Not too long ago I received an invitation to the join the beta of a new open platform for creative professionals called the Behance Network. It is an interesting idea that is centered around creative projects, portfolios, and collaborations. Those concepts comes to life by letting you show your work through a gallery, connect with other creative professionals, potential clients, and project opportunities through 'circles' which allow people of similar interests to group together (my circle is here if you are interested in joining), see freelance and collaboration offers through a GigList and finally gather tips and resources to help you make ideas happen.

I get links for things like this all the time and have seen others try to do this idea of collaborative creative teams but this is the first site that looks like it had the thought, resources and support to really have a chance at becoming a new and viable creative project model. Only time will tell if can really make it happen if you can get an invite into the beta it is worth checking out.

Labels: Design and user experience, Digital culture, Great resource, Site review

Ordering pizza online hasn't ever been anything more checking a long series of radio buttons then putting in your address and credit card info. I have always been amazed that companies that are completely consumer facing with customers of all technical abilities never made this a more intuitive process.

Dominos is finally stepping up to change that with the resurrection of their "30 minutes or less" tag line they developed a site that lets customers visually build their own pizza through a simple and well designed experience. The site specifically supports their "Big Fantastic Deal" program thus the name BFD. Users create their own BFD by picking their crust, cheeses, meats and "unmeats". You can then submit your order or name and register your pizza to order it again later and let the public see and order your creation as well. I like this addition of the community aspect as it makes the site more accessible to customers of technical abilities and they are more likely to come back to the site to see how their creations are fairing with the public. The site and experience is simple, well done and amazing it took so long to be created.

Labels: Design and user experience, Exceptional design, Exceptional experiences, Exceptional Flash, Site review

Hyundai has launched a new microsite to support their "Think About It" TV campaign. The user experience and site content unfolds in a 3D environment from the main screen shown above and uses a voice over to narrate the experience.

The content is a wide variety of material from video montages about their electronic stability control to an interactive section called 'save the egg' where users can create a rude vehicle to protect an egg from a 30-foot drop. The egg is the most fun and engaging section of the site as you want to replay it a few times to see what happens with different combinations. The ultimate point o the section being to show that the right selection of safety equipment is essential.

From a design perspective the site is well done if not a touch on the generic side. The animation, VO and interface design are all used skilfully so the focus stays on the content and it doesn't become an exercise in production techniques. I do wish that the 3D main menu was able to be integrated into the whole site as it changes to a linear time line style navigation when you leave the home page.

I am not sure what happened with Hyundai but their interactive work over the past year has gone through the roof. This site isn't as good as the Santa Fe site they did last year which is still my favorite with the Venacruz e-catalog probably coming in even with his new entry. This body of work is a credit to whomever is leading their interactive design especially when you see iconic brands like BMW who were so strong in the space but now have become safe and predictable.

All of this brings me back to a core frustration with our industry. No matter how great your ideas, your campaigns or your design - all we can do is get them to the door. If the product doesn't deliver on the hope and promise we created then it all falls apart. It will be interesting to see if the rest of the company and product itself can undergo the same transformation as I think most consumers aren't to a place where they would associate the words great design or quality and Hyundai.

Labels: Design and user experience, Exceptional experiences, Exceptional Flash, Site review

In an attempt to revitalize and reinvent the Mountain Dew brand, PepsiCo did a unique creative partnership with Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker to build Dewmocracy which is a virtual community built around a story-based short film and role-play in game that ultimately will let the users of the site create a next Mountain Dew.

The site opens with a 4-minute short film that explains the Dewmocracy back story, which revolves around "a chosen one" whose mission is to defeat the iron-fisted corporate forces controlling the world and return freedom of choice to the people. It has the look of the combination of a Sci-Fi channel version of Blade Runner and Ridley Scott's 1984 Apple commercial. According to the creators, this opening movie and a lot of the experience was created by Whitaker who rather than sit back as a celebrity name plate he took on the majority of creative aspects for the experience by hiring his own team of illustrators, designers, writers and producers.

The game has seven "chambers" where you can earn points by doing various games like answering questions, meeting mythical characters, etc..
Get enough points and you can ultimately select the flavor, color, name, logo, label, and tag line for the next Mountain Dew. This selection process isn't completely open ended as each choice is made from a pre-set list so there are a limited number of combinations that could win.

The winning drink will be unveiled in July. For me, the whole thing is interesting but I don't really find it that compelling since I don't drink Mountain Dew or have the free time required to get very far in the game. But then again I am not the demographic for this and it is resonating with their target since the site has had 700,000 unique visitors, including 200,000 registered members who have played the game with an average time spent per gaming session is 28 minutes. It is hard to argue with numbers like that so it will be interesting to track the rest of the campaign and the final reveal to see how it all works out.

Labels: Design and user experience, Digital culture, Exceptional experiences, Online advertising review, Site review, Viral

Microsoft has decided to piggy back on to the growing political frenzy by launching Left vs Right which is a more humorous and less annoying spoof of Hannity & Colmes. You can type in hot-topic political terms like "Iraq war", "gay marriage" or "the economy" and watch the response from two fake pundits, a liberal male and conservative female, who exchange short and funny point-counterpoint arguments. The Microsoft tie-in comes in the form of a screen that opens behind the anchors that shows actual Microsoft Live Search results.

This site is a follow up to last years Ms. Dewey which I think was more engaging and entertaining than this new version. So while Left vs Right is well done, Ms. Dewey was able to do a much better job of integrating the Live Search into the concept and in this new version it feels like it was more of an after thought that was bolted on in the end.

Labels: Design and user experience, Exceptional Flash, Site review

For the majority of companies they seem to think that CRM (Consumer Relationship Marketing and/or Management) equals email. When a generic piece of communication from a company that is put in with more valuable and relevant content in my U.S. mail box I call it junk mail but when it comes as email I am suddenly going to give it more value?

So I did an experiment to see if my perception of this problem was what is really going on in the real world. For the past month, every time a company that I did not interact with on a regular basis asked for my information, input, feedback or opinion in any medium I gave it to them to see what they would do with it. I even created a new Yahoo! email account and only gave that address in my responses so I was sure anything I received wouldn't get lost in my personal email account or trapped in my spam filter. The results were that I engaged with 62 different brands that ran the gamut from high-end luxury to local mom and pop stores I got templated emails from 21 brands, generic printed mail from 10 brands (6 of them also sent me email), and 0 meaningful messages or interactions.

That is appalling. Somewhere along the way we decided that we would rather have the convenience of technology that can send our mass anonymous emails over a real relationship and understanding of our customers. You have a person who is raising their hand and saying they want to at a minimum interact with your brand and at best build a relationship with you. We reward this investment by telling them they just another number in a database.

To companies I say that you consider spending less time worrying about re-branding and re-positioning your re-done logo in your re-done color palette you re-launched last year and more time understanding how to build a relationship with your customers. To agencies I say we take a step back and understand that ad campaigns are just part of an overall communication plan that builds a relationship with customers.

Labels: Back to basics, Digital culture

Being able to create and publish your own book isn't anything new since iPhoto has been doing it for years. I did come across a new entry into the category that I thought was really interesting this week in Blurb.com. You download their BookSmart software and can create a book much like you have in other programs but what makes it different is the addition of several new features like the ability to automatically suck in blog content, you can collaborate with other people to create your book and when it is done you can set a price and sell it in their bookstore.

First, the ability to suck in blog content works with all major blogging engines and all you have to do is put in your log-in, click which entries you want in the book and it sucks down all the content and puts it into your selected book size and layout. There are a lot more page layout options that I expected though since I am a designer I was hoping for a few more but that will always be the case. I tried it with this blog and it was really easy to get the content in but you quickly realize the problem is that you have to go back and replace all the photos because since it is a blog I am not using an image size or quality that is anywhere near good enough for print.

I like that they have also included the ability to collaborate on book with other people as it adds the community element to the process. It is set-up so even though it is a collaboration one person serves as the editor who pulls in and controls the content from the contributors. This seems like it could have a lot of potential for writers, designers and potentially for it to be re-skinned and used advertisers who have a consumer base that would like to do something like this.

Finally when the book it done you can set your options and price and put the book up for sale in their bookstore. The content has to be original since it is for sale but the amount of content here is growing quickly and includes some really good work that is worth checking out.

I think it will be interesting to see how Blurb build on their model but I think it has a lot of potential and should really appeal to the 'pro-sumers' who want more control, integration and a place to sell their work than what they get in basic applications like iPhoto.

Labels: Consumer generated content, Design and user experience, Digital culture, E-commerce, Exceptional design, Exceptional experiences, Great resource, Viral

Sony Australia has launched a new site for the PlayStation 3. The site starts simply enough with the line "Do You Want to Live?" which launches the site into full-screen mode but this line is never paid off in the site experience. The site does not have a traditional interface as content is accessed by either clicking and holding to scroll through the universe or click on the floating cubes that house the site's content. The cubes then open and you can navigate the subject matter by click on the right/left to move between sections and up/down to see the content in the chosen section. This all takes a little getting used to and the content is small you have to click the '+' sign in the middle of the image or movie so it will expand to a size where you can actually see what it is.

It is one of the better examples I have seen of full-screen Flash using full motion video, voice over and animation. The full-experience is close to what you would see a few years ago on promotion CD-ROM's. I struggle with the site for two reason. First, I bought a PS3 just after launch and I love it but design of the site has nothing to do with the design of PS3, it's interface or anything I have seen from Sony I struggle to see how it ties back to the PS3's branding. I would have thought they would have done something with the new black and white 3D animated style they have created in their TV spots. Second, the site is technically well done but it seems like it wouldn't appeal to the young core audience who wants something flashier like the TV spots. Even I think the design and experience feels too low key and doesn't show you the energy and fun you would find by buying the game system.

Labels: Design and user experience, Exceptional Flash, Site review, Unique interface design

I am not a member of the cult of Starbucks. For some reason I want to rebel against being someone who defines part of their personality by the string of options they have assembled to create their personal Starbucks coffee. On the days when the darker part of my sense of humor takes over I find amusement in arriving at Grand Central Station, making my way to the front of the Starbucks line and then take my time in deciding what to order. The fact that you don't have your order at the ready will cause the 30 year stock broker who is wound too tight and on track to have a heart attack by 45 and is line behind you to lose his mind.

My sense of humor aside, you can't ignore the fact that it is the trick all brands are searching for in how they can get consumers to invest something of themselves in their product so it becomes personal. The reaction from the people in the line behind me is a testament to the Starbucks brand as they have been able to get their product to become one of the global metrics that people use to define themselves. Cat or dog? Coke or Pepsi? Mac or PC?

Starbucks feels that the answer to the last question is Mac as they have already partner with them so when you walk into a Starbucks here in New York you can use the iTunes application on your iPhone to see what song is playing and purchase it right then and there. The evolution in the partner ship was announced a few weeks ago as you will be able to order your coffee through your iPhone before you even arrive at the store.



It is a very interesting concept and marriage of technology and brick and mortar retail. I had a lot of question about how it would work and I got a link today to a design shop called GENOCO which has comps and a Flash animation of what they are claiming is the Starbucks QuickOrder iPhone application. Based on the quality of the design usability I am inclined to believe that it is real.

You can go through and choose a beverage from the menu or pick from saved combinations in the My Favorites section. Choose a size, add-ons and even write a note on how to customize it the way you want it and it is sent on to the store. When you arrive you hold the iPhone up to a scanner which reads a semacode and rings up the order. It looks like if this is the final version then it will be an easy to use experience that will drive revenue for Starbucks in orders and Apple in another reason to be among the growing masses to buy an iPhone.

Labels: Design and user experience, Digital culture, E-commerce, Exceptional creative, Exceptional design, Exceptional experiences, iPhone, Unique interface design

I was sad to see BadDesignKills.com be reduced to nothing more than a page selling t-shirts last year but the launch of Design-Police.org looks to fill the void. They have a downloadable kit with up to 5 different sticker templates that will apply to possibly any design mistake.

Labels: Digital culture, Exceptional design, Great resource

ShaveEverywhere.com was a smash hit because it was original, really funny and was really a surprise since you never saw it coming from a company like Phillips. Now they are trying to catch lightning in a bottle again with the second version of ShaveEverywhere to launch their new Ear and Nose trimmer with the concept that growing hair in those areas is 'Second Puberty'. The site follows a similar structure to the original with an intro video and then the ability to explore the concept and product.

Even if I hadn't seen the original site, for me nothing here is funny. It feels like it was all taken from the cutting room floor of Saturday Night Live with a bad take on one of their spoof commercials followed by and interactive version of a Robert Smigel cartoon.

Maybe I am reading too much into this but every time I have worked on a marketing site for a client and it had a vanity URL some combination of a new year, a new product line, a new client or a new CMO would usher in an update to the site banishing the previous version to the Way Back Machine. In this case, you can still access the original version of the site and it feels like a white flag saying that the agency and the client knew this new version was going to fall flat so they better keep the good version around a while longer.

Labels: Design and user experience, Site review

For about the past year finding reliable and truly talented designers has about as easy as spotting an attractive, well adjusted married couple at a Star Trek convention. I see a lot of portfolio from freelancers, full-timers, and agencies of all sizes and very few of them catch my interest. Today I saw one for Andy Gugel and his company thirtytwoRound it did catch my attention and not for the site itself but the work contained within. He has designed a lot of great work that I have really liked over the years. It is a nice change to see no bells, no whistles, no new Flash player tricks - just solid, creative, innovative design.

Labels: Design and user experience, Exceptional creative, Exceptional design

It took longer than I would have thought but Coke has launched an interactive version of their popular and imaginative TV commercial "The Happiness Factory".The concept of the site is that you are an applicant who wants to join the team at the factory.

The process is directed by the factories receptionist who explains each section of the site in their own language with text balloons giving it to you in English. It is obvious that a significant amount of time and money went into the character animations which are fluid and well done. They come to life through the four "employees" of the factory which include the blob-like Chinoink, the furball Kissy Puppy and the shield-wielding Capper and the flame suited Mortar Man. Choosing one of these characters lets you assume their role in the factory to ultimately deliver the Coke bottle out the door. Those role are presented in the form of games where you kiss the bottle, helicoptering it to the next location or operate the bottle cap catapult.

Between the quality of the animation, that they did a good job of extending the material in the commercial and that the games are fun to play make the site an really nice and engaging experience. It is also nice to finally see a good interactive version of imaginative material like the TV spot as I am repeated so disappointed to see material like this have a thin and uninspired online experience. The only other site I could think to put in this category would be the one for Tim Burton's Corpse Bride which is if you missed is definitely a must see.

One of the problems with changing jobs and states is that you lose track off all the little things like magazine subscriptions and professional memberships. Over a year later I am finally caught up and my newly renewed ONE club membership brought the latest ONE show awards annuals to my office door. I have made no secret that the quality of the work chosen for these publications doesn't get to me very excited. I think this problem is compounded for interactive annuals since the very mediums let's us see work from anywhere in the world almost immediately after it is launched. I say all of this not to simply torture the same topic again but rather explain my state of mind as I unboxed this new set of annuals today.
When you first see the annuals what is going on doesn't sink in immediately. In the case of the Interactive Annual the cover reads "I AM ________ THIS BOOK. PG: ________". It isn't until you open the cover of the book and see there are several pages of stickers inside. The first one simple has "IN" and "NOT IN" which can be placed in the first blank on the cover. There are then two pages of numbers which can be placed in the second blank on the cover.
There is also two sheets if small multi-colored stickers you can use to tag edges of key pages through the annual. They have a variety of saying like "Seen it", "Done it" and my favorite "Had it, C.D. killed it".
This isn't an original idea since I watch my wife read Domino and Lucky magazines every month which both come with their versions of these stickers. That being said, I haven't seen an annual do something like this before and it moved the experience of going through the books to be engaging, fun and personalized. It even made going through an interactive annual - well - interactive. So kudos to ONE club for doing something fun, creative and NOT SAFE!

Labels: Exceptional creative, Exceptional design, Good read, Great resource

Yesterday Xerox unveiled a huge change to its logo and brand as CEO Anne Mulcahy and president Ursula Burns hosted a town hall meeting and live webcast to revealed the new logo and brand identity to Xerox’s 57,000 global employees. It was developed by Interbrand to "better reflects Xerox today, a company that has transformed itself in recent years far beyond its roots in copier systems. The new design is meant to make people pause, and take a new look at the iconic brand." This is one of those cases where I think that corporate culture can be the death of creativity and perspective since obviously no took the time to ask why everyone would also be stopping to asking why the Xbox logo is now red.

Labels: Branding

The end of last year I attended the Future of Web Design conference here in New York City. The opening speaker was Joshua Davis and anyone who has ever seen him speak knows that his presentation style usually appears to be a battle between a mild jet lag induced dementia and a the greatest Red Bull rush you will ever see. It was a good start to the day as I enjoy his personal style as well as his work. As the day ended I realized that I had spent more time surfing my iPhone than learning anything new about the future of web design and it wasn't the first time I had felt that way after leaving a conference. That realization has been rolling around in the back of the head and I found myself mentally reviewing these types of events in my head and the conclusion I came to made me laugh. Maybe I am smarter than I think. Maybe we are all smarter than we think and we don't gibe ourselves enough credit for it. What is driving us to goto these events and think that sitting in a room with a few hundred people will cause inspiration to strike?

For me, and I think for a lot of us, since I am asked to take a blank canvas and create something it's a very personal undertaking and when it is finished you want to find recognition and validation for that work. I think it's why we go to these conferences because we want to know that what we are doing is as good as the designers who someone has deemed as "the best" and we look for similarities between their work and ours. The problem comes because recognition and validation are emotions that face to the past and work we have already done and we must face and shape the future with new ideas to be successful.

Try this. Think of the artists who's work you love the most. Do you think they got the inspiration or idea for that work sitting in a conference listen to someone else or working in their studio? Keep it in mind next time you get the urge to validate the past and not work on the future.

Labels: Back to basics

It is always great to start out the year on a high note and this one is going to be really hard to beat. The recently re-launched LeMeridien.com is now making an appearance in the new French iPhone ad called 'Toutes les parties' which means 'All the parts" (see English version of the commercial). It will also be making appearances in the German and Italian version in the coming months.

Labels: Shameless self promotion