The Obvious – Give your website a look you’ll never forget (at least in the next six months, when everything changes again).
Users are now more aware of what is hot and what is not when it comes to web design. Perhaps, thanks to Apple, our conception of electronic/online/nerdy aesthetics has changed forever, from a “must be functional, the rest is useless preparation” approach to the epiphany that attractive design, easy websites friendly and smart branding can make a company’s fortune.
Plus, as DIY websites and soulless templates plague the internet, it’s now easier to tell quality from junk. And, if you haven’t been living in a cave since England won the World Cup, you know that cheap photos, dodgy-looking graphics and a boring template don’t say good things about your brand or company, and the way you do things.
Three (hopefully) obvious points about how your website design should look like:
• Solid
• Unique (or at least special, different)
• Consistent – Ideally, your brand should be able to stand the test of time FOREVER, and as we’ve said elsewhere, everything should have the same spin – even the font you choose for the “Back in 5” sign speaks to your brand.
What’s new – Gamification.
“Gamification” is becoming increasingly popular in all aspects of design and user experience; it can be described as the use of game design techniques for non-game processes, in order to engage the audience and get them to solve tasks and problems (even tedious and unpleasant ones, like completing surveys).
From Foursquare to Domino’s “Pizza Hero” for iPad to “Gamification of Income Tax,” everyone is getting on board. Even unexpected institutions are taking the issue quite seriously: Tom Kalil, deputy director for policy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, sees the potential of online gaming techniques applied to business, education, and more. government affairs. an extraordinary example of gamification is the piano escalator, a clever piece of design that has proven to be incredibly effective: engagement has been so high that the number of people choosing stairs over escalators has increased by 66%.
This is not some catchy song sung by an incredibly famous hottie for five minutes and then ciao, folks: a 2011 Gartner research report claims that by 2015, more than 50% of “innovation management organizations” They will gamify these processes. The Report also stated that “Over 70% of Global 2000 organizations will have at least one gamified app by 2015.”
The Good – Case Study: Molinari Sambuca Extra.
We like to do things mixing innovation, creativity and functionality. That’s what we did for the new Molinari website, packed with all the freshest and tastiest ingredients: games, top-notch design, great content, backed by a social media presence that reflects the brand’s philosophy: clarity. , transparency and simplicity, and focuses on storytelling. The page has been built using Flash, while the mobile version is compatible with iPhone and iPad.
I’m pretty sure you’re somewhat familiar with Sambuca, whether you’ve tried it in Italy after a meal or last Friday with your friends at that pub in Acton, but not many know the story behind this storied brand.
In Italy, Molinari means Sambuca. In the world, his name evokes the concept of “Made in Italy” and its premium quality standards. Back in 1945, in Civitavecchia, Angelo Molinari, an experienced and skilful “liquorist”, founded the company and created a first-class product, with an unmistakable flavor: Sambuca Extra. Produced for the first fourteen years by artisans following traditional methods, Sambuca Extra Molinari quickly grew in popularity throughout Italy, becoming the signature drink of the Dolce Vita in Rome.
Angelo Molinari himself suggested Sambuca to the bartenders on Via Veneto, who used to serve it with coffee beans (preferably an odd number, for superstitious reasons). The so-called “Sambuca con la mosca” (literally, “Sambuca with the fly”) was born.
Molinari’s success is due to an effective, truly original, often pioneering communication strategy made of commercials, the famous “caroselli”, testimonials and slogans that shaped the future of Italian advertising. The most famous catchphrase is probably Walter Chiari’s “Bere troppo fa male, bere male fa peggio, bevi poco ma bene, bevi Sambuca Molinari” (“Drinking too much is bad, drinking bad things is worse, drinking good quality in small amounts, drink Sambuca Molinari”).
Almost thirty years before the “drink responsibly” campaigns, Molinari already encouraged people to consume alcoholic beverages in moderation, and still do.