MMD2306 - Research Blog 5

Website of my choice review - Battle of the Cheetos

It is a fun little site that promotes the chips, Cheetos, in a clever way. To take part in the battle Puffs vs Crunchy and battle it out for dominance of the internet.

It is a step by step process, very linear. First as you enter you have the option of the skipping the movie intro and going straight through the site. It is simple yet the graphics give it a fun, polished look to the site.


Screen shot of the site


Screen shot of the movie trailer

The steps are basic to enter the site you need to the put your date of birth, choosing you battleground which are different screenshots of websites and then the alliance you side with and so forth.
As i said it is very linear but I think it makes the game more accessible to play and no room for it to be complicated, yet they have given you enough room to personalize your battleground, your alliance and your own battle flag.


Screen shots of the linear process - ie entering your DOB


Screen shot of choosing your battleground image


Screen shot personalizing your own battle flag

There is a marching whistling music playing in the background, and chester the cheetah standing up right with his general beret on. It really gives the impression you are about to enter a fun battle field for the chips.

The branding is identifiable as the main feature is Chester himself, the atmosphere is fun and the animations itself is visually appealing and jovial at the same time.

The layout is very minimal and menu buttons are unobtrusive, as the main hero of the site is about the game, the graphics make up the lack of the site's layout and its linear process in starting the game make it easy, fuss free and straight to the point, which is to battle it out with either the army of the Puffs or Crunchy!!

Overall the look and feel of the site, is clearly identifiable, with Chester being its main feature as you go through the steps to playing the game. Music, colour chosen and visually appealing graphics all add to the overall impression that of a fun battle game.
A memorable site, a clever play making the site a game that is obviously aimed for kids, yet also can be played by adults. They have cleverly made the association of by having fun - playing the game , Cheetos are too all about having fun without actually telling you to buy their product.


Screen shot of choosing which alliance


A very fun site with stunning visuals, a site i would come back to again to enter the fray of Puffs Vs Crunchy!!

Link to the website: http://www.cheetos.com/view/game/battle-of-the-cheetos/

MMD2306 - Research Blog 4

Film Promotional website review - Bride maids Official website

There isn't much going creative wise. The background features the two main characters, and a relatively small view showing the trailer of the comedy movie, which should be the main feature of the site as it is meant to promote the film, yet it is mediocre size and quality is bad, surrounded by advertising. Below it, is a slider bar where you can click on and view the other trailers of the movie which the quality is just as bad.

Navigating is simple, click on the various menu buttons and it automatically scrolls down to where the different section is.

The layout is cluttered, feels like its just one page and hard to differentiate the different sections of the site. The feel and impression doesn't really stand out for me. It feels a bit lack luster , not much thought has been put in to it creative wise. I feel the site doesn't give any justice to film and it is one of the funniest films I've seen so far, reminds me of a female version of The Hang Over.
It doesn't give a brief blurb on what the movie is about, the gallery of images is quite small and quality of the images isn't good. The shots taken are images that do not really promote the film, it feels a bit out of context.

It gives a small information about each actress, not the role they play within the film. The layout is 'bleh' and boring to me. Which is quite the opposite of what the movie is about, gut wrenchingly hilarious!. This site offers none of that, no play on the layout design of the site, or humorous to encourage the funny side of the movie. Nothing really memorable or even anything to make you go watch the film. Even the background showing two women in the background trying to look seductive and bored at the same time, is kind of off-putting. If you haven't seen the film you wouldn't know that they are the two main characters of the film. I would have preferred that the other characters were included, as they are just as funny and should be shown as a group, which is a shame.


Screen shot of the site

The site isn't very memorable, i wouldn't look twice or visit again. I would probably forget about it after I've closed the internet browser. I do not think it sets out what its suppose to do, encourage people to go see the movie or buy it on dvd or show what the movie is about. Its a very disappointing and boring site for me, which is quite sad because its one of my favorite comedy films for me.

Link of the website: http://www.bridesmaidsmovie.com/index.php

MMD2306 - Research Blog 3

Online Store review - Net-A-Porter

A site which you are able to buy high end clothing, shoes, bags, accessories etc. Burning a very very large hole in your wallet or your credit card.

It is a clean, fuss free site. Colour palette is simple and consistently used through out the site, black and white, that doesn't clash with that of displaying their products.

The impression and feel when you first see the site, is clean, elegant, a the look of a vogue fashion magazine.

It even features their own fashion online magazine which feels like you are browsing through one. It is cleverly crafted, artfully posed with models that look like they have just been cut out of a vogue magazine promoting their products.


Screen shot of the main page

Navigating is simple and fuss free. It is clearly defined and size large enough to see. It is a simple drop down menu, showing the sub sections. It is even displayed on the side and a break down of categories of the products of the main category.


Screen shot of mousing over a menu button

Browsing through the products is easy and simplified, fuss free. Products are spaced out enough to give room to each other and do not clash.
Minor downfall is that the prices you see are in Pounds, you can change the area you are in e.g USA and it will change to us dollars but that feature is very small and it is on the top left corner, very difficult to find. It does not have most currency unfortunately, not even the Australian dollar.


Screen shot displaying the products

When you see the products you can mouse over it and it will display how it looks like on a model, you do not see the face of the model, a way for the viewer to imagine themselves wearing the product, instead of relating it to the model if you saw the model's face. A subtle tactic to encourage the viewer to buy the product.


Screen shot of the product image


Screen shot when moused over the image

When clicking on the a product, you are taken to the product information page. The layout is clean and simple. Information is simplified that looks like a file folder with 3 different yet simple categories, e.g Editor's Notes (adding a personal touch of what they think about the product)
Details ( what the materials are etc) and Size & Fit ( how the products fits)

There are various shots of the product taken, that you can browse through to see how the product looks like.
Clicking on the image, brings up a magnifying tool to get a closer look at the image/product.
There is a drop down feature to show the sizes available and right next to it is a size guide link, which brings up the products exact measurements, if you are un sure which size to choose. It also can be viewed in centimeters or inches. There are other tabs whilst viewing the size guides such as how to measure yourself and the charts or the international sizes for clothes, shoes etc.
The information is simple and easy to understand.

Overall the product information page is simple, clean, and makes the product its focus of attention, with its various images of the product to display and easily accessible, the easy to find important information such as product measurements .
There is also a recommendation of other products that go well to the product you are currently viewing, encouraging spending all the more.
Furthermore there are re-assurances for the viewer if considering purchasing products such as, customer help toll free number or you can send it back for free if the product doesn't fit you and get your refund back, if you are worried buying online.
The colours black and white is consistently used and do not clash even on the product information page.


Screen shot of the product information page


Screen shot of the size guides


Screen shot of the product measurements


Screenshot of how to measure yourself

Even when you are about the finalize your purchase. The navigation is consistent, colours as well and the buttons which are of importance are noticeably different such as its size. The process is relatively simple and fuss free. Even if you are un-sure there is refund policy on display and a customer number for help. All of the important information is relatively easy to find for the customer to be at ease with making its purchase.


Screen shot of the finalizing a purchase - No i didn't buy it I'm poor uni student :P


Overall the look and feel of the site is clean, elegantly simple and the impression to that of a fashion magazine - Vogue.
Its simple use of bold colours, black/white and the minimalistic layout ties in with the sites purspose. To display its products in an effective manner, without its products fighting for attention. Finally to make buying their products as easy as possible, hassle free.
They have put alot of attention to the minor details and putting a personal touch with the editors notes on what they think of the product is nice. Being able to look at the various images of the product and zooming feature is handy and easily accessible.
The easy to use and understand guides about the product, size charts and how to measure one's self, are details that really do put the visitor's mind at ease if they are considering buying one of their products. Only downfall i can think of that they haven't put all the currency conversions on to their site.
The process of buying is simple and easy, with constant re assurances on the product information page and when purchasing the product, are all on display and easily accessible, a form of constantly putting the customer at ease and the encouragement of buying their product.

The site is effective and i feel have personally achieved what they intended to do, to encourage spending and put the visitor at ease if they have worries buying online, yet in a professional manner and still giving out a high end fashion vogue magazine feel.

Link of the website: http://www.net-a-porter.com/intl/home.nap

MMD2306 - Research Blog 2

Online Newspaper website review - The Age

When i think of reading the newspaper, i think buying the paper, having a cup of coffee and learning what is going on around you peacefully, no distraction and stress free.
However looking at the The Age's newspaper online site. I do not get a feel for who they are or what they stand for. Personally i like The Age and its reputation, its informative and a good newspaper to read, but their website doesn't do them any justice. I don't feel the layout of the site is that of a reputable newspaper company.

It is distracting, various advertising all over the website, animation zipping and flying around is really distracting if you want to concentrate reading an article, that isn't going to happen. It feels like the various sections, articles, images are all squeezed in to fit on the one page. It is cluttered and feels claustrophobic. I don't know where to look or what to click on.
Nothing is clearly separated, even the menu bar is blended in the background and the same colour to that of their very small and subtle logo of The Age, which is next a random slideshow of random people saying quotes, which feels a bit useless as you don't know in what the context they are saying or who they are.


Screen shot of the main page


Screen shot of an article

Even when you read an article you are still bombarded with advertising, and various links to who knows where it goes.

Navigating is average, the title for each section of the site says it all but it is very small, blends in the background and somewhat frustrating to find.
Some of the links on the side for each section of the site are really tiny and doesn't give the impression that it is a different section of the paper. It looks like to me it is a random link and lack of thought and been put into it.



Screen shot of a different section of the site


Even going to another section of the site, yet again i'm bombarded with advertising even in the background. The different articles are mashed together with various images, headers are insignificantly small, nothing is clearly defined or separated. Articles are recent and don't date further back, what if i wanted to look for older articles? It is very frustrating even if i went to look for it.

Overall look and feel, it is a very disappointing site, no impression of a reputable newspaper source but a mashed up, unpolished and half- arsed attempt to that of a newspaper layout, with random and annoying advertising everywhere and even in the background.
Layout is squashed together, navigating works well enough but size is so small and not even noticeable to give you the impression that it is a menu bar to take you to a different part of the site.
It feels claustrophobic, frustrating and distracting, a far cry to the joy of reading the newspaper normally with a nice coffee in hand.

Webite of the The Age: http://www.theage.com.au/

MMD2306 - Research Blog

Web Design Studio Review - Julien Pons/Freelance Graphic Designer


The overall look and feel to the the Graphic designer's website is minimal, clean and slick. It is simple but is strikingly contrasted by the limited colour palette.

When you first enter, the designer's logo is the first thing you see and a brief description of what the website is about - a graphic designer's website. It is clear you get a feel what the website is about, and the identity of the designer with the non over-bearing logo.


Designer's logo

The main page is uncluttered and elegantly simple, logo and the display of the designer's work below. The images are muted and do not clash with each other, however when you mouse over one of the works it is displayed in full colour, thus gives a lasting impression to the viewer.


Screen shot of the main page


Screen shot when mousing over the designer's work.

Navigating through the page is intuitive and simple. All you need to is simply scroll down through the page to see the different areas of the site. It is clearly separated, so you know the different sections of the site.
The icons are simplified and and tell you exactly what you are looking at or what you need to click on to browse through the designer's works. Which i like, it is easy for a non-techie person. It is also fuss free and straight to the point - about the designer and their work and how to contact the person if that is the kind of work you are looking for and where the person is situated.

There is a brief bio on the designer and a link at the end of it, if you wish to download the CV.
Also the clientele that the person has worked with is right below it, no fuss - Bio on the designer and a visual information to see who the person has worked with and if you like what you see the link is right there to download the designer's CV.
It is clean, brief. Instead of putting information about the clients, the designer has put the logos of each of the clients the person has worked with. A form of branding, logos a form of visually imparting information which easy to remember.


Screen shot of the designer's bio, contact and the various logo of the designer's clientele


Icons


Icons

Overall i enjoyed browsing through this website. It is clean, slick and minimal - fuss free even the icons look that way. The colours are consistent and the works when clicked upon is displayed in bursts of full colour. Very memorable site such as the branding logo of the designer and that of the client's.
The site is straight to the point and easy to navigate through, easily identifiable, you get a clear feel about the overall look and feel about the designer.

Link of the designer's website: http://www.julienpons.co.uk/