Interactive Banner: User Initiation

Keeping the basic function of the banners simple is the key to this exercise. Although I want the banners to stand out, I don't want to detract attention from the sites that they are destined for. I want the initial keyframe to be static or involve minimal animation. Only when the user initiates the banner will it spring into life displaying the complexity of the flash piece. The user need not be bombarded by the banner but given the choice to initiate and control its actions. I want these banners to be viewed as an extention to the site they appear on rather than an overide of the content they surround. It is all about context and what I have done is try to develop a way in which they can compliment the context in which they sit. Defining the context they will suit is all down to what product(s) the ad chooses to display. Because of the nature of my chosen product, the banners created to serve them will sit well among websites like Black's, Millet's, Decathlon and other outdoor activity specialists. This postioning is integral to the effectiveness of the banner.

Interactive Banner: Merging Ideas.

Having now chosen the products for each of the brief options I would like to take some time to reflect on this decision. I wanted my banners to link to each other in an abstract sense. No obvious links will be made but the product depicted in one will reflect the climate of the country selected for the other be that socially or geologically. In plain terms, I want to think of it as a useful object to possess when travelling the chosen country.



The Selected Country:
Scotland.

This country was selected because of the huge visual library that Scotland has to offer. If I was to approach this from a 'tourist attracton' perspective, I would have a vast array of imagery, backdrops and history to refer to (INSERT EXAMPLES). Instead I want to concentrate on the isolation of some of Scotland's terrain in order to try and link it to the product mentioned in the next section. The terrain depicted in the ad will appeal more to outdoor enthusiasts like off road cyclists, climbers, hill walkers, orienteers. This ad will not depict Scotland as a cosy, culture rich metropolis but as a place to go to get away from urban chaos and get a bit muddy.

The Selected Product:
Portable Lighting (UltraPower LED Torch).

Out of all my product ideas, this one is the best suited to the country I am using. I am still undecided as to use an existing product within this brief. I have played with the idea of using an exagerated product with extra functions that I can market and better relate to the country. Ideas such as GPS, DAB radio, naked flame, knife, ultra bright, long lasting LED torch, whiskey and cigarettes could all be implemented turning it into more of a survival device. This device will develop further as I decide of which areas of the country to market.

Interactive Banner: Concepts

What I want to begin with is a look into what products are likely to turn up on a web advertisement. From the result of this process, I can begin to develop and build the banner concept itself.
It is predominantly the youth of today who frequent the internet and due to this, product placement is ususally centred around the 18-35 year old demographic. Products and services such as mobile phones, cheap airlines, clothing retailers, gadgets and personal computers are commonplace among web adverts but items like hearing aids, drain rod companies, private healthcare, golf clubs and windscreen wipers are scarce. Because of this it is important that I choose a product/service that translates well into these terms. In the real world a double glazing company wouldn't ask a designer to create a banner for use on Myspace or Facebook. They would simply spend time advertising where they are more likely to reach their target audience, i.e. a newspaper or direct mailing/leaflet distribution.
Once I have decided on an product that fits the criteria necessary for warranting a web banner, I will begin the ideas process.

Rolling On

We're well and truly rolling through the second year. Alot more concise than last year, although still a few teething problems. The web banner project seems simple enough though I'm gutted that we can't choose the content. Could have killed two birds with one stone and done some Ambush related material.