As good as the time old adage?
They say sex sells. We
use it in advertising, and it's in some form almost everywhere you
go. And in virtual worlds it's no different. I'm out to
explore Second Life and see if sex sells better today in 2015 or if people feel
it sold better in SL's beginning days. Being co-owner of a sex/strip club, I
know the business and have been a dancer for almost all five of my years in SL.
That being said, my experience alone is only a small part of that which
intrigues me about how well one of SL's biggest industries works. I'm
interested in the differing views I may encounter, so journey with me.
I started out by asking
my friend Shae, who is an eight year resident of SL. With her
experience as a dancer and escort in SL, I figured she would be a good person
to get an opinion from.
Becca Drascol: Do you
think sex sells better now in SL or earlier on?
Shae Bellambi: I think escorting was easier and a whole lot
more money earlier.
That was a short and
simple reply but an honest one. Next I asked a friend and coworker, Zepron his
opinion. He also has experience working in adult clubs in SL.
Becca Drascol: Do you
think sex sells better now in SL or earlier on?
Zepron Resident: Earlier on back in 08, 09.
Becca Drascol: Ok one
other question; what do you think changed things on how sex sells now vs then?
Zepron Resident: SL was younger then there were more people
just finding SL and seen that you could have sex.
I decided to ask Jenwen
Walpole owner of Escort Oasis her opinion. Jen is a 7 year old av with a
thriving business.
Becca Drascol: Do you
think sex sells better now in SL or earlier on?
Jenwen Walpole: I don't think it sells better or
worse. That’s kind of like asking did sex sell better in the 60's or
now. What has changed is the nature of what people are looking for. Same as
real life I guess.
Last I asked a close
friend of mine Brenna Dover her opinion.
Becca Drascol: Do you
think sex sells better now in SL or earlier on?
Brenna Dover: Well honestly I think sex sold better earlier
on than now because people were newer to SL and just here for one thing
mostly... whereas now a lot of people are actually looking for real
relationships and paying for sex isn’t all that needed. I’ve never
paid for it.
Point of view or Mindset?
Rather you view the
question of how sex "sells" as the literal meaning of the exchange of
money for some form of sexual service, or as a concept of media images or even
a sexy avatar as something that draws us in; the answer I was seeking was
simply people's idea on what sells and if sex sells better now or if it did in
the past. Sex and being sexual is raw human nature and therefore it's this
writer's opinion that sex does still sell.
When asked, "Do you
think sex sells better now in SL or earlier on?" combining the idea of sex
sells and second life, of course sent minds directly to the idea surrounding
the literal meaning, an exchange of sex for money i.e. escorting or dancing.
However, this too answers a bigger idea behind this article. Just combining the
words sex and sells puts an image to mind that I refer to selling sex. But as
noted above, sex selling can be in the smallest of terms.
It can be an alluring avatar that draws your
attention to stay at one venue or it could be hot pictures of art or otherwise
that captivated you to stay put where you are and take the time to give traffic
to a venue. Therefore the old adage sex sells indeed sold you on giving
your time to a venue, now didn't it?
The whole idea is
one intriguing and as old as time. So yes, sex still sells perhaps, not as well
as it once may have in Second Life or in other virtual worlds. What catches the
eye keeps you intrigued or entertains to the point that you are at least sold
on an idea; image or service is what makes sex continue to sell.
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