Brainstorming the next steps

Really liking the colour match on the main page. Still wish the banner could be extended to match the width of the forum beneath it. Dan Craig on one side next to Sean, then a current female pop celeb on the other end. This would modernise the banner as well as correcting the size.

I'm all for modernization and chick pop stars.... but please no Gaga or Cyrus types... I'll puke if I have to see the likes of Gaga or Cyrus each time I refresh a page.

No modifications can happen until Louis Armstrong returns.

Who do you want? Nicki Minaj? Lana Del Ray? Jessie J? PJ Harvey? Beyoncé? Mariah Carey? Katy Perry? Ellie Goulding? Emeli Sandé? Rihanna? Janelle Monáe? Britney? Kei$ha? Taylor Swift? Rebecca Black? Fergie? Adele? Allison Goldfrapp? Madge? Flo Welch? Amanda Palmer?

I know some of those are much less famous than others, but I think it's more important to appeal to this forum's tastes than anything else. We shouldn't misadvertise.

Maybe we need a poll?

The banner can't just preach to the converted. The people converted by the tastes of the current banner are already here or have already left. Representing more modern celebs could help bring in some much-needed fresh blood and variety. Or do people seriously want these forums to be merely the same half a dozen active posters going over the same old stuff until the forum goes stale and dies? Marketing-wise, I still think our banner should be a modern 100% Bond banner, because that's a market we can conceivably come out on top of. Otherwise, we're just marketing ourselves as a general entertainment site/forum, thus putting ourselves in competition with the zillion other entertainment sites/forums/facebook/twitter pages out there. From our current point, I can't see us making any real forward progress.

Well, M, I think this forum should focus on the niche James Bond market as the fourth largest Bond forum outside of MI6 Community, CBn and AJB. James Bond should be (and is) what draws people here - in order to reflect that fact how about a picture of the six different actors to have played Bond in their Bond poses to replace the pictures on the current banner? This is a Bond forum first and foremost - we shouldn't throw away our advantage as being such as that is our main draw as far as I can see from our returning memberlist.

M wrote:

Representing more modern celebs could help bring in some much-needed fresh blood and variety.

What makes you believe they'll stick around any longer than those who were supposedly brought in by our current banner? Sorry for being cynical, but I just can't see a new banner having any significant impact on this forum's activity. I know we all want some kind of panacea for B&B, but message boards don't work like that.

A banner isn't going to bring in new people.

Sure it's not ALL down to the banner, but right now the images, the colours and even the sizing tell their own story: That this place doesn't know what it wants to be, or that it's a jack of all trades forum but a master of none. We've lost a shedload of members, many of whom are (or probably are) posting on other Bond forums. We all know Bond like the back of our hands, plus we have other advantages here such as free speech, hugely intelligent members, lenient leadership, flexible avatars, use of copyrighted images, etc. We should be using those advantages over other Bond forums to be the biggest and best. General Yuckovich called us the fourth biggest Bond forum. For a few months after old MI6 folded, we were THE biggest. The blowing of that position was all our own doing, with some members being drama queens, some completely intolerant of other people's opinions and some spending more time questioning the forums than posting on them. If we pull together and move forward, we can regain that lost ground. If we stay as we are, we'll still be where we are right now in a year's time.

I would only suggest putting images of today's icons because the current one feels too tied to the 20th century, the newest image being Bowie in the 70s, 40 years ago. Hendricks is there, but she's in character set in the 60s. All this would give the impression that we're some sort of retro site, longing for the old days. I'm not saying we should abandon the whole banner, but at least modify it.

Instead of Connery, it should be Craig, given that he is the current Bond actor it only makes sense to have him up there. I'd keep Hitchcock, because nobody represents great film-making and showmanship like him. I liked Shark's suggestion of replacing Bowie with Daft Punk. They're certainly one of today's more interesting musicians with their unique presentations. As for Hendricks, if there's a full body image of her that isn't dressed for MAD MEN, I would be fine with that. She perfectly reflects members' views here that we like our women with real figures, and who better? If not, keep the image anyway.

I only throw these out not to create a banner that would attract more members, but just to prevent us from looking like a bunch of folks stuck in the 20th century that can't appreciate what's coming out today, at least that's my opinion. SKYFALL is a good inspiration, having one foot in the past and the other in the present. Let's actually have a banner reflect on that.

Quote :

I'd keep Hitchcock, because nobody represents great film-making and showmanship like him.

I'd say Welles did, in his own way. Might be an interesting change.

True, I even had an image of him in my own banner submissions. However, I think Hitchcock was the right choice because he was not only a great filmmaker but he made films that were very popular among crowds. Sort of the best of both worlds there. The only guy to have both those qualities and showmanship (another popular filmmaker like Spielberg made great stuff, but isn't much of a showman himself).

Python, your suggestions are great.

I do think that if we want the forum we talk about wanting, we can have it. But it's not going to happen tomorrow. And it's not going to happen when these conversations are seen by those trying out the forum. I really think this is a behind-the-scenes type of discussion. Don't know how that happens but it should.

Remember you have mod powers, Retro. Split the posts in this thread discussing the banner - give the new topic any title you want. Then, move the new topic into Administration and Archive. You can merge said topic with any appropriate thread (i.e. Things to be Done), or just leave it.

Woo! I did it. My first split .

I hope nobody minds. I like an open forum but this brainstorming stuff really is behind-the-scenes stuff.

Do I understand correctly then that only staff can see the threads in this area? I thought I saw a few in here a while ago - like before Ambler left and General YY... Just want to know if I can use this space when talking to the larger group instead of sending copy PMs to many.

Why do the quotes look as if they are spoilers now? You can't see them unless you highlight them.

How do I change the colour for the 'Who's Online?' and 'Chatbox' headers?

Largo's Shark wrote:

Quote :

I'd keep Hitchcock, because nobody represents great film-making and showmanship like him.

I'd say Welles did, in his own way. Might be an interesting change.

Always have time for Welles.

Was in the middle of reconfiguring the forum's layout and M has relinquished my admin powers. What the fuck?

If you're not happy with the changes I made, at least revert them. The white text was a mistake that I was about to fix.

-- FWIW, I like the blue and grey headers with gradients. Where did you download them from? I wouldn't know where to search.

retrokitty submits a beautiful banner and you change it for that tired old '6 gun salute' from March 2011?

Fuck this shit. Don't just take my admin powers, go ahead and ban me.

They're showing up for me, unless that's already been taken care of.

Same here.