this ride gets rethemed

 

[Martin]

I'm looking forward to the day when this ride gets rethemed

I think it's too early to say that, the theme still sounds really good. It's just the name that's the problem.

They might balls the theme up too, but for now it's still looking good.

 

[Ben]

Surprised to see people completely write the theme and story of the ride of from name alone.
The only theming bits Ive seen so far are the big-ass spider which looks stunning and the sanctuary as a scaremaze pre-linked - which I also thought was great.

Then again Ive not seen the finished product yet, so will withhold any decisive opinions until I see and ride it.

 

[Scott]

I've just had to remove a bunch of posts because they were off topic and carrying on a pointless argument.

Less of that please.

 

[delta79]

How do you know "It's hardly accurate"?

I think it's great that their going to actually show us the ride from an early stage. The drip fed marketing technique was getting beyond boring.

Boring? By far the best campaign done by AT, I'm sad it ended so quickly, at least another week of teasers would of been better.

This one has been alright but for the other coasters when it's just embarrassing media stunts after media stunts it starts to drag on. At the end of the day people want to see what the ride will look like, not the logo.

they could of held the sheep off for a week, and did teasers with posters for another week, as I believe they got the timing right over the reveal after the sheep stunt.

 

[JB1985]

this to me is all excellent. brilliant marketing, brilliant concept and great website. I bet TTF will be pissed if they are going to be posting lots of construction images on the mini site. Part of me feels its AT's way of saying 'up yours' but thats for another conversation.

Also, interesting images of the cars. I appreciate they are B&M floorless cars but i could see something the same or very similar being used.

And it's officially a world first!

Finally, why all the negativity.

 

[code-red]

Couldn't fault any of the marketing, brilliant and mysterious. Completely 1990's Oblivion style.

Then the name reveal, not a fan of it at all. Sounds unimaginative and cheap, even 'The Inoculator' sounds better. Told a member of family about the name of the new ride at Alton Towers, they replied 'sounds like a cheap funfair ride', says it all really.

Made it'll grow on me in time, maybe it'll feel 'right' after experiencing the ride first hand, maybe it will forever sound out of place - maybe that's the idea? We'll see

 

[Stevie]

I've also discovered this (From TT) :

P.S I think "The Lexicon" is the spider.

Regarding "The Lexicon", this was also on the original website before it was changed back.

And a quick Google of "Lexicon" spued up this from Wikipedia:

A central role of the Lexicon is the documenting of established lexical norms and conventions. Lexicalization is the process where new words, having gained into widespread usage, enter in the lexicon. Since lexicalization may modify lexeme phonologically and morphologically it is possible, that a single etymological source may be borrowed in two or more forms into a single lexicon. These pairs are called doublet are often close semantically. Two examples are aptitude versus attitude, and employ versus imply.

 

[Martin]

Lexicon sounds like it's going to be the answer to Lord Of Darkness. The computer system that monitors everything. The spider will be part of it. It'll be used to monitor the area and be the brains of the Lexicon.

Or something like that.

 

[Quetzal]

So, we can assume from that, that they've given everything names. Deep backstory possibly? Perhaps they'll go ahead and explain the other rides in the area.

Oh how amazing would it be if this ride had it's own language, like newspeak.

 

[Martin]

So, we can assume from that, that they've given everything names. Deep backstory possibly? Perhaps they'll go ahead and explain the other rides in the area.

Oh how amazing would it be if this ride had it's own language, like newspeak.

I doubt there will be any much more for the other rides than what we knew already. The other rides were always experiments, the only difference is now we know who is operating them. I can't see them changing anything, it doesn't seem necessary as The Smiler (oh god it's still awful) fits in nicely.

 

[JayTricky]

So, we can assume from that, that they've given everything names. Deep backstory possibly? Perhaps they'll go ahead and explain the other rides in the area.

Oh how amazing would it be if this ride had it's own language, like newspeak.

I doubt there will be any much more for the other rides than what we knew already. The other rides were always experiments, the only difference is now we know who is operating them. I can't see them changing anything, it doesn't seem necessary as The Smiler (oh god it's still awful) fits in nicely.

I put you forward and nominate you to be the first to get corrected Mr. Blaze.

 

[Ted]

I'm looking forward to the day when this ride gets rethemed

I think it's too early to say that, the theme still sounds really good. It's just the name that's the problem.

They might balls the theme up too, but for now it's still looking good.

Hmm, fair point. I like the theme idea, and the whole Nineteen-EightyFour style theme. What I don't like is the name and the god damn face!