Future Marketing Idea for Ethereum (something a bit different)

It is difficult for the average person to see the potential of blockchain tech, much less Ethereum. The mainstream will start using it, when its easy and they don't have to think. Many will not even care how it works. I have had months of sleepless nights studying ,reading, absorbing as much as I can. I found that reading the Science Fiction book that @Ursium suggested "Daemon" is helping me further apply some of the theories in my head.

As another first... why not commission writers to build a literary Ethereum Sci Fi universe. Let visionary authors contemplate and put into writing the vision of future DAOs . This would help future and current generations spark creative ideas. Similar to 30,000 Leagues Under the Sea having probably inspired future engineers. Granted I think the manuscripts would need to be vetted by Ethereum but even negative subjects could possibility shine the light on potentially hazardous future outcomes of DAO behavior (like Daemon).

I can envision titles about space travel, gaming, combat, political sagas, etc. etc.

So many of the conversations in this forum could be viewed as Sci Fi... the crazy thing is that many of these ideas will be coming to fruition soon!

This marketing idea could just be endorsed by the Ethereum brand, this is something never been attempted before. Could a tech brand stand for other things? What is the true essence of Ethereum? Is it "just" next-generation distributed cryptographic ledger... I believe the brand will form on its own... but there things we can do to shape the brand. This could be one way.

Just my thoughts...
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Comments

  • StephanTualStephanTual London, EnglandMember, Moderator Posts: 1,282 mod
    edited February 2014
    That's a pretty damn good idea Gianni. We just happen to have Karl Schroeder on the forums :)
  • KapacornKapacorn TorontoMember Posts: 27
    And if I was the lead actor this might actually have a chance of winning a grammy :D
  • giannidalertagiannidalerta Miami, FLMember Posts: 76 ✭✭✭
    Why not a graphic novel series. :) There could be an AI character that is the benevolent Oracle like in the Matrix, called Vita (Vitalik insipred) or like Bit from the original Tron. http://tron.wikia.com/wiki/Bit However BIT only responded in the movie with YES or NO responses.
  • BearkatBoyBearkatBoy Member Posts: 4
    I agree this is a GREAT idea!
  • cashcaviarcomcashcaviarcom Member Posts: 4
    This could be good to great project if it is based on evidence based science fiction. What I mean is "we" should use predictive analytic engines like Epagogix for movies and other analytic plot line tools to instantiate/measure product engagement potential based on various plot fiction scenarios.

    I see this approach combined with fantastic graphic innovation a la Enthiran ( The Indian Robot Movie) as a wonderful inspiration. Visually I am a big fan of the movie Crash if smart contract cars are involved. Clearly identifying the end goal from the start is a must.

    Another approach would be based on writer archetype modeling using writers like
    James Ballard, Neal Stephenson, and/or William Gibson. I am not saying to pirate their styles but I am saying we need to analyze their styles to determine exactly why each of them appeals to the kind of audience we want to attract and how far their reach is across age demographics and cultures.

    Beyond this the book/movie should be nerdy enough to satisfy the geeks but have enough WoW factors to pull in the main stream.

    Perhaps a competition between human writers and prediction based automatic writing would be interesting, along the lines of Big Blue versus Kasparov.

    As the idea progenitor, Gianni is the lead player. The question becomes whether and how other Ethereumites can participate and how their voices would be appropriately recognized <?>




  • StephanTualStephanTual London, EnglandMember, Moderator Posts: 1,282 mod
    What I like about this - is that we can avoid the whole 'fantasy' part that SF writers usually have to bake in, and base it on factual elements that just aren't 'quite there yet'. Science-reality more like :)
  • EtherBrokerEtherBroker Member Posts: 6
    I always wanted to see a rematch between Big Blue and Kasparov. I think he played poorly, and IBM ran with it
  • guakaguaka Member Posts: 18
    @giannidalerta, I love this idea. It looks like even Bitcoin and blockchain tech have been running way ahead of science fiction writers[0]. And Ethereum itself is avant garde in the Bitcoin world.
    Maybe part of the money raised from a fundraiser can be used for commissioning an SF writer. Cory Doctorow has written a story for Shuttleworth for $10k[1] so that's the kind of price range (although Cory himself has indicated he's "skeptical" about Bitcoin[2]).

    [0] http://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/464/science-fiction-and-the-blockchain
    [1] http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/03/the-experiment-behind-cory-doctorows-with-a-little-help
    [2] http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1i36rw/were_a_few_of_the_authors_of_humble_ebook_bundle/cb0l0xc
  • Amble_GreeneAmble_Greene Vancouver, CanadaMember Posts: 7
    This is known as "Hard Sci-fi" sci-fi that is based on theoretically viable ideas instead of "a wizard did it". As I see new tech around us rise it further enforces my belief that the meaning of life is to reverse engineer Star Trek. Great idea!
  • ranfordranford Member Posts: 25 ✭✭
    Yes great idea, either have a prize competition, or alternatively go for collaboration and set up a new wiki right here and start a collaboratively written hard sci-fi set in the very near future, id like to see it exploring the social impact of the changes ethereum and its ilk bring about.
  • kershykershy Member Posts: 46
    Ethereum is not something that the average person even *needs* to know about. It will be the apps that are built around the contracts which can be marketed. Ethereum and its contracts just need to be known among developers and business people.
  • StephanTualStephanTual London, EnglandMember, Moderator Posts: 1,282 mod
    @kershy I don't think you understand Gianni's intention :) it's not about marketing Ethereum in a horrid 'product placement' manner, it's about exploring the vision of a fully decentralized society say 100 years from now.

    There's potential for some rather mind-blowing storytelling ranging from utopia (globally decentralized voting, seasteading, post-scarcity society) to distopia through autonomous agents gone rogue (paperclip maximizer, Daniel Suarez daemon').
  • corycory Member Posts: 11
    Ursium I agree. I do not think it would about the technology of Ethereum. It would about the possibilities of the technology say a decentralized factory/maker movement or a decentralized political party or a decentralized music label.
  • MajikMajik Member Posts: 11
    Good idea, but also the best marketing is to have a great product with all-purpose and easy to use financial and contractual features of all sorts. Build it, make it easy and ridiculously useful and people will be very happy to be a part of it. It will market itself and may even go viral.
  • giannidalertagiannidalerta Miami, FLMember Posts: 76 ✭✭✭
    @Majik the coders are having all the fun with Ethereum. :P
  • jTAjTA Member Posts: 50
    Brilliant mash of ideas! But, rather than dropping "work" on aspiring/established authors to hack novel-sized stories, why not go for something small, SMS size stories, say, then everyone can contribute? Nature mag recently ran a microFutures competition where one had to pump a whole story into <= 200 characters, to resounding success. So, something like that? Write what naturally fits the ... blockchain?
  • giannidalertagiannidalerta Miami, FLMember Posts: 76 ✭✭✭
    @jTA 200 character stories... sounds great for poetry... not sure about my vision of sci-fi novels. But could be a great way to build awareness.
  • jayhall49jayhall49 Member Posts: 4
    We could get broader reach and awareness if we worked it into popular TV shows or Hollywood screenplays. Preferably not in crime dramas. I can think of lots of imaginative uses in "Big Bang Theory" episodes, the only negative being that it might be seen only as a nerd currency.
  • SofSof AustraliaMember Posts: 10
    I like the idea of using creative approaches to better communicate something like this that is so hard to grasp. The best 'science fiction' is that which takes a unique concept, but then places it in a close to familiar environment. Rather than a Star Trek future that uses all the visual clues to place you a long way from today. Something like the Black Mirror TV series which made you focus on the interesting imaginative future concept, without the distraction of "futuristic" one-piece tight costumes. Something that is anchored in today, also limits the turn-off factor that some people have to interacting with 'science fiction'.
  • jTAjTA Member Posts: 50
    @giannidalerta - give it a go! I suspect it will sharpen up your storyline/s no end! You/others can then dip into a vast pool of hot ethereal conceptuals and write your longer tomes, while generously spreading ether amongst the rest of us who help field the vast base of conceptuals? Go ahead, make <=200's just part of the current mash? Even pop one as a trial? I ... dare you :)
  • jTAjTA Member Posts: 50
    @mindposeidon - Oooh yes! Will Gibson's "sprawl series"! Absolutely brilliant! Neuromancer + Count Zero + Mona Lisa Overdrive! Each absolutely stuffed with evocative ideas. If only each novel was at least 5x ... longer! Collectively, they must have fast-forwarded "the net" from lab to real world by what, at least one order of magnitude, probably even two? Splendid role model for etherium-tek?
  • jTAjTA Member Posts: 50
    @giannidalerta - you've essentially got this right, though. As Einstein once said "Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions". Etherium-SF may be Etherium's best marketing ploy of all time?
  • SatCaSatCa Member Posts: 29
    I don't think you'd want to focus too much attention on Brand Management. Ethereum is an etheral idea...it's about imagination. No "colour" need to be added to that equation unless absolutely necessary.

    Also I feel close collaboration with the ethereum team is important to understand their plans.
  • jTAjTA Member Posts: 50
    Ethereum-SF: Any takers for the Etherium-SF <=200 category? Help get the pool of Ethereum memes underway?
  • giannidalertagiannidalerta Miami, FLMember Posts: 76 ✭✭✭
    @satca i'm actively collaborating with the team... we all are actively collaborating. Brand management is important. You are right that color may not be needed it, but there are many different channels that marketing/branding can be applied to. The usual suspects are just going down the... lets show coders the API, lets only talk to coders, etc. There are lot of sharp people who can apply world problems to Ethereum whom are not coders, may have the money to back those ideas, or be in a position to contribute in other fronts.... So allowing some imagination of the future, I believe could help bridge those gaps in a way that has never been attempted before. It would not hurt the brand, it can only help it and help all of us envision new ways of using crypto.
  • Jam10oJam10o Member Posts: 61 ✭✭
    I've got a novel-in-progress that I'd love to shamelessly litter with Ethereum propaganda ;) I'll share some snippets with everyone when it's looking nice?
  • GesamtGesamt Member Posts: 5
    I'm an industrial designer, and I spend a lot of time in the 'hard-sci-fiction' area of design thinking, and I'm interested in researching the fine detail and wider concepts of new techs in concert, in the sense that I attempt to scenario-plan for best uses of products and services which aren't created yet, to identify potential experience problems or uncover completely new ones we could aspire to. But sometimes I don't focus on or limit myself to think of things based on the hard limitations of tech or whatever is even currently possible, but the most ideal situations within everyday interactions or even long-term experiences. Because the purpose of engineering and technology is to achieve successful ways to suit what civilizations wants or needs with what we are willing to try. With ethereum, in a utopia, it seems that a lot of questions about the physical concepts and barriers 'ownership' may not need to exist anymore. Like if someone was to never feel as if they transacted with something ever again, they simply take something, everything around them assimilates to engage the new 'possession', similar to how a referee signals possession, however this could be handled by contracts/blockchain/fees/distributed computing based on proximity and network advantages or liberties, and 'engineering' could work out the fun of how the physical connection to those individuals and their attained objects became under new ownership. People would simply know that through use of, or after a certain time, the objects would transact with their funds to the acceptable contract limits and balances or deactivate those products which sell themselves for someone else use, or follow the standards with which the products were created under. I think these kinds of ideas generally sound crazy because the competitive combative nature of us to take apart ideas with the critical frame of 'now' , but there is nothing wrong with that in a utopia which exists 100 years from now. So yea, @giannidalerta I think we all have to ask big questions and supply half-answers by creating characters and imagining what their needs are. I think these will be unearthed with ethereum as people really embrace levels of security which begin to become ubiquitous interactions. Cryptography could be a really interesting way to secure a lot of the things which regular, untechnical or ethical people rely on to live without knowing any of the technical, just their stories and the experiences they now can have.
  • jTAjTA Member Posts: 50
    @Jam10o re "... share some snippets". Look forward to sighting those when ready. Contemplating posting Etherium-SF<=200's at the earlier more relevant post at http://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/464/science-fiction-and-the-blockchain
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