Iām Mike - AntennaPodās potential mascot! I was drawn a while back by a designer who helpded out the AntennaPod project with making stickers.
You might have seen me before on Mastodon around FOSDEM last year. If you visited FOSDEM, you might even have me as a sticker!
I havenāt showed up anywhere since FOSDEM. And Iām wondering: do you think I should? Should I stay around as core member of the AntennaPod team? Or should I rather hide in podcastersā recording studios? Or should I showing up on parties and social media, but stay away from your precious app?
@ByteHamster, @Keunes and @Femmdi wanted to hear the communityās thoughts before making a decision on my fate. So please, let them know what you think! And donāt mind me - I wonāt be offended or overjoyed. Speak freely!
I personally like it a lot, but am wondering if it isnāt too āfrivolousā. I want AntennaPod to be (perceived as) a serious competitor to the big apps and Iām not certain a fun character would fit that or hinder it.
Where would you see Mike being used in the app? The only (acceptable) place is certain empty state screens, like when you search for podcasts and nothing is found.
Donāt like it and I canāt see why there is a need for a mascot apart to use it for merchandizing.
Besides I donāt know any other app having a mascot. (except if it is already the app icon)
But worse he reminds me of the horror that was clippy when microsoft tried to push it on itās office suite. Of course the one from Microsoft was much more annoying as it was trying to interact with your normal use.
Mike should have built a poll on his post to simulate a vote.
I do like the mascot. Shrinking for the app icon may get kind of crowded. He could certainly appear in certain places in the app, the website, and the forums.
Yes, that would be it. If done in a very subtle way (size and colour-wise) and with the design adapted to the context of a given screen, it could tie in nicely with some existing gaps (e.g. this ticket).
I probably wouldnāt take it further than that, as far as the app is concerned. It would be visible to users, but not too visible.
Itās a table microphone (the kind that you would expect a podcaster or radio host to use), with human features (eyes, eyebrows, hands) and wearing a blue t-shirt with the AntennaPod logo.
I did create a poll on Mastodon: AntennaPod: "So, what do you think of Mike (see linked toot)? ā¦" - Fosstodon It is still open so you can vote there if you want. I didnāt add a poll here because I was afraid people would just click-and-leave, while Iām mainly interested in hearing the arguments and sentiments
Sorry, Discourse doesnāt remind/encourage you to add an alt text. Thanks for describing @loucasal! Your description is better than the one I posted on Mastodon
Thereās a lot of people making that connection (on Mastodon also). But was clippy really that bad? I personally see clippy as a dumb/useless but funny thing, so I donāt have a negative connotation with it.
I think the average clippy sentiment is an important thing to consider, because Mike does remind of clippy to many and I donāt see how we can prevent that in the design.
So, what do you think of Mike (see linked toot)? Should he become our mascot? * (Weāre asking for your input because we love him, but arenāt sure if he would well represent the quality app that we aim to provide.)
25%Yes, definitely!
41%Yes, but only on social media etc (not in the app)
34%Meh / Nah / Nope
Also interesting feedback:
Someone commented that the logo on the t-shirt looks more like a compass than like an A. I think think the design could be tweaked a little bit to prevent this. Someone replied that maybe the RSS logo could be used on the t-shirt instead.
Many people indicated the link with clippy. Not too many negative sentiments, though. Someone made the link with Luxo Jr.; Pixarās desk lamp.
Someone suggested Mike could actually give advise in a few cases. (Ehm, thanks, but no thanks.) Someone else suggested we could show Mike in-app giving a suggestion to long-time users as an April foolās easter egg. (Well, not ruling out that one )
Two folks argued our mascot should be an antenna, not a microphone, because AntennaPod is not about recording but about receiving. Thereās definitely something to say for that.
All in all, it seems itās OK to use a mascot in the app, but very sparingly. Iām thinking in a way that GitHub does it:
There are a few apps actually. GitHub I already shared above; they have an octocat. Mastodon is another, with their friendly elephant (visible on Mastodonās website). Iām sure thereās more.
Hmm, the way I read the poll, 75% of the participants donāt want it in the app I think the āemptyā screens are a bit too prominent. Maybe we can use him on Echo? Or actually go full āclippyā on April 1st
True, but I didnāt specify how it would be used/showing in the app. From the comment replies, many people seemed to think āin the app equals clippy-like experienceā which is not at all the case. Some folks mentioned this also:
So for me the results give a feeling of mood, but (as I wrote also as a disclaimer in the toot) we should make our own analysis and decision. So again: the way GitHub approaches it can work for AntennaPod as well.
I think the āemptyā screens are a bit too prominent. Maybe we can use him on Echo? Or actually go full āclippyā on April 1st