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BEST
OF THE NET
Last updated on 26 May 2006
We work the web a lot, searching for sites to
feature in our newsletter,
on DMOU
and our presentations on Technology and the Internet. For those of us
that are out there a lot, we know that there are a lot of sites that
simply exist without a clear purpose. Zeitgeist highlights the sites
that get it.
From a great raison
d'etre to cutting edge visuals and features, here are some
of our current faves. And, if you've got a site that you believe qualifies
for inclusion here, please e-mail
us.
FLY
PENTOP
The future of the web is right here. The FlyPenTop is a self-correcting
calculator, daytime scheduler, music composer and fantasy baseball game
in one. Targeting 8-14 year olds, this ingenious product utilizes a
pen with a tiny camera, a computer chip, a AAA battery and special paper
to enable an incredible world of creative possibility.
Now, as cool as the FlyPenTop may be, it’s their website that
has my jaw firmly on the floor...and my imagination swirling. Four
target market spokesmodels encourage you to click on each of their color-coded
feature areas...in sensationally smooth video capture. With a brief
explanation, Justin extols the virtues of FlyBall, Alexis describes
the calculator...and so on. But, like today’s video games, their
responses become interactive. Wait too long on the main page and Gwen
playfully chides, “Wow, you sure like to take your time.”
And Zach appears almost exasperated as he says, “Hey Man, whatcha
waiting for? Click on one of us!”
Once into each section, the kids let you play along...and respond to
your every move. Now, I’m sure that Justin loses his Fantasy Baseball
match-up with me everytime to keep me (the consumer) engaged...but,
not unlike watching a carney work his mark, it’s oddly compelling.
And my cursor? On the site, it turns into the FlyPen...and I can personalize
its slant depending on whether I’m a righty or a lefty (handed,
that is). This is the most engaging site out there,
CHIVAS
REGAL
it's one of the most iconic brands in the world. It was the ultimate
expression of the "good life" in the '60s and 70s...and then,
almost inexplicably, it lost its brand mojo.
And then,
this past year, got it back. Today, the Chivas brand (along with its
tres smart entry into the super premium arena with its new 18 year
old blend) is so strong that there are nightclubs in China that
serve nothing but. And the re-launch of the brand is omnipresent on
its website in which they extol the virtues of the "Chivas Life."
It all eminates from an ad that ran in American magazines the 1960s:
"Of course you can live without Chivas Regal. The question is:
'How Well'." As the new brand managers struggled to reverse the
decline of the Chivas image, they realized that this ad had inadvertently
captured the essence of Chivas.
Todat, the Chivas site encourages afficianoes to follow its intrepid
couple that has been incented to live "The Chivas Life" around
the globe. Visitors to the site can vicariously experience Istanbul,
La Paz, Bankok and Miami through photos and hand-held camcorder video.
And, of course, register to win giftcards and personalize bottles of
Chivas for their friends...or themselves!
PEPSICO
The American Pepsi site is a strong contender...but doesn't have near
the punch of this European-focused site that features a "YouTube.com"-like
opportunity to post your own Pepsi-related videos. Visitors to the site
can also send audio messages featuring clips from the commercials (and
the stars) to friends' phones...followed up by a text message encouraging
the recipient to go to the site and "dadada" another friend
(talk about viral!). It all combines to establish the theme song as
a universal anthem. And, of course, Pepsi is at the root of it all.
This, it's the National Anthem of a World United by Pepsi (and not Coke...which
had originally owned this position , but absent-mindedly lost it).
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