Is “E” The Best Solution?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Okay…I’ll get the bragging part out of the way quickly.

A couple of weeks ago, we won twice in the 2010 GDUSA American Web Design competition. This annual contest “celebrates the power of well-designed online to attract audiences, generate engagement and response, and promote products, services and ideas.” Here’s a link to this year’s competition site, or you can see all winning sites in the May issue of GDUSA magazine.

Oh, pshaw…enough about that. What’s most interesting to us is that the two sites that won were not “quintessential” websites. Both had subject matter and messaging objectives that historically would have resulted in the use of some form of print media.

The first project, Chrysler Group’s media site for the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, was produced in five languages, and featured product overviews and specifications for an array of vehicles somewhat unfamiliar to international media. Because Chrysler had no individual announcements at the event, this was an opportunity to focus on their entire lineup.

The second site was an online portfolio for television personality Jon Jordan. Commonly, on-air types send samples of their work, mostly in the form of print material and video, to groups seeking talent for special events or shows.

These projects had some common objectives and nuances. Both needed to be easily updated, as future modifications were almost a certainty; both wanted their audience to come away with the impression that they had utilized the latest technologies in a productive, user-friendly manner; both wanted to get the biggest “bang for the buck” in the branding/image enhancement category. From the feedback received, the team (including the clients) collectively employed the right medium in each case.

Does this mean that print media is dying? Is the future of everything we read, or gather information from, going to come in some electronic form?

In my opinion, yes…in part.

If the subject matter is essentially informational – a newspaper, reference manual, even a novel – there’s no denying that online applications are probably going to be the primary medium of the future, especially when you consider just how good some of the early current examples are (iPad, Kindle, NOOK). They offer the portability of a printed piece with the capacity to instantly access thousands of pieces. And they’re going to get better and better, further blurring the lines between novelty and necessary tool.

But what about the image pieces – those things you enjoy holding in your hands just because they look and feel so darned good? Is a Nordstrom or Saks seasonal catalog the same online as in the finished print piece? Not even close. Can a clever e-vite compete with the look and feel of a creatively designed and executed print version? A majority of the time, no. Do you get the same feel of Architectural Digest, Vogue magazine, a coffee-table or children’s book in the online versions? No.

And, in the cases of the sites featured in today’s blog, are there situations where print would have been the best solution to meet the client objectives? Absolutely.

Each scenario is unique, and requires analyzing and discussing all the pros and cons. A common mistake we see in “Creativeland” is the desire to employ a particular medium just because it’s current and cool. It’s still got to be highly effective in communicating the message, and provide the greatest return for the client’s investment.