I understand this specific case. Reminds me of the changed appearance of Lara Croft of Tomb Raider.
But sometimes PC can go too far IMHO. Like recently the ‘master/slave’, ‘black/white’-list discussion in e.g. the Linux code. Not that a lot of people really care if that is changed to something else and maybe the alternative could describe things better. But when do you stop with changing words that could possible be a problem for some? This seems also a bit of a too big influence of USA sensitivities to other parts of the world.
2 Likes
Just to say, crypto has a reputation for being misogynistic. After conference strip club parties and the like. Pretty creepy stuff, imo.
I’d avoid any images which could be considered provocative, even if only borderline. There are better ways to promote the project, imo.
5 Likes
He may join, but she may be put off. Is it worth the risk?
6 Likes
I present to you, Rosie! What a wonderful addition to the collection of SAFE Stickers! 
4 Likes
There is another option that was always recognized in business as prudent practice yet appears to be lost, which is to avoid association with politics and religion. Specifically here, it’s neither to sexualize women, nor to promote them, nor to be offended by them, rather it’s the wisdom in avoiding divisive messaging which serves to encourage endless pointless debate at best, and discourage the success of the project at worst.
Marketing should convey the purpose and benefit of the project as widely as possible with the least chance of such issues. It requires separating personal preferences for the good of the project.
Being that SAFE is a fundamental technology I would think imagery such as elements and particles would be not only more appropriate but, most importantly, more effective.
11 Likes
I’d always heard it as avoid sex, politics, sport. I don’t know of those religion falls into. 
Good advice though, SAFE is a fundamental technology. Avoiding any personality and opinion, is a useful thought.
I wonder also that Elon Musk always avoided marketing… had zero marketing budget for Tesla… but everyone’s heard of Tesla.
Marketing is personality, perhaps hard to do without appealing to a crowd…and distancing others. Personally, I’d go the zero budget route if that was an option… utility sells itself… or the difference evidences improvements are needed.
Certainly the take away and point already made is that official updates don’t need the extras that might offend.
10 Likes
Errr the Socialists were on OUR side during WW2
2 Likes
I feel the imagery can illicit different messaging through different lenses. I don’t see an inherent problem with it but having it seem somewhat representative and having sexual undertones (the caricature of a busty and slim woman that appeals to the hetero-male sexuality) is not the agnostic messaging that we should be using, to echo @anon57419684 a bit.
Aside from that, humans are sexual creatures and that’s fine but it shouldn’t be of any focus here where we want to invite all and encourage Safe Access For Everyone.
Overall I’m impressed by the willingness to understand so far. I was kind of waiting for a boys club response as well. Not to shame anyone as that’s not appropriate either but to inform and correct that bringing that out here is not inviting or helpful.
I like Rosie though! It’s iconic and has clear messaging to me anyways. Not that the Rosie sticker should be some permanent fixture but do you consider appropriate or acceptable @Sotros25?
4 Likes
Rosie the Riveter is an extremely positive feminine/feminist icon. If that is going to put anyone off then this society is even further up its own rectal passage than is remotely healthy.
We MUST encourage women into Tech and welcome them with positive images. Rosie the Riveter is a undoubtedly a positive image.
Well done @Dimitar
3 Likes
To add a bit of context: Rosie the Riveter is a marketing campaign created by a man to convince women (many of whom were already doing full-time labor at home) to join the workforce during the war on top of everything else they were doing. Some see it as inspirational (indeed it can be), and some also see it as manipulative or a reminder of being underappreciated/unreasonable expectations/never being good enough.
It doesn’t mean there’s anything inherently wrong with the Rosie imagery; just wanted to provide context to the “undoubtedly positive” sentiment.
Perhaps, if we want to welcome more women and other underrepresented groups into our community, it could help to be less convinced of our current points of view and more open to hearing input from those we want to welcome – by which I mean leaving the door open to input from voices that have historically been missing instead of saying “case closed”.
3 Likes
Nail on head.
2 Likes
It was 1940s, ALL marketing campaigns were created by men. That was simply the reality of the times. Deal with it. Things are better now, thankfully.
1 Like
I agree with you that the particular image in question is not appropriate for the official project in a business/marketing sense and for other reasons. Neither is Rosie. The point I failed to make was what would be wrong with a rather feminine/female archetypal icon for SAFE? I’m thinking along the lines of the lady liberty imagery often seen on the back of gold bullion. We need someone here who is an art deco type artist to come up with some original artwork.
What are you referring to here? Unclear.
Perhaps, but SAFE and Sofia or Sophia have similar lingual tones, not to mention the name is a personification of wisdom/intelligence and information / knowledge. There is no natural equivalent that comes to mind for male names. Sapien? One issue is that there already is an AI in the wild named Sophia by Hansen Robotics. I suppose we would have named the one on SAFE to be Sofia anyhow though so not necessarily a naming conflict. Stephanie or Stephan/Steve might work too. Ask Steve?
2 Likes
Didn’t know that! Interesting and great points.
2 Likes
I think that imagery circumvents the issues that the OP raised.
To Southside’s point, there weren’t any women in marketing boardrooms doing much of anything other than pouring coffee in the era leading up to that time, sadly. We were still many years before even the “Mad Men” era. That being said, the need for women to take jobs outside of the home during the war time is the stone that broke the back opening opportunities for women in the workforce. Jobs that would have previously been off limit to them opened up, redefining the perspective on what is “women’s” vs “men’s” work. In that respect, Rosie signifies not just grit to get something done but also the chance to capitalize on new opportunities.
10 Likes
@Sotros puts it so much more eloquently than I can.
is what I wish I had written, the message behind the image, not the objectification of the woman in the image.
Also as alluded to above - this is a component, possibly a merely a small component in our overall marketing message. Yes lets get it as right as we can but its only part of the overall message, don’t lets get TOO hung up over this just in case someone thinks its not 100% signalling the virtues that we are all meant to slavishly fall into line behind these days. Its our overall message across the breadth of the marketing effort that we will be judged on.
6 Likes
This is such an enlightening conversation really. Even though I may have arrived at that thinking if stewed in the topic I simply haven’t engaged in this topic with well informed individuals before and so this is really valuable to me personally.
My personal biases would have lead me to this opinion first and foremost but it just proves the point that an image such as this is charged and really does illicit so many different points of view to almost everyone. Maybe because of their knowledge or lack there of on the matter, maybe simply because their own upbringing or unconscious biases.
Also, apologies if it felt like my comment was trying to sweep the issue under the rug @Sotros25. That was not my intention, I genuinely wondered whether it was preferred over the other.
Either way I think the conversation is important and it makes me wonder what we could authentically do to make up for the lack of diversity in the tech space so SAFE at the least can make up for it in some capacity.
6 Likes
The chance that someone or some group might misinterpret or misrepresent the connotations of any such image tied to the project is too risky. A misinformed, misdirected crusade is something SAFE shouldn’t invite. Forget both of them. Better marketing solutions with less downside risk will present themselves.
2 Likes
Listen, the woke will wilfully misinterpret EVERYTHING in their rush to virtue-signal.
Eff them, go with it - its a strong female friendly positive image, its NOT pinup stuff or remotely near it.
More women in STEM.
2 Likes
Right after I typed it I thought, “probably would correct that to Fascists if I wasn’t so lazy this morning”, but then figured “eh, socialists and marxists are just as bad, eh cold war, eh more antifa BS in the news… just hit reply button and go to work”. Thanks for calling me out to set the record straight.
2 Likes